FSC Study Project

The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to conduct and promote exploration, public education, scientific research, and environmentally sound management of the caves and karst within and surrounding the Fort Stanton – Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area. This organization, comprised of over 100 volunteers with the spirit of "volunteerism", has been pursuing these activities for over 55 years, taking Fort Stanton Cave from a well known popular recreational cave, to a world class, scientifically extraordinary, 68 Kilometer system (as of October 2021 trips). The discovery of the famed Snowy River passage in 2001 is one of the most significant achievements of this organization. Now, in what is likely the most remote (from an entrance) underground area in the world, approximately 11 miles south from the Turtle Junction location, our teams are planning to continue the hydrological survey of several Snowy River tributaries. After four years of flow, Snowy River stopped flowing at Turtle Junction in May 2018. Four months later the soft calcite surface was dry enough for survey and exploration teams to continue during September and October before another flow started. During September and October 2019, Snowy River had dried enough for three "strong & light" teams to push an upper level passage which, after 28,700 feet of new survey, was named Capitan Caverns. Three more S&L survey trips in 2020 were made following Covid-19 rules. During 2021 the flow continued and provided only limited access in May 2021. Additional work continued in the historic sections of the cave including new photography for Caver Quest. The surveyed length of the cave was 42.3 miles prior to July 1, 2022, raising Fort Stanton Cave a bit higher on the "long caves" lists! An additional 2 miles of passage was surveyed on a single trip in July 2022. Jump below for more information on Capitan Caverns and the July 4, 2022 discoveries.

The banner picture above (Photo by John Cochran) shows a portion of Snowy River, located below an upper level passage called The Metro located just North of Turtle Junction. The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project (FSCSP) is a long-term and ongoing project operating under a Volunteer Services Agreement with the BLM. The project sponsors three week long expeditions yearly. The FSCSP policy is to be fully open to all individuals interested in furthering the goals of the project. The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project is a private, non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

FSCSP Expedition Schedule

Fort Stanton Cave, an extensive limestone cave in central New Mexico, is currently the second-longest cave in the state and is important because of the discovery of the Snowy River passage which was found to have flowing water during certain times. Modern-day cavers have been exploring its passages for over 50 years and continue their explorations and study as part of the Ft. Stanton Cave Study Project. Team members in the "Strong & Light" category are continuing the far south hydrological surveys on extended bivouac and camp trips towards Midnight Junction, so named because when discovered it was midnight during a 30+ hour long trip. The far end of Snowy River itself is at a place called "4:30 A. M. Junction". At the end of the caving season the FSCSP publishes alimited edition CALENDAR which is afailable to our team members and other interested supporters.

Fort Stanton Cave

Fort Stanton Cave is a significant natural, cultural and historical resource located in the south-central part of New Mexico in Lincoln County, between the villages of Lincoln and Capitan. The 25,000+ acres of public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) was designated the Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave National Conservation Area in 2009.

Project Photos

There are five new pages of photos from a July, 2022 trip to a continuation of the Snowy River Passage, passing the 44 mile surveyed passage mark. A slide show of photographs starting at the cave entrance features additional pictures of the Snowy River area. There is a panorama photo at the Priority 7 junction with Snowy River, the location where Snowy River was discovered 21 years ago! We just updated the coverage of Caver Quest of the cave, now at Version 6.8.1, and we are using more advanced LIDAR and photogrammetry techniques, including 3-D presentations.

Book on the Exploration of Fort Stanton Cave:

Unfortunately our award winning 306 page exploration and picture book [12 Miles From Daylight] that was published in June, 2017, is now out of print. This book was featured at the National Speleological Society Convention held in Rio Rancho, NM. We are investigating being able to reprint the book but in the mean time keep your eyes open for previously owned books.

Bats are our Friends

The FSCSP supports bats and the science involving bats, Please take time and click here to learn the real story about our friend the bat, which can also be found in buildings, not just caves.

Discoveries 2019-2022

Exciting new discoveries were made during October 2019. An extension of the Gold Rush passage discovered in October 2018 was pushed by three "Strong & Light" (S&L) teams and another six miles of passage were surveyed. Derek Bristol was able to video much of the new passages on the last weekend of the October expedition, and has released it on his You-tube channel. Check out Derek's video HERE. Following Covid-19 rules, Garrett Jorgensen led three S&L teams in the Fall of 2020 and they were able to increase the official survey length of the cave to 42.29 miles! Starting with a lead from April 29, 2008 at station SRS107, the team named an important cut-around for the Mud Lizard sump area "Black Rock Bypass". Additional leads were surveyed during Snowy River maintenance work (repairing the "magic carpets") before flowing water was reached several miles upstream. All are looking forward to a dry winter with low snowfall which might allow access even further upstream.

Discoveries 2019-2022

New Discoveries July 1, 2022: We were fortunate to field several trips to a dry Snowy River in May and July. An exploration and survey team of 4 cavers made significant progress in passages beyond the Midnight Junction Camp, extending the cave another 2 miles. Rainfall starting just after their trip caused Snowy River to flow again, and we expect some of the Snowy River passages to be closed due to this flow through the 2022-2023 caving season, which ended in October. Photo pages of the summer 2022 discoveries start HERE. At the close of our Fall 2022 expedition the total length of the cave was 44.57 miles. Rainfall in the cave area appears to be causing a continuing Snowy River flow in spring of 2023. A new surface monitoring site was set up on Eagle Creek in June, 2023, which might allow improvements to the hydrology flow analysis which would enable better long range planning for deep Snowy River South trips.

This beautiful calcite formation in Capitan Caverns was found on the floor under a drip from above. (Garrett Jorgensen photo)
This low-level passage at the north end of Capitan Caverns is displaying exquisite mud cracks. This area is near Capitan Gap, and is a lower level corresponding to the Tiger Tail Room in Lincoln Caverns, discovered over 50 years ago. These mud cracks are especially well preserved due to the lower passage being shielded from the strong airflow through the main segments of Capitan Caverns. (Ramon Armen photo)
Nick Anderson, Adam Weaver and Jason Ballensky traveling through the Super Borehole passage in far south Capitan Caverns. (Garrett Jorgensen photo)
The Snowy River Passage, discovered in 2001, is now thought to have the longest cave formation in the world. It was caused by intermittent flowing waters that left the white calcite formation on the floor shown in this photo. Kat Rix lights the passage at SRN 12, located under an upper Window passage. Although the full extent of Snowy River is unknown, the passage has been surveyed over 10 miles in length. During the three times we have seen water flowing in this passage since the original discovery, we believe that the average depth is only around six inches. Research on the unique passage continues both underground and above-ground using sophisticated measurement techniques. John Ganter Photo. (Click on the picture to view a larger image.)
Taken in October, 2011, an amazing feature located five miles from the entrance in far south Snowy River resembles two mountainous islands. Although somewhat similar to some smaller objects in the area near Turtle Junction, the team designated this area as the "Realm of the Floating Islands". Tim George inspects this set of twin peaks which only become islands during the time that Snowy River is flowing. A water logger was installed at this location to monitor the future flows of Snowy River.   (The Snowy River passage is currently only open to scientists who are studying and surveying the cave.) Jim Goodbar Photo.
Bob Buecher testing a cave radio horizontal range through the Main Corridor of the cave. (Normally the loop antenna would be positioned level with the ground for optimum communication with a team on the surface.) During the initial survey and exploration of the "near" sections of Snowy River, these radios were used for communications between the surface and the teams in the cave. However, this is impractical at the far extent of the passages due to the extra size and weight of the radio pack. A different beacon antenna and radio are also being used to enhance the precision of our surveys in some of the remote passages by locating surface locations that can be precisely measured with GPS technology. Pete Lindsley Photo.
Snowy River passage just a few stations south of the Turtle Junction changing area. It shows the extent of the white calcite coatings that form (only when Snowy River is running) on fingers of rock that extend into the main passage. Teams that visit this portion of the passage must change into clean clothing and footwear and take great care to not scuff their feet on the delicate floor crystals. If they drop a bit of mud onto the pristine white surface they immediately have to clean up the dirt so that future visitors will not grind it into the white surface. Once the water flows over such an area another small deposit of calcite covers the floor preventing easy removal of the dirty area. Pete Lindsley Photo.
This tiny yellow calcite formation is an example of some of the unique formations being discovered at the far south end of the Snowy River part of the cave. Located about knee high on the wall of a passage just past Midnight Junction, the team called the ball-shaped formation "Lemon Head". Midnight Junction is one of the few locations where side passages are found in Snowy River that are apparently in-feeders or tributaries to the 10+ mile long Snowy River. Although the white-floored Snowy River passage continues at this point, we are finding some of the best examples of other beautiful formations and fossils in the whole cave. John Lyles Photo.
In the Red Velvet Passage, Stan Allison sketches some of the amazing red colored calcite found in the tributaries to Snowy River past Midnight Junction. Survey teams alternate many times between "clean" and "dirty" modes when traveling to these remote areas. Using a combination of shoes and shoe covers, dirty pack covers for protecting clean packs, and clothes changes including knee and elbow pads, the majority of these trips are lasting between 30 and 40 hours in length and the total in-and-out passage length is equivalent to running a marathon with a 40 pound pack! Garrett Jorgensen Photo.
One of many Brachiopod fossils found in a ceiling layer of limestone in the Midnight Creek passage is a real jewel. Midnight Creek is one of the tributaries reached via Midnight Junction and actually had a 1 inch deep flowing trickle of water for over 50 feet when this photo was taken in May, 2013. Normally the delicate spines on these fossils are destroyed by erosion, but in the cave environment it is not unusual to find very delicate features still intact. Shawn Thomas Photo.
A beautiful ring for a finger? No, but a tattered glove provides a scale for this unique orange colored calcite formation found on a wall in a section of the cave just beyond Midnight Junction. Jennifer Foote Photo.
This beautiful area near station MK75 is called "Borderlands", discovered July 13, 2013. The hydrological exploration and survey team consisted of G. Jorgensen, J. Hunter, A. Armstrong and S. Thomas. The survey sketcher (on the left) has his difficult job defined with the point person visible at the far end of the highly decorated room. James Hunter Photo.
Flowstone Cascade is located in the Midnight Creek passage (front to back: J. Foote, A. Armstrong & S. Thomas). John Lyles Photo

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