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Fort Stanton Cave Study Project: June 2, 2024
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Fort Stanton Cave Study Project: June 2, 2024 |
Fort Stanton Cave - Selected Photos Page 3
The team consisted of just four team members in the cave: Adam Weaver (team leader), Rene Ohms, Garrett Jorgensen-Olague and Pete Johnson. Additional FSCSP team members acted as "surface watch". Pete Johnson was acting as team photographer, using a Google Pixel 8 smart phone camera to record each station area. Garrett also used a Samsung Galaxy smart phone for some of the photos. Everyone was in very high spirits since Snowy River was known to be mostly dry to the Yellowstone River area discovered in 2022, and Steve had obtained permission permits from additional landowners. The team surveyed Yellowstone River to its end at a flowstone choke after less than ten stations. They determined that the main route was along Snowy River starting at SRS778. The extensive passages in Fort Stanton Cave are millions of years old, as in the other limestone caves in the world. The unique Snowy River calcite formation coating the floor of the older passage is much newer and has been dated approximately 800 years old. The team continued surveying and mapping as they progressed to be sure they did not enter under land where they did not have permission to travel. They passed beneath and surveyed beyond Little Creek for several thousand feet, which is a major milestone in the exploration of this cave. . There was no significantly different elevation in Snowy River in this route, but the cave became a fractured and breakdown maze, perhaps due to the presence of Little Creek above. The survey ended at a magnificent display of flowstone and draperies that they named “The Hanging Gardens”, shown at the bottom of this web page. Many leads were left for further exploration when the team had to stop due to lack of time. Their survey brought the total cave surveyed length to 46.59 miles. This changed the Fort Stanton Cave rank from tenth to ninth longest cave in the U.S. |
Rene Ohms, Garrett Jorgensen Olague, Adam Weaver and Pete Johnson near the top of the hill 20240602_023031 02:30:31 AM |
The blue flagging is how the stations are marked. This is station SRS816, on a boulder over the water. PXL_20240602_003531560
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SRS816
1
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But once again, it is possible to get out of the water into dry passage. PXL_20240602_003544061
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Rene examines the white wall deposits while Garrett sketches. PXL_20240602_003715785
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SRS816, SRS817
2
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Rene setting station SRS818. PXL_20240602_004051067
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Back in the water! PXL_20240602_004431249
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SRS818, SRS819
3
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The character of the passage has changed after SRS819. PXL_20240602_004919502
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And changed character again after SRS820 PXL_20240602_005846425
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SRS820, SRS821
4
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Back into big passage after SRS821. PXL_20240602_010559973
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Garrett sketching. The item hanging from the survey book is a ruler / protractor used to make the sketches more accurate. PXL_20240602_010634011
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SRS822
5
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Rene is holding up a survey notebook to serve as a target for a backsight from the next station. PXL_20240602_010642060
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Rene on a mud bank after SRS823. Note the water line on the mud bank. PXL_20240602_010946428
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SRS823, SRS824
6
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Rene looking at station SRS824 to her left. PXL_20240602_011114444
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Adam back in the water. PXL_20240602_011138165
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SRS824, SRS825
7
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After SRS825, back on the mud bank. PXL_20240602_011929294
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A rather scenic shot in the Snowy River stream passage. PXL_20240602_012730855
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SRS826
8
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Approaching SRS827. PXL_20240602_012950117
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Out of the water after SRS829. PXL_20240602_013852321
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SRS829
9
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Another view of the same area. PXL_20240602_013905149
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Garrett and Rene coming up to SRS830. PXL_20240602_014048762
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SRS829, SRS830
10
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Rene descending back down to the water. PXL_20240602_014627872
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Approaching SRS832, in the water PXL_20240602_015009710
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SRS831, SRS832
11
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Approaching SRS832, in the water. PXL_20240602_015502474
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Sketching after SRS833. PXL_20240602_020359666
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SRS832, SRS835
12
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The character of the passage changes again after SRS835. PXL_20240602_021107723
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Climbing down off the breakdown. PXL_20240602_021559619
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SRS835
13
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Back up on the breakdown. PXL_20240602_021834775
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At station SRS837, this is the case that protects the DistoX2 laser survey instrument.. PXL_20240602_022128741
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SRS837
14
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Once again, in a large passage. PXL_20240602_022300392
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Continuing on . . . PXL_20240602_024502136
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SRS837, SRS838
15
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Pausing on top of the breakdown after SRS838. PXL_20240602_024811318
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Finding the way through the complicated passage. PXL_20240602_025452086
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SRS839, SRS843
16
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The passage after SRS843. PXL_20240602_031112972
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A pool surrounded by the Snowy River deposit and manganese coated breakdown. PXL_20240602_031133705
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SRS843, SRS844
17
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The passage after SRS844 – heading towards “The Crossing” under Little Creek. PXL_20240602_031754338
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The passage after SRS852 The passage has now gone under Little Creek. PXL_20240602_042532706
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SRS852. SRS853
18
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Back into big passage after SRS853. This part of the cave is referred to as Rancho Ruidoso Country. PXL_20240602_042743415
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Rene on top of the breakdown while Garrett sketches. PXL_20240602_043020161
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SRS853, SRS854
19
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Rene at station SRS854. The orange flagging marks the route. PXL_20240602_044008460
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At station SRS846, the DistoX2 laser survey instrument is being used. In addition to reporting the distance, these units also report the azimuth direction and inclination. PXL_20240602_032111597
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SRS846, SRS865
20
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Rene making a shot from SRS865. If you look carefully, you can see the red laser light emitting from the DistoX2. PXL_20240602_060235069
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The DistoX2 survey instrument also stores the data in addition to the paper notation on the survey sketch sheet. PXL_20240602_060244764
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SRS865. SRS866
21
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Rene making a shot at station SRS866. 12:14:36 AM |
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Rene is holding up a survey notebook to serve as a target for a backsight from the next station. You can see the red laser beam on the survey book. PXL_20240602_061518033
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SRS865, SRS866
22
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Showing the character of the passage after SRS866. PXL_20240602_062137465
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Once again, Garrett sketching. PXL_20240602_062524304
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SRS866, SRS867
23
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The passage after SRS867. PXL_20240602_063803484
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After SRS868, it is apparent that the passage is climbing up a hill (Mount Mashu). PXL_20240602_064137862
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SRS868, SRS869
24
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Horizontal bedding planes in this area 20240602_004959 12:49:59 AM
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This is the first of several photos in an area called the Hanging Gardens. 20240602_005010 12:50:10 AM
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SRS869
25
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20240602_005021 12:50:21 AM |
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This beautiful calcite formation area obviously had a lot of surface rain water slowly percolating down over a long period of time. Note that the above flowstone on the right appears to have broken some time in the past, revealing many layers that can provide scientists to use dating techniques to determine the age of the calcite. 20240602_005027 12:50:27 AM |
SRS869
26
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20240602_005043
12:50:43 AM |
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Garrett, after SRS870. PXL_20240602_065057865
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SSRS870
27
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At the top of this hill there is an excellent display of flowstone. PXL_20240602_065154652
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PXL_20240602_065154652
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SRS871
28
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After SRS871, looking down on the flowstone. PXL_20240602_071030736
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More flowstone displays. PXL_20240602_071521668
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SRS871
29
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What’s up there, beyond the flowstone? PXL_20240602_071535421
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Rene sketching in this well decorated area. PXL_20240602_071547608
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SRS871
30
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Beautiful display ! PXL_20240602_071555987
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Another beautiful display after SRS872 ! PXL_20240602_071835102
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SRS871, SRS872
31
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20240602_011901 01:19:01 AM
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20240602_011907 01:19:07 AM
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SRS872
32
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20240602_011923 01:19:23 AM
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This area was named the "Hanging Gardens" 20240602_011931 01:19:31 AM |
SRS872
33
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Another view of the layered calcite flowstone that shows some possible blocks on the floor below that may have once been part of the flowstone above. This sort of breakage suggests an ancient earthquake could have caused the breakage far in the past. 20240602_011934 01:19:34 AM |
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he gloves are in the photo for scale. This photo shows a piece of flowstone drapery that has probably broken and fallen during some long ago earthquake. PXL_20240602_071941897 01:19:41 AM
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SRS872
34
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Beautiful display ! PXL_20240602_072310618
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Incredible lily pads ! PXL_20240602_073335495
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SRS872
35
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Another cascade ! PXL_20240602_075325244
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20240602_025526 02:55:25 AM |
SRS850-SRS851
36
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Several of the next photos were taken on the trip out of the cave and may not be tied into survey stations, they are in the newly discovered passages under Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates and Enchanted Valley Estates. 20240602_025556 02:55:56 AM
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20240602_025649 02:56:49 AM
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SRS851, SRS843
37
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20240602_030938 03:09:38 AM
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20240602_030940 03:09:38 AM
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SRS843
38
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20240602_031018 03:10:18 AM
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20240602_033540 03:35:40 AM
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SRS829
39
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20240602_033547 03:35:47 AM
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20240602_033915 03:39:15 AM
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SRS809
40
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Rene, Pete and Adam wading under the Enchanted Valley area at a low ceiling. 20240602_034207 03:42:07 AM
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Rene, Pete and Adam wading under the Enchanted Valley area 20240602_034225 03:42:25 AM
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SRS809
41
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20240602_034323
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Down in the mud, Adam prepares to use the hand-line to climb back up in the Enchanted Valley area . 20240602_034812 03:48:12 AM
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SRS809
42
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Nylon webbing, 1 inch wide, is often used to provide extra safety on slick climbs. 20240602_034825 03:48:25 AM
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20240602_035136 03:51:36 AM |
SRS809, YRR11
43
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Garrett sketching, in the Yellowdust River passage. PXL_20240602_105103472 04:51:03 AM
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Taking a break on the way out of the cave. The orange flagging marks the trail. PXL_20240602_111142674 05:11:42 AM |
SRS801A, SRS801B
44
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This route, discovered on the way out, avoids walking in the water. PXL_20240602_111256824 05:12:56 AM |
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While this route avoids the water, it is not quite a walking passage. PXL_20240602_111505233 05:15:05 AM |
SRS801B, SRS801C
45 |
Cavers are not afraid of crawling. It’s part of what we do. PXL_20240602_111705894 05:17:05 AM |
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Garrett crawling up out of a crack at the end of the survey.. PXL_20240602_112241217
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SRS801C, SRS23
46
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Many hours later, back at Turtle Junction, the team passed this Ultrasonic Water Sensor, which measures the distance to the surface below, with or without water. This real time water sensor lets us decide when it is safe for cavers to travel over 10 miles up the dry stream bed to survey. 20240531_104434 10:44:34 AM
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2022 Photo Pages
- 2024 Photo Pages
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