Do cavers accept chipping ?
I was browsing Tik Tok (yes I am ashamed) and saw a video of caver in pretty narrow passage. So that caver took another rock and started to chip in order to widen a little bit the passage, while complaining about not having a hammer with him.
I am a climber, not a caver, and that kind of behaviour would be a big nope in the climbing world (There is a few exceptions where it was done (usually after involving the federation and local community), and it's still pretty controversial)
So I am curious about caver opinion on that practice.
Imagine using the both incorrect and boring "caver" when the correct term is the magnificently hilarious "spelunker"!
Spelunky is a video game you silly sausage :)
We all know caves aren't real.
The saying among the caving community is that cavers go in to save spelunkers. The only people who really call it spelunking are people who don't go caving very often.
Can confirm. The hardcore cavers I know will look at you funny if you say spelunking.
Only in North America. The rest of us call it caving.
Not true. I'm in Denmark and refuse to use the boring term when the fun one is correct
Isn’t spelunking specifically exploring underwater caves?
Wild, I had always thought it was just the scuba diving in a cave.
You're thinking of scublunking
Nah, that's a 1997 hit from the British band Chumbawumba
You're thinking of dumb locking
It just feels like it should be because it makes a "spelunk" sound when you cannonball into the water.
That would be splooshers you're thinking of.
I can’t tell if you’re fucking with me or not.
Name checks out.
Oh I very much am.
That's when a turd is so big it splashes up some water and tickles your bum, right?
Big turd or droopy butt. Yeah.
Your username made me chuckle, it's great
Thx bby
Yes, generally seen as a last resort to provide access past a squeeze but I know of several caves that have had Kilometers of passageway added to their surveys through the enlargement of a single point.
I have heard that it is inadvisable for solo or inexperienced spelunkers because you could easily dislodge something that could crush you, collapse a cave, etc.
Basically it's just unsafe from what I have seen
Spelunking is not an equal opportunity hobby. Stop chipping away because you’ve got 50 pounds to lose.
Generally NO, the only acceptable defacement of caves I've seen are bolts to accommodate rappelling down shafts. Of course with commercial caves they have to do quite a bit of defacement.
Not always. I run a commercial tour (approx 5k visitors per annum, so fairly small in the great scheme of things) - one of the things we pride ourselves on is keeping the cave in its largely unmodified state. It's really special to be able to share that with people.
That's definitely admirable. Do you have lights/stairs/hand rails?
There are stairs to the cave itself, but inside is a completely natural pathway. Nothing between you and the speleothems except a rope on the ground. Lights are an LED system worn on each individual's helmet. And about a bazillion glowworms down in the lower levels over a lake.
Mind if I ask where? I would love to see the glow worms some day. I have only seen videos, but it looks amazing.
West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
Not a caver, but I’ve watched a few spelunking vids online. The attitude of most - at least on camera - seems to be that you respect the cave and tackle it as-is rather than trying to modify it.