Spike eventually figured out how to get where we wanted to go and we parked alongside the road. Spike already had permission from this landowner. We hiked back a dirt road through the forest and across a field. It was nice to be outside. The temperature was above freezing so it wasn't too cold. Eventually, we came to Taggert Pit. The entrance looked really muddy. I rigged a rope and body rappelled down to a mud slope. I determined that I'd probably want vertical gear to go further and climbed 10' back out of the entrance. I put on my vertical gear and Spike took pictures as I descended into the cave trying not to get too slimy. It looked pretty good. After rappelling down a steep muddy slope I emerged into passage about 15' high and 20' feet wide. I descended a slope and climbed up into a breakdown room that was probably 20' in diameter. The ceiling was about 20 feet up. There were a few spots in the breakdown that I climbed down into drains. The first two drains definitely didn't go. I could see a small hole in the floor of the next one but would have had to get slimed to see underneath the ceiling ledge to make sure passage didn't continue ahead. It seemed unlikely it would. There was also a small hole that went into an alcove off to the left side of the room. It appeared to be an animal lair because there was a great deal of shit. The cave smelled like raccoon shit but I think the scat I saw was larger than a raccoon. Anyway, I didn't feel like bellying through the hole into the animal scat. It didn't look like that was going to go but I couldn't see the edge of the room's side wall to be certain. I didn't really like this cave much. The entire cave was extremely slimy and nasty. I'm not real motivated by Orange County leads but I did check the cave out pretty thoroughly. I don't guarantee that I didn't miss something because I didn't verify for certain that two leads didn't go. I climbed back up and told Spike that it didn't go. Then we ridge walked around and walked some of the lost river dry bed on the way back to the car. I really enjoyed being outside and hiking around.
Taggert Pit
I reach down to grab something out of my pack.
I began my descent down the mud, terra rosa, slope into the pit.
Taggert Pit
I pose for the camera at the pit edge.
Taggert Pit
A good smile.
I continue down into the pit.
Taggert Pit
A rather forced smile.
Taggert Pit
I disappear into the pit.