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So Your Youth Group Wants To Go Caving?
The Do's and Don'ts on how to find a good cave guide.
The Scenario: You just had a meeting with your youth
group. The kids learned about wild caving from a TV program or a video at
school. They ask you to find a way for the group to go wild caving. You think it
is a great idea too and accept the responsibility for organizing a wild cave
trip. You are enthusiastic and optimistic and don't want to disappoint the kids.
Your next step is to find a suitable cave to visit and an experienced cave trip
leader.
Using the internet, you find there is a local caving organization (grotto) in
your area. Bingo! You send an email to the grotto's youth group
coordinator telling them the specifics of your trip. You sit back and wait for a
speedy reply with the name of a good cave location and the name of someone
willing to take your group caving. However, the reply doesn't come. You wonder
why. You told the coordinator the date you wanted to go caving, the number of
kids, that some people in your group have caving experience, that this
is a great opportunity for the grotto to teach wild caving properly, and to get
some new members. The grotto's youth group coordinator said he forwarded your
note to the whole grotto and yet nobody replied. What went wrong?
Unfortunately this is a common outcome to your
situation. Cavers are real people and lead real lives just like you. Their free
weekends are scarce just like yours. They are concerned that a group of kids
could damage a
cave or mess up their good relationship with the cave owner. They are
concerned about the legal liability of taking kids into a cave. They know
the number of kids you will show up with is more than the number they are
willing to safely take into a cave. They know that your group, despite being
told the proper equipment to bring, will show up with unsuitable cave gear. They
know that you have already promised your group a specific caving date and that
you aren't flexible. They know that taking your group caving will cost them
money for gas, food and lodging. They know that one month after taking your kids
caving that all of the kids will forget the name of the cave they visited and and the name of their cave trip leader. They know that
to safely lead your group in a cave they will need to find one or two experienced fellow
cavers to serve as co-leaders. You are asking for a lot.
What you can do to improve your chances of finding a cave trip
leader:
- Limit the group size. A good number, including
youth group leaders, is 12. Nothing scares off a potential cave trip
leader more than a large group. Stick to this limit. Do not show up with more
than the agreed upon number. I set a limit of 12 for a boy scout troop once and they
showed up with 26 people. Needless to say they didn't go caving that
day.
- Plan ahead. It is tough to get a cave leader
on short notice. You should plan at least two months ahead. It is not
uncommon to plan six months ahead. I've had youth leaders ask me to take
their group caving on five days notice.
- Be flexible with your dates. This goes with
planning ahead. The more flexible you are the better chance you have of
getting a cave trip leader. Let the cave trip leader pick the date that
is best with him or her. One group I took planned their trip seven
months in advance. This gave me plenty of time to find a good weekend
and to find
co-leaders for the trip.
- Get signed liability waivers from each participant
or each participant's parent or guardian. Tell your cave trip leader
that you will be personally responsible for getting this done. No wavier
- no cave trip. Don't give the cave trip leader the standard line that
our group has a million dollar insurance policy. We know your
insurance policy does not cover us. Can your group go canoeing or
horseback riding without signing a liability wavier?
- Show up with the correct caving gear. Ask your
cave trip leader what gear is necessary for the cave you are visiting.
Ask the cave trip leader if you can rent some of the necessary
gear. If the cave trip leader supplies the gear then they know it is the correct
gear. Make sure every kid has the required gear. No exceptions. Nothing
starts a cave trip out on the wrong foot more than improper gear. Safety
is the number one concern of the cave trip leader and improper equipment
compromises safety. I've had
kids show up wearing tennis shoes when I explicitly required that each
person wear sturdy boots. The youth leader just said that is what
their parents sent them on the trip with.
- Offer expense reimbursement. Tell the cave
trip leaders that you will reimburse them for all or part of
their expenses. Many cavers will decline this. Others will gladly accept. Many
cavers drive SUVs and it takes a lot of gasoline to drive to cave
country and back. Cavers have a lot of money tied up in cave gear. They
will also undoubtedly lose or give away batteries, kneepads or a flashlight
during your trip. Would you expect a horse stable or a canoe livery to
offer their services for free? Why should a caver spend his or her money
to take your group caving?
- Attend a grotto meeting. Show up at the next
meeting of your local grotto. You are welcome to attend. Ask the
chairman if you can speak for two minutes during the meeting. Ask
the cavers for help. Let them know you are sincere. A face-to-face
request is much more effective than a faceless email.
Does this sound like too much trouble? Then consider visiting
a commercial cave like Mammoth Cave National Park, Carter Caves State Park or
Wyandotte Caverns.
Written by: Andy Niekamp - Instructor of Basic Caving. Eagle
Scout.
This article represents the opinions of its author. It does
not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of other cavers, the Dayton
Underground Grotto, other grottos or the National Speleological Society.
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