We finally made it to the giant mound of flowstone that choked off the entire canyon. The only way through was under it. On the left hand side is a crawl through the stream. Part of it you can do on your hands and knees, but near the end you must get onto your belly. And depending on how deep the water is you get your head in the water too. I led the way, and Chris followed me.
We made it through and I led him up onto the flowstone mound. On the backside you could climb up and there are two rooms. Both have really beautiful pools with very active formations still flowing down.
After that we dove back under the flowstone and backtracked to to a point where I was almost positive was the connection passage to gain access to Doghill Cave. So I led Chris in there. We passed a few cool formations but after a while I began to get skeptical. It was turning into a very miserable crawl in mud, water, and over rough gravel and flowstone. But I kept going until I saw the passage jutting upward ahead. I knew I had missed the connection. So, I wiggled my way around until I could turn around. I painfully crawled back out and eventually Chris and I regrouped in the main passage. What I thought I remembered the connection passage being, indeed wasn't. I looked for a couple minutes but then decided to cut the trip short. I still had a drive back and wanted to meet a friend at the airport. If we did happen to successfully find the connection it would be a good 2-3 hours to get through it. So we turned around.
It was a good trip, but I'm going to figure out where that connection passage is so I can go back and really work on getting to know Doghill Cave and get some good pictures and videos. Until next time, the caver says adios!
Link to all photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/116396676277007122980/DonahueCave
Video: http://youtu.be/TGjZfrLo5VI
There are some beautiful formations. You keep taking the pictures so that I can enjoy them above ground.
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I've been in this cave many times and the entrance to the upper level of Donahue's Cave that leads to Dog Hill Cave is very hard to find. From the culvert entrance you took, it's up and to the left after walking for a while. When I say UP, I mean UP. You climb up and in a hole going up to the left at an angle. If you don't know where it is, you'll walk right by it. ;-) I used to have a map I used 25 years ago. If I find it, I'll post a little better explanation. The upper portion of Donahue's Cave is the more beautiful section, IMO. Great pics and thanks for sharing the journey! It brings back great memories.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the connection! Made that trek many times just like you, but 40 years ago! Lol
DeleteI would love to view a map! I actually have gone on the connection once, with a couple guys, on my first trip. We went in Donahue, and about 8 hours later, made it out Doghill. But I don't remember how to find the passage. It is an extraordinary cave, once you get past the water passages.
ReplyDeletehi im a caver contact me jason harris (necro phantom) on face book
ReplyDeletePretty sure my childhood chums and I made it to the end! One name from 1972 was there! Its an extreme experience few should try! Burt's squeeze ends the journey for most!
ReplyDeleteI crawled through this back in 1973 or 1974. I remember a very long and narrow "torpedo" tube that took an hour or so to get through. Does anyone remember this?
ReplyDeleteI went through the cave yesterday with a few other people and went through the connection and explored many of the passageways in what I think is the “dog hill cave” section. There were so many passages and turns we made so I can’t remember everything, but I do specifically remember crawling through a long and narrow passage with squishy/rubbery mud on the ground. It looked like tons and tons of cavers had gone through it before since there were two groves running along the floor made by people’s hands, knees, and feet. That tunnel led to a lot more passageways, one of which ran directly above the creek by about 30-40 feet or so, according to a YouTube video from a while back I found. The passage kept going and going, so we turned back since we left our bags at the original creek in the Donahue “main” passage. According to that video the passage would have eventually led to the dog hill entrance to the cave. The whole trip we were trying to find that “third” entrance to the cave! It’s a shame we didn’t press on and find our way out that way.
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