Caves, caving in Georgia?

[Artfuldodger]

I didn't want to take over the Little River thread but the caves in Georgia sparked my interest. My daughter and her friend went in a cave with a guide near Rising Fawn. Not sure it if was the one on the State Park property. Anyway, I didn't realize Georgia had so many caves.

https://www.tripstodiscover.com/beautiful-georgia-caves-caverns-to-visit/

 

[Artfuldodger]

Interesting that some of these are in Southwest Georgia. In regards to all of these caves, I'm assuming you'd have to go through a guide service to go?

 

[Artfuldodger]

Found this article of Deaton's Cave that Jethro mentioned;
https://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Do-We-Go-Into-Caves?-Deatons-Cave,-a-Wild-Past&id=8164737

 

[Thunder Head]

A guide or someone with experience might be a good idea to start with. Its very easy to get turned around.

Most are wet and slippery. Its very hard to get a injured or dead person out of a cave.

 

[westcobbdog]

I used to go to a cave with some guys I worked with that was located just into tn, near Chatt., park then hike about half a mile, then enter small opening in the side of a small mtn. then drop into a chamber that had an underground river you had to cross. This was 30 + years ago, prolly wouldnt do it today, too smart and too skeert.

 

[Artfuldodger]

I would def use a guide service. The Georgia Girl Guides quit doing tours. I think they went to a cave on the Cloudland Canyon SP and Pigeon Mountain, which is Pettyjohn's Cave. It's in Walker County. It contains 6.5 miles of underground trails within Pigeon Mountain.

The cave reaches a depth of 235 feet and contains many rooms, including the Echo Room. To get to the Echo Room, one must crawl through the Worm Tube, a 150 foot passageway that forces cavers to crawl on their hands and knees. The Worm Tube is one of the most popular features of the cave.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Pettyjohn Cave is a very popular cave for local students and spelunkers. It is a horizontal cave, but a 50 ft handline is the recommended kit when visiting the cave.

Ellison's Cave, Pigeon Mountain has two of the tallest "pitches" in the entire united states, Fantastic which reaches 586 feet, and Incredible, 440 feet. The first drop into the cave is 65-feet, the second 83, and thirdly 440-feet into Incredible Pit. The cave has become a favorite spot for cavers all over the world. Ellison's cave is not recommended for inexperienced cavers.

I don't think a horizontal cave will be on my list, lol.

 

[Nicodemus]

There`s several caves within a couple of miles of my house, here in Southwest Georgia. Caves are one thing I don`t fool around in.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Pettyjohn Cave is a great starting point for inexperienced cavers. While it’s got plenty of amazing features (such as waterfalls and unique formations) it’s also relatively safe and easy to traverse, which makes it the perfect cave for beginners to train on.

https://ashthetraveler.com/13-important-pettyjohn-cave-facts-you-need-to-know/

 

[Artfuldodger]

There`s several caves within a couple of miles of my house, here in Southwest Georgia. Caves are one thing I don`t fool around in.

I wonder about the integrity of limestone caves vs the ones in North Georgia. I know that many overhanging rocks and cave ceilings have been there for millions of years but they also sometimes fall.

I think about the fate of Floyd Collins. I think a rock shifted and trapped him in a cave.

Plus some cave fill up with water real quick.

 

[ringorock]

Pettyjohn Cave is a great starting point for inexperienced cavers. While it’s got plenty of amazing features (such as waterfalls and unique formations) it’s also relatively safe and easy to traverse, which makes it the perfect cave for beginners to train on.

https://ashthetraveler.com/13-important-pettyjohn-cave-facts-you-need-to-know/

I've been pretty deep into petty john. It has some beautiful waterfalls. I came in with a mice pair of jeans. I left with buttless chaps.

Errrr. Argh. I meant thumbling rock.

 

[Redbow]

Dark ole dark ole cave, Miller's Cave. Way down in, the state of Georgia, thru the swamps and everglades. I still love that song today...

Just listening to Hank Snow sing that tune now...

 

[Artfuldodger]

This is Ellison's Cave, it is a pit cave in Walker County, Georgia, on Pigeon Mountain. The cave is 586' deep, Sheer rock walls, pitch darkness and twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. It is the 12th deepest cave in the US.

 

[turkeykirk]

This is Ellison's Cave, it is a pit cave in Walker County, Georgia, on Pigeon Mountain. The cave is 586' deep, Sheer rock walls, pitch darkness and twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. It is the 12th deepest cave in the US.

That’s a cool picture. But still ain’t gonna do it.

 

[Artfuldodger]

That’s a cool picture. But still ain’t gonna do it.

I think I'll try a few horizontal ones first! lol.

 

[nrh0011]

just thinking about crawling through that worm tube you described gave me the heebie jeebies.

 

[LEGHORN]

There’s a big one between Whigham and Climax north of 84, somewhere in that area. It’s been many, many years since I’ve been there.

 

[Artfuldodger]

There’s a big one between Whigham and Climax north of 84, somewhere in that area. It’s been many, many years since I’ve been there.

Kind of interesting that there are caves in Southwest Georgia and on into Florida. Then again there are those springs and hole in that area that divers go in and come out another hole. I remember them doing it at Radium Springs.
Maybe its like some are full of water and some are mostly dry.

I remember reading about one in Turner County.

The only other part of Georgia in which limestone bedrock is present is the Coastal Plain of south Georgia. Decatur County in far southwest Georgia has four caves, including Climax Caverns, which has passages totaling more than seven miles. In adjacent Grady County there are five caves, including Glory Hole Caverns, which has almost three miles of passages and is well known for its crystalline gypsum formations. Other caves are scattered through Crisp, Dodge, Dougherty, Houston, Lee, Randolph, Terrell, Turner,
Washington, Wilcox, and Worth counties in the Coastal Plain.

https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/geography-environment/caves

 

[mattuga]

just thinking about crawling through that worm tube you described gave me the heebie jeebies.

Me too, I starting squirming just to enjoy the lack of constriction.

I would learn real quick what a true panic attack is if I ever went through that disaster of an idea. My brother did it in scouts, glad I wasn't old enough.