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| Trip Name: |
Scientific Rambles through Southeast New Mexico
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| Trip Code: | 51 |
| Trip Summary: |
Southeast New Mexico is a land of varied karst, including world-class examples of sulfidic, hypogenic
paleo-speleogenesis and karst geomicrobiology within the classic Permian Reef. Centered around
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, this
science-oriented field camp will offer a variety of daily trips to many of America's most spectacular
hypogenic caves in limestone and caves and karst of the adjacent Permian Basin gypsum plain.
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| Start Date: | July 11, 2009 |
| End Date: | July 18, 2009 |
| Starting Location: |
El Paso International Airport (ELP), Texas USA
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| Ending Location: |
El Paso International Airport (ELP), Texas USA
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| Minimum Size: | 6 |
| Maximum Size: | 40 |
| Contact: | Dr. Louise Hose |
| Setting: |
The Guadalupe Mountains are set in the high Chihuahuan Desert, which is typically arid and hot in
summer with occasional severe thunderstorms. In July, at the Washington Ranch, the average high temperature is
37°:C (99°F) and the average low is 20°C (68°F). It is only slightly cooler in the mountains. The elevation of the Ranch is 1100m (5100 ft) and some trips will include hikes up to 2200m (7200ft).
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| Trip Details: |
Scientists intimately familiar with the Guadalupe Mountains and adjacent Permian Basin gypsum plain will be your daily trip leaders. Join Hazel Barton,
Donald G. Davis, Diana Northup, Art and Peggy Palmer, and Michael Queen for a close look at the speleology of this unique and spectacular region. We
anticipate offering trips to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, including on- and off-trail trips in Carlsbad Cavern, Spider Cave, Slaughter Canyon (New)
Cave, and possibly others. Trips into the Lincoln National Forest will include Hidden
and Cottonwood caves. Additionally, there may be trips to gypsum karst such as the Parks' Ranch Cave and the
Bottomless Lakes cenotes; the
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant salt mine; the world-famous
Permian Reef Trail; the spectacular travertine of Sitting Bull Falls; and a local potash mine. On most days, at least two trips will be offered, so that participants can choose between a strenuous trip, often requiring vertica
l caving, and a more relaxed trip. Evening activities may include
boat tours on Lake Carlsbad, the Carlsbad Cavern bat flight, the Living Desert State Park, and a western-style barbeque.
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| Accommodations: |
The camp will be based at Washington Ranch, where both camping and bunk beds in dormitories are available.
Participants may chose instead to stay in a hotel room in White's City 13 km (eight miles) away for a substantially
higher price. Breakfast and dinner will be provided at the Ranch. Box lunches will be supplied each day for
the trips.
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| Special Considerations: |
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Participants must supply their own basic caving equipment, including helmets, lights, boots and clothing. If they plan to engage in vertical caving, they must supply their own vertical equipment.
- Many of the activities on this field camp will be restricted to participants 18 years old or older.
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| Travel Information: |
Plan to arrive at El Paso International Airport (ELP) by 2:00 pm on July 11th. Group vans will depart from the airport at 3 pm and drive about two hours to Washington Ranch. Alternatively, participants may drive their own vehicles to Washington Ranch.
Vans will be provided to transport participants back to ELP on July 18th, arriving at the airport by 9:30 am. Trip participants may make their own arrangements to fly out of ELP after 11:00 am to San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
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 The 15th ICS Organizing Committee wants everyone to enjoy their trips and excursions, but cares about the safety of all visitors and the
protection of the caves, their contents, and the land in which they occur. ICS Trip Leaders will have the right to refuse entry to a cave or
property, or remove any person from a cave or property if that person's skills, equipment, or actions are likely to harm that person, other cavers,
the cave, its contents, or the property. For general information on accepted caving equipment, techniques, and conservation methods in the US,
see http://www.caves.org/safety/ and http://www.caves.org/info/policy.shtml.
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