By Daniel Winningham
Salamanders, sculpin, mole crickets and mud! Yes, plenty of mud.
Those are just a few of the critters and terrain beginning cavers got to experience during a recent spelunking adventure into Streiler City Cave.
At the east end of Viola Blechle Park is gated rainwater culvert. Once past the metal gate, it’s about 100 feet through the rounded pipeway to where the cave really starts.
“I’ve been in this cave about a dozen times,” said Josh Cooper, local cave enthusiast who led the May 1 trip below Perryville. “It is a really great introduction cave. It has most of the elements we want to introduce people to — mud, water, short climbs and uneven terrain.”
Those venturing below ground into the ground were given a brief tutorial two days prior to the descent, getting a brief look at cave education as well as learning about how to properly dress, the right equipment to wear and what to expect. It was part of an “Introduction to Wild Caving” led by volunteer guides.
Additional classes will be scheduled when there is more interest in going on another caving tour. Those ages 7-17 must have a parent or guardian in attendance during the time spent in the cave.
“We are trying to help spark interest in the next generation of cavers because most all of the survey and documentation of caves are done by the volunteer efforts of cavers,” Cooper said.
