Anybody have caves?

blue gecko · #21 01/29/13, 06:57 PM

Waterwheel Farm, Have you google earthed the area? You might be able to spot where the water comes out. If you've got good air flow there's probably another entrance. What a cool (literally) thing to have on your property!

Waterwheel Farm · #22 01/29/13, 07:09 PM

I usually use Flash Earth. Most of the aerial photography has heavy tree cover, making it hard to make out any details. I'm not afraid of going in, just mostly curious who else might have caves, if they explored them, and what they did with them.

fatrat · #23 01/29/13, 07:12 PM

You better be careful about timber rattlers and copper head dens in those things.

plowhand · #24 01/29/13, 07:45 PM

Yep, I was looking at a farm for sale in Tennesee. I didn't like the looks of the two caves on the place. Grade A no. 1 snake habor. After getting up close with a 8'timber rattler last year, I don't want to play around no place they might find nice!

Nature_Lover · #25 01/29/13, 11:30 PM

Thanks for showing us your cave.

We have caves on our 34 acres on Big River, in the bluffs overlooking the river. The biggest one is the highest, about 200 feet above the water, on a climbable bluff, not a sheer drop. It has an entrance from the top of the draw that divides two bluffs, like a side doorway, we can walk into it from above, or climb up into it. I used to camp in it as a teen.
My kids wanted to camp out in it one evening, but they had never been in it after dark, so I let them wear their pajamas and we hiked to it. They wanted their warm sleeping bags after a while in the damp, cold cave, so we went back to the trailer that we camp in, instead of staying in the cave all night.
This was in 2004.

This is the upper entrance, walk about thirty feet and turn left to see through the 80 foot cave overlooking the river.

My kids at the end of the entrance, the ceiling is about forty feet high above them. You can see one of our dry firewood stashes in the wall. To the left the ceiling drops to six, then four feet at it's lowest as you approach the bluff opening.

Checking out bugs near the wall of the cave.

I had to adjust the light on this after dark shot, so it's grainy. Looking out the bluff entrance, you can see the moon reflected off the river to the left of the lantern. (sort of)

Wendy · #26 01/29/13, 11:53 PM

I would have to go in as my kids would be in there before me!

I would love to have a cave to explore.

soulsurvivor · #27 01/30/13, 12:35 AM

You're in the right state for having caves and sinkholes. As kids in the 50s we used to go camping on our uncle's farm close to the Rolling Fork. There was a cave on top of the knob that had 2 large rooms but we never fully explored it. None of us were brave people then or now. lol.

There used to be a spelunking club at Carter Caves State Park, but I think they've cut back on some of those activities due to most of the caves being closed because of the White Nose Syndrome.

Have fun with your cave but take the safety precautions so there won't be any regrets.

fishhead · #28 01/30/13, 06:41 AM

Maybe set up a trail cam at the entrance. If you set it up before the snakes come out in the spring you should get a good idea if they are using the cave to overwinter.

"SPIKE" · #29 01/30/13, 10:08 AM

Thanks for the thread and thanks everyone for the pictures. I have never lived in an area that had caves. But, I have been in many in my travels. I wish I lived near some that were no so commercially used.

I would have to go in if I had one of my own. I would do it a safely as possible, but I would still just have to go explore.

SPIKE

Rita · #30 01/30/13, 10:30 AM

We have one that we explored when we first moved here 13 years ago but now we are too old to climb up to it. It has a nice sandy floor and I have been trying to get the grandkids to sift the sand and see if there are any arrowheads but the grandkids are too old to be excited by a possible find.

hiddensprings · #31 01/30/13, 10:40 AM

We have one on our farm but I've never gone in. Small, tight spaces truly freak me out. The gentleman that we purchased the land from said when he was a kid, they would go in. There is an underground spring. Thus the name of our farm "Hidden Springs Farm"

Michael W. Smith · #32 01/30/13, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simi-steading

The people we bought the place from said they never explored the caves, and weren't very hot on me even being close to it when we went to look at the property...

If I owned that property, I'd have it checked out by now!

The people you bought it from didn't tell you they bought it from an oldtimer's estate. It was always rumored the guy was rich, but when he died - no one found much "riches" at all. His only living relative wanted to get rid of the property as quickly as possible, so sold it to the people you bought it from.
What you don't know, is that the oldtimer grew up during the depression and never trusted banks. He put all of his gold and silver coins, and gold bullion in the cave to hide it. Of course, with no family, it got forgotten about.

You're sitting on top of a gold mine and don't even know it!

Hey, it COULD be that way!

meanwhile · #33 01/30/13, 01:16 PM

Nice! Stick your hand up in there and click the camera with flash all around. Turn your hand round and round and then see what you see. Be careful.!

"SPIKE" · #34 01/30/13, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

If I owned that property, I'd have it checked out by now!

The people you bought it from didn't tell you they bought it from an oldtimer's estate. It was always rumored the guy was rich, but when he died - no one found much "riches" at all. His only living relative wanted to get rid of the property as quickly as possible, so sold it to the people you bought it from.
What you don't know, is that the oldtimer grew up during the depression and never trusted banks. He put all of his gold and silver coins, and gold bullion in the cave to hide it. Of course, with no family, it got forgotten about.

You're sitting on top of a gold mine and don't even know it!

Hey, it COULD be that way!

OH man, that was good!

Dumb ole me, I just thought it would be cool to see the geological formations!

SPIKE

luvrulz · #35 01/30/13, 05:28 PM

Hey Waterwheel, how high is that opening on yours??? We have walked our farm and seen alot of rock piled up in different places, but never have I seen it laying like the shot from the mouth of the cave looking out. Looks almost like they laid those flat rocks to create an entryway of sorts. Maybe they already used it for moonshine!! Contact the local boy scouts and see if they want to look into your cave - they're some little short people, might be easier for them!!! We surely have caves, but hubby and I are not little and not skinny!

Love all the shots - will wander the farm come spring and see what I find!

simi-steading · #36 01/30/13, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

If I owned that property, I'd have it checked out by now!

The people you bought it from didn't tell you they bought it from an oldtimer's estate. It was always rumored the guy was rich, but when he died - no one found much "riches" at all. His only living relative wanted to get rid of the property as quickly as possible, so sold it to the people you bought it from.
What you don't know, is that the oldtimer grew up during the depression and never trusted banks. He put all of his gold and silver coins, and gold bullion in the cave to hide it. Of course, with no family, it got forgotten about.

You're sitting on top of a gold mine and don't even know it!

Hey, it COULD be that way!

LOL.. don't think I haven't had some thoughts on similar lines...

I do want to explore it, but I haven't had time for one, and when I do check it out, I want to do it safely, and that takes a little time to get everything together to do it too....

I can't spend all those riches if the cave doesn't let me back out..

Waterwheel Farm · #37 01/31/13, 09:35 PM

Thanks for all the pictures and replies. Once cleaned out from the drift debris I would say the opening is maybe five feet high. Looking backwards where you see the stones kinda looks like a room collapsed at some time in the past. Hard to get an idea of depth perception with pictures. When I do get in I will snap some more pics.

Big Dave · #38 02/01/13, 07:05 AM

Found a cave on a creek when I was much younger. The air coming out was really cold. Hot Texas summer just called us kids in. We went in as far astwo hours. No helmets just flashlights and I was much smaller. When you go in let someone know. Waer a helmet(hardhat). If is is an underground pool,lake, river do not go in alone. Have fun stay safe.

blooba · #39 02/01/13, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterwheel Farm

Thanks for all the pictures and replies. Once cleaned out from the drift debris I would say the opening is maybe five feet high. Looking backwards where you see the stones kinda looks like a room collapsed at some time in the past. Hard to get an idea of depth perception with pictures. When I do get in I will snap some more pics.

Don't worry, I went down there last night and snapped a pic or 2.

Here they are.

Anybody have caves? - Homesteading Questions

Michael W. Smith · #40 02/01/13, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterwheel Farm

....there is no hill. The hole disappears into a bottom that goes next door to about 1400 acres of private land. It all heads downhill. There is a sandstone cap at my house about 40 feet thick and under that is limestone. There are several sinkholes here and I'd say there is a pretty good underground passage, although if it's passible or not, who knows.

This would also be a wonderful place to hide the bodies. Dump them at the entrance and let the water bury them where ever. Sometimes when I'm digging a hole (especially in the winter), I think to myself "This isn't hardly worth it. Trying to dig through frozen ground and the guy only had $30.00 in his wallet."