Ron Richards, Benjamin Richards, Jose Pepe Caro
After meeting Ron at Pueblo, we were soon waiting in front of a gated community for someone to drive up to follow in. It took only a few minutes before we were driving through the residential karst. We parked at the end of a road. Ron told us that the developer had gotten a permit for a jeep trail so he built a paved, lighted roadway with guardrails.
We geared up and hiked down the thick-jungled hillside to a stream and small waterfall. We then followed a narrow trail and were eventually thrashing through the thick jungle. We started up the side of a steep Mogote and the jungle seemed dot get thicker. After much thrashing and detangling we found a pit. It wasn’t the entrance to Cueva Gecko. It was new to Ron and Hose.
There were actually many pit entrance in the heavily vegetated sink hole. The limestone was sharp, jagged, and slicy. Moving around the sinkhole required caution and finesse because a wrong move could easily result in impalement.
Alan found a nice looking 60 + ft shaft in one of the cave entrance which he soon rigged and I was soon rappelling. The shaft was about 10’ in diameter. I rappelled down about 15 feet, locked off my rack, and grabbed out my slave which I held below me so Alan could take a picture.
I reached a ledge 74’ down the pit where I placed a strobe. I rappelled down a short, steep slope over a lip and saw the end of the rope dangling in the air. I needed another 20’ to get to another ledge. I could see another dark hole about 30’ down. I changed over and climbed back to the ledge and called to Alan to bring down both ropes. I got off rope at the ledge and photographed Alan’s descent. Alan landed on another ledge with pits on both sides. There was nowhere to rebelay so he tied the ropes together and rappelled down 24’ to a sloping ledge in a large room. I joined him and he rappelled down another 54’ to another sloping ledge and re-belayed on a stalagmite at the top of a large flowstone slope. I rappelled down and photographed him getting on rope and rappelling down another 50’ pit into a huge room.
I rappelled down and found myself in a large room easily 50 W x 100 L if not much larger. To my right was a tall dome with thousands of bats. TO the left of the large, flat, landing area breakdown descended further into the room. After Jose rappelled down Alan and I crossed the room climbing down the breakdown and then descending a steep, sometimes slick mud slope. Alan said he’d been here before. I turned around and recognized the slope. We were in Aguas Buenas.
Alan and I walked ahead to the first waterfall in the western stream waterfall series and we each took pictures of the waterfall. I got some outstanding shots. Afterwards, we climbed back up into the large room and I soon began my ascent.
The climb rather sucked. I had to hold the rope between my feet to ascend for the first 50 feet to the rebelay. Finally, 25 feet above the rebelay the rope started to feed automatically. Eventually, I was on the surface. I didn’t take long before I heard Alan coming up. I had to hurry back to the pit entrance to photograph him. Then I began the task of consuming 1000 calories from power and granola bars.
We waited the rest of the afternoon for everyone else to ascend. 210 feet was the most Ron and Ben had ever ascended. I finally got bored and started exploring. I wrestled through the jungle to an overlook and then headed around the perimeter of the Mogote to another view and finally tried to climb to the very top of the Mogote. I’d been walking on top of vines. After a few attempts, I finally managed to claw my way up the vegetation to the very top of the Mogote. I had basically climbed up vegetation up the side and across the top of a tree. It was very hot up there. I could see the power lines and many houses.
About an hour before dark, everyone had emerged from the cave. Alan and I pulled the ropes up and then started down the hill. We’d immediately lost Ron, Ben, and Jose. We decided it was best to route back to the car on our own so we could contact Ron’s wife to prevent a rescue. We made it back to the car just before dark. We stayed at Dianna’s that night, Tom’s girlfriend.
Aguas Buenas
I sat on this ledge while I waited on Alan to rappell down with more rope.
Alan rappells down the first drop in the new pit entrance to Aguas Buenas.
Aguas Buenas
Alan poses in a large decorated room.
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Aguas Buenas
Alan poses above the 3rd drop.
Alan disappears down the third drop.
Aguas Buenas
Alan begins to set a rebelay above the last drop.
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Aguas Buenas
Alan prepares to get on rope.
Alan humps the rock for good luck.
Aguas Buenas
Jose rappells down the last drop into a huge room.
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Aguas Buenas
Alan poses next to the first waterfall in the west stream waterfall series.
Alan climbs the waterfall to pose for a picture.
Aguas Buenas
Normally you'd think twice about soaking yourself inside a cave but the water is so warm you hardly give it a second thought.
Aguas Buenas
Alan ascends the entrance shaft.
Alan nears the top of the 74' entrance shaft.
Aguas Buenas
Almost there...
Aguas Buenas
An interesting plant near the pit entrance of Aguas Buenas.