Everytime someone enters a cave they impact the cave. The goal is to minimize the impact of cave visits, and leave the cave without a trace. The Southern California Grotto is committed to the conservation of cave resources. Valuable Caves are a valuable scenic and scientific resource. Many caves contain beautiful and unique mineral formations.
Some caves contain rare or endangered species of animals.
A few caves contain historic relics or prehistoric bones and artifacts. Caves Are Sensitive Caves formations, once damaged, almost never grow back. Their beauty is gone forever. What has taken centuries or perhaps tens of thousands of years to form can be irreparably damaged by a single careless or thoughtless moment. A muddy handprint or footprint permanently mars a formation and inhibits future growth.