Corkscrew & Goat Cave
By: Sharon Welch
March 21, 2008
Trip Participants: Trip Leaders - Dennis Welch, Sharon Welch, plus Monty and Diana Pettyjohn
Elephant Rock at the entrance to Slaughter Canyon
By: Sharon Welch
On Friday, March 21st, 2008, the Lubbock Area Grotto (LAG) members Dennis and Sharon Welch with some first time cavers departed for a recreational day of hiking and caving to Corkscrew and Goat Cave located in Slaughter Canyon. The enthusiastic group left Lubbock around 5:00 in the morning and arrived at the park office early to pick up the caving permits and maps. After visiting with Stan Allison and Dale Pate they took off for the cave.
Diana chimneys Corkscrew
By: Sharon Welch
As they drove toward the sight they were told to look for elephant rock…can you see the elephant in the picture? They did! However, it took some imagination. After a light snack the group set out for their first stop, Corkscrew Cave. Monty boldly took charge of the map and led the way. The primary landmark for finding the cave was this large “Elephant” shaped rock. After hiking approximately two hours, the crevice of the cave was spotted. The park ranger who issued the permits had encouraged Dennis to bring a rope for a handline, and everyone was glad Dennis had listened! The entrance was steep and looked a bit dangerous, nevertheless, we had the rope, soon it had been rigged and Sharon took the lead and chimneyed her way across the crevice. Diana carefully followed as Sharon encouraged her and as the rest of the group gave her additional guidance. Monty and Dennis followed.
Rare Shileds in Corkscrew Cave
By: Sharon Welch
The climb down was rough; the handline certainly helped out, and overall, the cavers made it down with relative ease as they traversed deeper into the cave. The main room has a steeply sloping floor and ceiling and there are areas with accumulations of loose broken rock throughout the cave. The cave contained many delicate formations, included some unique shields. After spending approximately an hour in the cave the group started ascending back to the surface. At one point, Diana was not sure she was going to make it, however, with some strong encouragement from her husband (who would have been stuck if she hadn’t) she bravely found her way out. The group hiked down the mountain, eager to get back to the car, and enjoyed lunch and a break.
Entrance to Goat Cave
By: Sharon Welch
After their break, and repacking their gear, all were off once again headed for Goat Cave. This hike was a two and a half miles from the trail head; the weather was great which made for an enjoyable journey. The directions were relatively clear and stated the entrance was visible from the trail. After a long hike, a few wrong turns, a rough trail (the group actually missed the trail) they forged their way through the brush and made it to Goat Cave. As one hikes up Slaughter Canyon, the first evidence of
Active Soda Straw in Goat Cave
By: Sharon Welch
Goat Cave is its skylight, which appears as a small cave opening on a sheer bluff face. At first, this seems to be the only entrance, however as one continues up the canyon the massive entrance appears. When first entering the cave, the floor is covered with a thick layer of powdery ash, burnt goat manure. Every step brought a puff of dust so all were careful to tread every so lightly. The cave extended several hundred feet with a seventy-five to one-hundred foot ceiling height. Goat Cave has some fairly good size stalagmites, some rimstone dams and a variety of speleothems. Toward the rear of the cave, one could still see light from the cave entrance – a testament to the huge dimensions of the main passage and cave entrance. The main feature of this cave and its uniqueness is simply its volume and size.
Diana & Dennis in Goat Cave
By: Sharon Welch
After a full day all were eager to get back to the car, grab some dinner and head back to Lubbock. It was a great day and everyone enjoyed the fun, fellowship and adventure.
