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| Trip Name: |
Caves of the Guadalupe Mountains and surrounding area, New Mexico
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| Trip Code: | 53 |
| Trip Summary: |
In addition to its world-famous namesake cave, Carlsbad Caverns National Park (in the state of New Mexico in the southwestern United States) boasts over one hundred undeveloped limestone caves. Several hundred more are found in the surrounding Guadalupe Mountains and the adjacent gypsum plain. Formed by sulfuric acid, these caves exhibit unique characteristics and features. This field camp offers both tourist and off-trail trips in Carlsbad Cavern and daily trips into many of the undeveloped caves. Both horizontal and vertical caving are possible, and activities for non-caving family members can also be arranged.
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| Start Date: | July 27, 2009 |
| End Date: | August 2, 2009 |
| Starting Location: |
El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas USA
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| Ending Location: |
El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas USA
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| Minimum Size: | 6 |
| Maximum Size: | 40 |
| Contact: | Dr. Patricia Seiser |
| 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 the average high temperature is 37°C (99°F) and the average low is 20°C (68°F) at the Washington Ranch. Temperatures are only slightly cooler in the mountains. The elevation of the Ranch is 1100m (3500 ft) and some trips will include hikes up to 2100m (6900 ft).
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| Trip Details: |
This Field Camp will start with a fairly relaxed day. A trip to Parks' Ranch Cave, the second longest gypsum cave in the United States, will be
followed by a visit to Carlsbad Cavern, culminating in the spectacular evening bat flight. On the remaining days, participants will be able to choose
from a variety of trips of varying difficulty. Some trips will devote a full day to a single cave, while others will offer shorter trips into
multiple caves. A written description of each trip will be available so that participants can select trips appropriate to their interests and abilities.
Each of the trips will have a maximum of five participants along with the trip leader. On the last day, there will be a trip to Slaughter Canyon Cave and some off-trail trips in Carlsbad Cavern, followed by a western-style barbeque.
This Field Camp will take you to some of the most notable and spectacular caves in New Mexico. Most are located in the Guadalupe Mountains, colloquially referred to as "the Guads". Carlsbad Cavern has been extensively developed for tourists, but most of the other caves in the Guads are undeveloped and offer challenging caving: Cottonwood, Hidden, Black, Hell Below, and Three Fingers Caves, among many others.
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| Accommodations: |
This camp will be based at Washington Ranch, a conference center with tree-shaded grounds about 13 km (8 miles) from White's City, which is the nearest town to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Participants will have the choice of camping or, for an additional fee, staying in air-conditioned dormitories. Each dormitory room is equipped with bunk beds and shares community bathrooms with other rooms. Alternatively, participants may stay in a hotel in White's City for a substantially higher price. Transportation between Washington Ranch and the hotels will be provided.
Breakfast and dinner will be provided at the Ranch. Box lunches will be provided each day for the trips
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| Special Considerations: |
- This field camp will provide some horizontal caving opportunities; however, most trips will require vertical experience. Many of the cave trips will be quite strenuous, including approach hikes in the summer heat, and will require significant vertical work.
- Participants must supply their own basic caving equipment, including helmets, lights, boots, and clothing; if they plan to engage in vertical caving, they must provide their own vertical equipment.
- Campers must provide their own camping equipment, including tents, mats and sleeping bags.
- People staying in the dormitories must supply their own sleeping bags and towels.
- New Mexico caves are comparatively warm and dry. Neither wetsuits nor PVC suits are recommended. Should you try to wear one, you will probably overheat. Many people cave in jeans and T-shirts, or even in shorts, in this area.
- Recreational activities will be provided for non-caving family members. These may include visits to Bottomless Lakes State Park, Sitting Bull Falls, the
Living Desert State Park, the
International UFO Museum and Research Center,
Lincoln State Monument,
and the Smokey Bear Museum.
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| Travel Information: |
You may make your own arrangements to fly from San Antonio (SAT) to El Paso International Airport (ELP),
arriving by 2:00 pm on July 27th. 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 August 2nd, arriving at the airport by 9:30 am. Trip participants should make their own arrangements to fly out of ELP after 11:00 am.
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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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