Not exactly.
Posted on 09/24/2006 2:37:01 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
A just-unearthed cave formed more than 1 million years ago could yield new insight into the geological history of the American West, according to scientists, who called the discovery a major find.
Four amateur cave explorers uncovered the vast caverns, stretching more than 1,000 feet into a remote mountainside, in August.
Visitors to the cave, dubbed Ursa Minor, described seeing millions of crystals that shimmered like diamonds lodged in its walls. Translucent mineral curtains hung from the ceiling, and a lake possibly 20 feet deep filled one of the cave's five known rooms.
Passages leading into darkness suggested there was still much more to see.
Geologists and cave explorers said although caves are discovered often, it is rare to find one so grand.
"There are things in this cave that could really open windows into our knowledge of geologic history and the formation of caves throughout the West," said Joel Despain, the park's cave manager. "We're just beginning to understand the scientific ramifications of this."
Park officials will not pinpoint the cave's location, saying only that it is in the Kaweah River watershed and will probably never be open to the public.
Explorer Scott McBride with the nonprofit Cave Research Foundation discovered the entrance to Ursa Minor, no bigger than a softball, on Aug. 19.
Man, I can hardly wait to get in there and bust off some pieces of those pointy things to sell!
Somewhere out there is a massive gold treasure. Keep digging.
A caver falling down a tunnel.
Seriously, it's cool to know there are still undiscovered places left on this planet.
You can sell them on eBay too!!
Back when I could bend around the rocks I did some caving down there. I remember when a new entrance was found to a known cave system. It had a beautiful glistening white flowstone "glacier" just inside the entrance. When walking across it to get to the other side we all took out boots off to keep it white. Alas, with so many wanting to get to the other side, in time it became just as muddy as the rest of the cave.
They say that man always kills the things he loves. This is especially true with wilderness beauty. We always want to see and experience that beauty but when too many have seen and experienced, it is no longer beautiful.
Not exactly.
Which will not be under the curse of sin.
To see and hear the stars sing out the glory of God will be a marvelous site to see and hear.
Like this cave not all people will be able to enjoy His Majesty
"What, never?" Couldn't they--I don't know--WIDEN the opening?
I'm not naive.
But the more power we allow them to take unchecked, the more they will try to take. If we fight back and get as loud as the Left has been in attacking free enterprise (note how far from "free enterprise" they have pushed us), perhaps we can push back against the usurping of our land.
The owners of the cave would desire to wear booties to keep their cave clean.
If some folks had their way only the elites would be able to enjoy caves like Carlsbad Caverns.
Freedom to visit and freedom to destroy have to be kept in balance.
lol
"1,000,000,000 BC"
________________________________________
Get carried away with your zeros did we, Dallas59? :)
thanks for the pics! Very cool.
You are exactly right! Are you involved in the property rights movement? Your tagline is great too!
"Some of the Park people and some of the Cave Research people seem to like caves and wilderness more than they like mankind. How stupid."
Stupid? Perhaps... and perhaps not. Time will tell. I know many people I would not consider capable of discerning beauty, whose only measure of worth is whether or not money can be made from it. I enjoy the things I can get with money just as much as anyone but I know of things and places that are priceless. Just like the people of CRF, I will never tell anyone of them.
Sights such as this cave contains are available for anyone to find and enjoy. Unfortunately, few will ever do so. Instead, they will cite their busy schedule, the family that must be provided for, the bills that must be paid. Unmentioned is the tv-remote that seems to be permanently grafted to their hand, the recliner that fits only their posterior or the six-pack they're addicted too.
I used to be a caver and I know what it cost me. I climbed the hills and rocks as a surveyor all week and then did more of it on the weekends. I drove for hours to spend two more wrapped in a sleeping bag before hiking six miles to the site of a cave system we were mapping. Once there, I ate some dried fruit and dropped into a dark, wet hole in the rocks in hope of finding something like this article describes. I was never so lucky. Instead, I found more dark, wet passages, an occasional pool of crystal clear water or, on rare occasions, a stalagmite.
There is a book, an old book whose author I can't remember, entitled "The Caves Beyond." I recommend it.
"If some folks had their way only the elites would be able to enjoy caves like Carlsbad Caverns."
Per post #37, perhaps I might be called an "elite." After all, I got off my butt and did things that others would expect to have done for them. If that makes me "elite" I plead 'guilt as charged.'
"Like this cave not all people will be able to enjoy His Majesty"
Strangely enough, many people consider things like this cave to be earthly signs of "His Majesty." I confess, I am among that group.
Unfortunately, even spelunking has its yay-hoos who proceed with callous disregard for the beauty around them and the sheer time it took to form.
I can't fault the CRF folks for wanting to safeguard what they have found, even if it is on public land.
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