In a cave time is not measured in minutes or hours, but by how much light you have left. Your light is your lifeline, without light you cannot move. The other cavers return and we talk about heading out. All of us are cold and tired. It will be awhile before we're all safely out and our brown ceiling is replaced by a bright starry, warm August sky.
Caves are extremely fragile environments.
Their features take hundreds of thousands of years to form. Cave life is rare and survives in a precarious ecological balance within the cave. Caves are also very dangerous and should only be explored by people who have been trained to do so. Please contact the National Speleological Society for more information on caves and where to find a caving club in your area. The National Speleological Society 2813 Cave Ave.