Report by Mike King.

Scott Hollow Cave

 

3/2/02

 

Bill Murray

Mike King

Robert Helton

Tim Martin

 

For many years I have rocked climbed with a long time friend, Tim Martin, and for the same amount of time I bugged him to join me on a caving trip.  He declined every time until last Saturday 3/2/02!  Tim was accompanied by Robert Helton another fellow Greensboro resident on the drive up to CHO.  Robert and I used to go caving a ton when I lived in GSO.   They drove up Friday pm to my home, we drank some beers, caught up and hit the sack early. 

 

Bill Murray rolled in on Saturday about 7:30 and we chowed down on some tasty breakfast prepared by the lovely Mrs. King and I.  We packed up, including sleeping bags and headed down the road.  We wanted to be prepared for any weather, because the forecast had changed every day the week before.  We also wanted to be prepared for an awesome caving trip so, of course, we stopped at IMO.  Well Tim and Robert had never seen any thing like it and just went google eyed!!

 

As we cruised down I64 the snow really started to come down!  The salt trucks were out in force so we really never had any problem.  We arrived at the cave at around noon.

 

Tim and Robert thought I was just yanking their chain about a house being  over the entrance of the cave, but in the sleet and snow they approved of the creature comforts!

 

We headed on down to Mystic River and right off the bat Tim and Robert were blown away by the cave.  Now from Tim, I would have expected this type of reaction, but not from Robert, who has caved for many years.  Robert said he had never been in a cave as large as Scott Hollow. Tim began  taking MBs of photos.  He put his digital camera to the test.  Bill and I were very amused.  But it had not been very long since I had the same wow shazam reactions after seeing Scott Hollow for the 1^st time!  Scott Hollow is just a premier cave!!

 

As we got close to Mystic River, I pulled the same trick on Robert and Tim as Bill Murray and Mike Duvall pulled on me on my first trip to Scott Hollow.  Just about 100 yards from Mystic River, I put Robert and Tim in front to lead.  As they entered the main trunk passage, the superlatives, yells and oh my Gods came ringing with BIG volume.  Bill and I just cranked up laughing.

 

We did the standard tourist route down stream and up stream.  Tim took about 145 digital photos.  He is going to use them in his physical science class he teaches (middle school).  As usual we were totally amazed by all the formations, the river passages, and large rooms and huge break down piles.  The next trip to this cave, Bill and I are planning to do the 1^st sump bypass climb.  Many more miles down stream!  We put in about 5 hours of caving, hit the Golden Corral on the way home.  A big time was had be all!!!