Cave visited: Carroll Cave
Area Visited: Carroll Passage
Permit #: 2023-008
Trip Leader name: Kristen Vogel

Trip date: 2023-07-08
Trip purpose: Exploration, Restoration
Trip participants: Kristen Vogel, Nathan Taylor, Sam Taylor, Martin Carmichael, Nathan Hensel, Dustin Schmidt, Becky Nelson
Entry Time: 10 am
Exit Time: 3 pm
How far: UL2 Formation Area, the Water Barrier, Thunder Falls.
Injuries: No
Trash: No
Biology: 4 cave fish in Upper Thunder

Becky, Nathan H, and I were the last to arrive at the silo around 9:30 am. We were just in time to chat with Bill Gee for a minute before he headed down that shaft. His group was 6 people, we were 7, and Kohl Mitchell was there with a group totaling 4. As we started gearing up, Kohl’s group finished gearing up and they headed down the shaft.

This was the first time in Carroll Cave for Becky, Dustin, Nathan H, and Sam. Martin went over safety with everyone and gave instructions for the entry rappel. We started down at 10 am, and I was the last one in at 10:45. We headed for Upper Thunder towards UL2. The water level was normal. We reached the UL2 formation area around 11:45, where we stopped for lunch and photos.

Around noon we headed back towards the ladder, and we crossed paths with Bill’s group. After a brief break at the ladder, we headed for Carroll Passage. We spent some time around the formation area identifying what type of resto needs to be done and what would be the most beneficial. Nathan H. was the only one who ventured into the Water Barrier for a photo. It was around 1:30 when we went back towards the ladder and went over to Thunder Falls.

We ran into Bill’s group again right when we reached the Falls. Most of the people went down below, with Becca, Dustin, and I staying above. Bill’s group headed for the exit, and we were just behind him, taking some time to clean up in the stream before the climb out. Martin went first to help everyone at the top, and Dustin and I were the last ones out at 3pm (except Kohl’s group was still in the cave) . We counted to make sure we had the same number of people as we started with, and we all headed to Camdenton for Mexican food.

We did not see any bats or salamanders on this trip. We did see some cave fish in Upper Thunder, and some dead mice at the bottom of the shaft.