Alan Cressler, Ron Richards, Benjamin Richards, Tom Miller
After meeting Ron, Ben, and Tom we drove to Florida and met the tenant of the cave. We hiked across a cow field and into the jungle. I followed as Ron tried to locate the cave by memory. We walked around a barb wire fence that only spanned the clearing, climbed up to a shelf, and contoured along it later ascending over a saddle and entering a large sink hole. We traveled counter clockwise around the edge of the sink and Ron eventually determined this wasn’t the way. We continued around the sinkhole perimeter but climbed out too early. We eventually realized our mistake. After backtracking, I led us back to the clearing.
Benjamin told us Tom had gone back to the right. I Bo’d loudly, heard a reply, and found a trail heading in that direction. I Bo’d again to confirm that I just needed to follow the trail and soon found Alan sitting next to a large sinkhole. Tom hadn’t found the cave yet. Ron thought it was right next to the trail so we continued ahead until we came to a recently chopped side trail which I ascended to a large pit entrance 16’ W x 8’ A.
I rigged to a tree above the pit and eventually rappelled down a 3’ diameter hole adjacent to the pit. About 20’ down, the slope began. I locked off my rack, detangled and then chucked the rope as far down the slope as I could. I only had to toss the rope off a ledge once more as I descended. I realized as I neared the bottom that the rope didn’t quite reach. I was on a steep mud slope only about 8’ feet above the floor so I unclipped my rack and climbed down.
I happened to look up towards the old ladder and saw that I should have pendulumed over to a flat area farther up the mud slope. I climbed up glad to clear my nostrils of the putrid smell below the mud slope.
As requested, I belayed Ron and then photographed Ben’s descent. I was surprised how well my Vivitars lit up the entrance pit. Once everyone was down, we started downstream in a very large sloping breakdown filled borehole. I ascended up the breakdown into a dome room with many bats and squishy guano slope. I yelled back that this wasn’t the way and that we needed to get down to stream level.
I descended the slope and eventually climbed down to stream level through a small hole near the right wall (facing the entrance). From here we continued down a 9’ wide canyon passage with major backlight potential. Soon, a short duck under brought us into a large room 15 – 25’ wide and 35 – 40’ tall. The right wall consisted of flowstone and formations. We took a couple pictures here and continued down the walking canyon passage. Not far ahead, the canyon began to fill with breakdown which we were often climbing up, down, or around always ending up in the stream again. It was very strange that the canyon contained so much breakdown.
Breakdown became more abundant and we eventually found ourselves 30’ feet above the stream at a breakdown pit. I backtracked slightly and worked my way down a small crack through the breakdown to stream level. Having bypassed the pit, I continued ahead in a 50 – 60’ tall canyon but soon reached a breakdown constriction. The water disappeared beneath the breakdown but above I saw 2 holes 8 and 15’ up the breakdown walls. The lower hole looked tight and the other required an exposed climb. I turned around here because I’d told Alan and Tom that I was only going a little farther ahead.
I climbed back up to Alan and Tom and took a super macro cave cricket picture from 1 foot away. Earlier, I’d taken a picture of a dead Amblypigid.
We routed back out and found Ron and Benjamin. I took the backlit shot on the way back. We climbed out of the stream. I chose a more difficult climb but pulled it off. Alan and I quickly headed to the pit. I attached all my gear, safetied in, and started climbing the ladder. About 25’ up, Alan had me turn around to pose. I climbed the rest of the way out and photographed Alan climbing out the entrance. We then sat around looking at pictures while everyone else climbed out and eventually hiked back to the cars.
We arranged camping near Viento Cave and went into town for dinner. To Cueva Balcones
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Ron looks up as his son rappells down.
Ben nears the bottom of the 81' drop.
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Alan poses in a large decorated room.
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The group chats about Ron's snorkel for crayfish.
Alan poses in a rather nice section of passage.
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It's a profile for sure :)
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Even amblypigids should beware floods.
A Puerto Rican Cave Cricket!
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Canyon backlit.
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Alan emerges from Escalera a new man.