Punpkin Cave
Jeff Moore, Alan Cressler, Doug Strait, Paul Aughey, Manuel Beers, Paul Bryant, Steven Bryant
I got up, ate, and eventually went to the shitter to figure it out. I found someone sitting on the throne as I approached so I waited and ask for instructions when he finished. I lay my turd into the bucket but poured in saw dust first and then dumped on extra lie realizing it should have been first. Once everyone readied, we routed to Punpkin. It felt good to do the pit in the light. I took pictures up top and then rappelled in and took more pictures. We then went on a trip through a breakdown maze encountering a great deal of bat guano. Guano waterfall became a word often uttered. One room contained many Mexican Freetail bats. One brushed against my face while another got my back. We flailed around in the maze and eventually routed. I decided to join the other group thinking Steven knew the cave better. We experienced more of the same: crawling, squeezing, then encountered a 3d maze. After that, we took some more pix and I helped with one of Alan’s photos. We then routed back to camp, ate lunch, and departed for Devil’s River State Natural Area.
Description: Rappell down 46’ pit entrance pit into huge chamber 300’ x 200’. You land on a breakdown pile sprouting small plants and covered in moss. Ascend a guano hill toward E2 then descend down the other side toward a large passage. Go right after descending a guano slope to a bat area. Descend slope and go right again. After a 6’ climb down, go down further and encounter more breakdown. Climb up straight and to the right near the ceiling and squeeze through a crack and follow passage ahead climbing up and down. Descend scary shoot and then chimney and climb down into a large room. Descend to the right into a crawlway. Spiral clockwise to passage. Climb up above crack in right hand wall. Climb up steep rock slope for 8’. Continue ahead in breakdown passage. Climb up through crack in ceiling (avoid crawl to right). Climb up crack, go right into a breakdown room. Continue ahead, slightly right and see a triangular ceiling. Climb down 30’ pit in floor 12’ ahead. Climb below natural bridge. Go ahead in canyon and left down hole. Turn around and go back out and don't get lost! :)
Punpkin Cave Gallery
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