Alan Cressler

We geared up and started down the trail.  We flailed around in the woods checking out side trails for well over an hour and started back.  We spotted a side trail we’d missed which led us along a shelf on the Mogote.  The trail ended at the cave entrance.  Alan spotted a crab so we photographed him before entering the cave. 

I took off into the cave.  I climbed up into the 9’ H x 5’ W entrance entering a room with white walls and a seed and sprout covered floor.  The room was about 17’ wide and 10’ high.  Near the back, a crawlway took off to the left and soon opened into another room of similar dimensions to the first.  The cave appeared to end at a back wall but I wasn’t so easily fooled.  I sensed a continuation.  I slid through a narrow crack at the back of the room into a 25 – 30’ diameter room with 3 large formations to the right. 

I continued for about 40 feet down what seemed more like passage average 14’ W x 8’ H into another large circular room with many dry white formations.  A quick duck under led me into a very large chamber 35 – 40’ wide and 40 – 50’ tall.  It continued ahead for about 135’.  I waited here for Alan so that we could take some pictures.  After creating a couple nice shots, we went through the 17’ W x 6’ H hole at the end of the room into another huge room 40’ W x 50’ H. 

At the end of the room the floor sloped down into an amphitheater with balcony seating.  Looking back behind us across the flat-floored room I saw how the cave had earned its name.  High above the floor I saw two large 10’ diameter holes leading back into the previous room, the balcony. 

We descended the slope into the amphitheater and the passage diminished in size as we crossed between some columns into a heavily decorated formation room with white , white walls.   We took a couple pictures here and I took a picture of the balconies on the way out.  

Back at the entrance, Alan showed me some petroglyphs which we photographed.  Then, I took some entrance shots.  We quickly hiked back to the car.  I was really tired since it was well after 12 and we’d been getting up early.  I stumbled a couple times apparently trying to sprain my ankle. 

We set up camp and looked at our pictures before going to bed.  I tried for 5 minutes to take a grasshopper close-up with little success due to focusing problems. 

Balcones

A frisky crab outside near the entrance. 

Green's Bluff  

I think he really wanted to claw me :) 

Balcones

Alan posing within a large room at the back of the cave.

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Balcones

Alan posing within a large room at the back of the cave.

Balcones

Alan standing within the formation room at the very back of the cave. 

Balcones

The balconies. 

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Balcones

Alan photographing a petroglyph. 

Balcones

A face petroglyph carved in the cave wall. 

Balcones

Alan posing within the entrance of Cueva Balcones.

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