Carroll Cave Survey Trip Report
Submitted by Tony Schmitt and Bob Lerch

Date: September 8, 2007

Areas Mapped: Carroll River – a loop at C7; CR2 (between Water Barrier and Lunch Room), Turnpike, and the Water Passage from Mountain Room to Natural Entrance.
Roger Brown, Mike Freeman, Dan Lamping, Bob Lerch, Ben Miller, Joe Sikorski, Amber Spohn, Marsha Walker, Roger Webb
Time In: 1:00p Time Out: 2:00a on 9/9 Duration: 13 hours

We had the biggest turn out, with 12 total, that we have had in at least two years. So, I was quite thrilled to have four teams to work in Carroll River, where so much work still remains. Our objectives for the trip were to: send a team, led by Tony Schmitt, to mop-up leads on the C1 sheet that he is drafting (see his report below); start the Turnpike; and map the Water Passage from the Mountain Room to the Natural Entrance.

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After our usual early in-time, six of us (Roger B., Mike, Dan, Joe, Marsha, and I) made good time to the east end (i.e., the ladder side) of the Turnpike to begin the survey at C128a1. We set up a leap-frog survey, and mapping at 1″=40′, we managed to map about two-thirds of the Turnpike. After 4 hours of surveying and a hot meal, we met Ben, Amber, and Roger W., who arrived to help us with the Water Passage. Mike and Marsha needed to head out, leaving eight people, so we divided into three teams. We knew it could be surveyed quickly with three teams, minimizing time in the chilly misery as much as possible. Annoyingly, there were some side leads that will require another trip, but we did knock out the Water Passage in about 2 hours. Footage totals: C1 mop-up, 386.4 ft.; Turnpike, 889.8 ft.; Water Passage, 1218 ft.; Total, 2494.2 (0.47 miles).

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Bob Lerch, 9/27/07, CCC#140
Tony Schmitt- Trip Leader/ Book
Korey Hart- Lead Tape/Back Shots
Bill Gee- Front Shots.
Time In: 12:00p Time Out: 8:30p Duration: 8.5 hours

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Korey, Bill, and I entered the cave at about 11am. We took Korey to Thunder Falls as this was his first trip into the cave. He liked Thunder Falls. After Thunder Falls we headed down Carroll River. Our objective was to get some clean up stuff complete for drafting up my sheet which starts at C-5 and stops at C-51.

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We made good time getting to the first spot to check. We found a tie in Station (C-7) with no problem and surveyed a small parallel passage and tied in at C-11. Survey for this small section was 195.6′.

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We took our time getting to the next area which was a dome area at C-17. We took several photos along the way and just enjoyed the cave. At the dome area I did a little detail work and we moved on through the Water Barrier to CR-2.

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CR-2 started out sucky and continued sucky for 190′. I could not fit past station CR2-12, so Bill and Korey pushed it another four stations to an end. I am thankful for their diligence, the side passage is done, and I could not have completed it without them.

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All in all it was a good trip. Korey and Bill had never surveyed together and I had never sketched in Carroll. We did fairly well for having that stacked up against us. We exited the cave (checking the data loggers at the entrance, which are fine) at about 11pm or so. I drank several New Castles and we had a nice party at the campground.

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There are two leads left on my sheet. One is the left fork in the Bear Claw passage, the other is a lead in the Paradise Passage which runs at the bottom of my sheet. I look forward to going in and knocking them out so I can get my sheet complete.

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Tony Schmitt 9-10-07 Carroll Cave #184