When we asked Bowling how old the formation was, she said stalagmites and stalactites are impossible to date because different water sources drip minerals at different rates into the ground, causing the slow buildup of cave formations. But to give us an idea, she said one hole blasted into the cave in 1932 had caused a slow flow of water to drip into the area. The stalagmites hanging from the cave s ceiling were now a half-inch long. So if it had taken almost 70 years to create a half-inch formation and we were looking at a domed stalagmite more than a dozen feet tall, we were looking at one old creation. Beyond the White Giant is Guadalupe Cave, closed to all but researchers and volunteers who work on cleanup projects, brushing cave surfaces with toothbrushes to erase the footsteps left by past visitors.
Preservation is a key part of the work all rangers do at Carlsbad.
The White Giant tour and others only take place once a week to limit the effects people have on the ecosystem. Even with only eight visitors guided by two rangers, we were changing the atmosphere of the cave, Harding explained. In addition to creating moist air exhaled during our exertions, we were leaving skin cells, hair, and clothing fibers while treading on the fragile cave floors. Even though we wore gloves to keep our skin oils off the wall s surfaces, we were wearing parts of the cave smooth. Before starting back to the entrance, we sat in the cave, turned our lights off, and marveled at the total darkness.