News

Hi all,

Tuesday, March 13, we will hold the Grotto’s Executive Committee meeting, at the Fresh Taste Mandarin Kitchen, 2107 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. For directions, check http://tinyurl.com/yg38ujr.

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Looking forward to seeing you!

Hi All,

Please join us, Tuesday February 28, at 7:30 pm at our usual spot in the Menlo Park USGS campus for our monthly members meeting. For those who need directions, you can find detailed instructions at: www.caves.org/grotto/sfbc/information.html#where

As usual, for the pre-meeting dinner you can find some Grotto members at Jeffrey’s Hamburgers (888 El Camino Real, Menlo Park): http://tinyurl.com/2syjef

For the post-meeting socializing, we will swarm the Oasis (241 El Camino Real, Menlo Park): http://tinyurl.com/ydppbd9

Gilly Elor will give a presentation on her 2011 trip experience to TAG (Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia area) and her report on the TAG Fall Cave-In. Featured in this presentation is her account on descending Fantastic Pit (600′ drop) in Ellison’s Cave. Other notable caves include Howards Waterfall, Stephen’s Gap, and a few other wet multi-drop caves.

Personal Caving History: Current Diablo Grotto Newsletter Editor and has been caving since July 2010

Caving Interests: Currently she is interested in getting more involved in both international and domestic exploration.

The NCRC Weeklong 2012 Cave Rescue Seminar is taking place on 5/18/2012 5:00 PM CDT – 5/26/2012 1:00 PM CDT at
Location:
Camp Skyline
Mentone, Alabama 35984
United States.  

In addition to Levels 1, 2 & 3 this year we are offering 2 additional special classes.

 
Caving and Wilderness First Aid is an elective level that students can choose to take to increase their knowledge of the medical aspects of cave rescue. This level includes a two day Wilderness First Aid course, a half day Psychological First Aid course, and various other medical topics applicable to cave rescue. The rest of the week will be a review of level two rescue techniques with a heavy emphasis on the medical care of the patient during each evolution. You will be with the rest of the group for the walkthrough and the mock. You must have passed level 2 to be eligible for this course. If you have taken level 2 since 2000, you will renew your eligibility to take level 3. There is an additional registration fee for certification and the special text book.

  Team Operations and Field Exercises is a weeklong course of hands-on field experience through a variety of rescue scenarios in cave and cliff environments. Emphasizing the core skill set developed in Levels 1 & 2, this course provides cave rescuers an opportunity to acquire more practical problem-solving experience. Successful completion of NCRC Level 2 or 3 within the past four years is a prerequisite.

  We expect the available registrations to fill up quickly. To register click here:Click Here to Register for this Event 

  For more information, check out the NCRC website at: www.caves.org/commission/ncrc

 We look forward to hearing from you!  

 Thank you,   

 Jane Morgan, Registrar
104 W. Indiana Street, Apt A
LaFayette, GA 30728

Phone 770-315-2608

2012registrar@ncrc.info

Hi Everyone,

Update! Ho-ho-howdy!

The latest forecast calls for 100% chance of rain around 6 pm, going
down to 50% around midnight.

We will still hold the vertical practice, but most probably (unless when
I show up the skies are clear) it will be indoors. Unfortunately indoors
there is only one anchor and we can only set one rope, so depending on how many people show it, it can get crowded. We will start getting on rope as soon as possible to give a chance to everyone.

See you tonight!
—
Howdy!

Yup, 2012 is marching on and it’s now time for the second vertical
practice of the year. Please join us tomorrow for an evening full of
excitement and camaraderie, all while hanging from thin Nylon strands above an abyss (note: objects may not be drawn to scale). Sounds like fun? Of course it does!

Our kind hosts will be Bill and Peri Frantz, please join us at their
estate in Los Gatos:

16345 Englewood Ave,Los Gatos, CA.

On Google maps: http://tinyurl.com/3bqjg2o

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You can arrive any time after 6:30. The grill will be expecting you in
case you brought something for it. Please bring your own main dish, and a small side dish or dessert to share.

After dinner we’ll get on rope and you can practice to your heart’s content.

Fofo

To gauge if there is significant interest in offering trainings for SFBC members and non-members, the grotto has decided to poll the group by providing a simple survey to our members. Please fill out the survey to indicate your interest in cave-related training programs.

Trip Leader Training

Interested in becoming a trip leader? Want to start leading trips to caves that you have been to? The trip leader training is just for you! It will cover topics such as emergencies, how to be cognizant of the team, and how to communicate to your fellow cavers. The trip leader training is essential for any caver looking to take the next step in their caving.

Project Work Training

Those that are interested in surveying, producing maps from survey data, draw pretty stuff that are almost artistic in nature, cave cleaning, and promote conservation would benefit from attending training sessions that teach you these skills. Cave survey and maps give you the ability to draw data and help out on work trips. It also gives you a sense of PURPOSE when caving. Those that are artistic, would love to draw cave maps since they’re just awesome to look at and stare for hours on end. Cave cleaning? Ever hate crawling into a cave filled with graffiti or broken glass? Here’s your chance to shine and lead trips to clean your local cave!

Mock Rescue

Ever wonder what to do when you’re in a rescue situation? This training focuses on practicing mock rescue situations that could potentially make you a hero. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.

New Member Sessions

New to the grotto? Not sure what is going on or what trips to go to? Wondering who to talk to? This would be a session geared for new members looking to get underground asap and see cool stuff!

Bruce White will give a presentation on his participation in a 2-week expedition to -4500 feet in Croatia during the Summer of 2011.

Personal Caving History: Started caving in 1992 in Indiana. I’ve caved in 14 states, mostly Indiana and TAG. I’ve also caved internationally in Canada, Mexico, Malaysia (Borneo) and Croata.

Caving Interests: Currently I’m interested in international caving, original exploration, and survey. I especially love vertical caving.

Trip Calendar is up. We will have a separate calendar for signing up and scheduling trips since those are for member use only. This can be decided at the meeting.