Happy Jack   

Alan Cressler, Brandon Stephens, Jeff Moore, Greg Huston

We drove back down Cave Canyon and back up a side valley where the road Y’d.  Another short uphill hike brought us to the entrance of Happy Jack.  It was nearby an old house and a small, bizarre peanut shaped opening in the trees with rocks piled around the edge.  Happy Jack was a pretty cave.  Upon entry, the passage quickly enlarged to 25’ wide as we descended the breakdown slope.  Below a ledge crossed ¾ of the passage from the right dropping the floor 12-15’.  We semi circled down a slope to the left into a taller passage.  The entire left wall was white, calcite flowstone.  High above, the angled ceiling held many stalactites.  Ahead, the passage decreased in size.  We climbed up a slope and hopped over a small pit.  The passage opened back up.  We climbed down another slope with a large popcorn stalagmite.  Behind and to the left, the passage ascended up to some rather impressive formations and I suspect connected to the high side of the previous room with the calcite, flowstone wall.  I realized that I should have brought my tripod down.  The others waited while I ran back to the entrance and retrived my tripod.  No Mexicans had disturbed our packs.  Illegal immigrants often travel through these mountains because the border patrol is often too lazy to go out on foot.  Mexicans with assault rifles also often traffic drugs through the mountains.  They often trash caves and sometimes hide drugs in caves as well.  I quickly rejoined everyone at the back of the cave where my flash bitch helped with another tripod picture.  On the way out we took another tripod picture overlooking the calcite wall.  To Cave Mine Cave

By Brian Killingbeck © 2005

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Happy Jack Gallery

By Brian Killingbeck © 2005

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