The Caving Podcast

Bill Torode has volunteered at the NSS library for over 50 years, and has mapped hundreds of caves. We talk about being the first person to peer down what came to be known as Surprise Pit in Fern Cave, as well as several other anecdotes from the long-time TAG legend. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Pre-register for Indiana Cave Capers: htt...

Pete shares his varied caving life starting in West Virginia's Germany Valley all the way through Grand Canyon exploration, Lechuguilla, Tears of The Turtle (the deepest cave in the US), and shares his experience rewiring the electricity for Carlsbad Caverns National Park. He also shares some big NSS news as a member of the board. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://...

Colin Magee is a Canadian caver originally from New Zealand who has been on high-profile Mexico expeditions like Cheve where he participated in the National Geographic Explorer episode “The Deepest Cave.” He discusses the importance of proper SRT and rescue training, as well as his initiative to gather data from the world’s caving clubs. Colin’s website, mentioned in the podcast: https://www.caver...

Katarina Kosič Ficco is a cave and karst field scientist with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage focusing on subterranean biodiversity. She shares her genesis in the world of caves and karst, having grown up in the classical Karst in Slovenia where the term originated. She also talks about discovering Petra, an exquisitely preserved Pleistocene fel...

Mike Drake heads up exploration of the Studebaker/Wayne Cave system in Indiana’s Garrison Chapel Valley just west of Bloomington. He talks about the genesis and ongoing effort to survey the area’s longest cave. Plus, a bonus talk on Cave Week 2024 in June! Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Cave Week 2024! https://www.nps.gov/subjects/caves/c...

Dave Brumbaugh has been a cave guide in several show caves, including back home in Pennsylvania. He has also worked at Carlsbad Caverns and indeed still works for the National Park Service in Yosemite National Park. We talked about his extensive caving career, which included helping the FBI locate and dispose of unexploded ordinances in a Carlsbad backcountry cave. Order a custom cave suit from ou...

Rand Heazlitt is currently leading the continued exploration of Indiana's longest cave, the Binkley Cave system. He shares his perspective as the leader of the group that endured a 2016 flood that threatened the lives of him and his survey group in Binkley Cave. He also talks about current and future exploration of Alabama's Fern Cave, as well as dramatic expeditions in Mexico.  Order a custom cav...

Rand Heazlitt is currently leading the continued exploration of Indiana's longest cave, the Binkley Cave system. He shares his caving genesis, key moments in his caving history, and the story of the loss of a dear caving friend in part 1 of a two-part conversation. Donate to the NSS! https://members.caves.org/general/custom.asp?page=donate&_gl=1*5ppa8h*_ga*MTIwMTYxNDk3Mi4xNjg2MDYzMzYy*_ga_F1RQ...

Jessica Jernigan is a TAG caver who has been at it for just over a couple of years, but has accomplished a lot in that time. We had a great talk about what caving does to fulfill not only our sense of adventure–indeed defining adventure as we looked at it through the lens of caving, but also how that fulfillment applies to other aspects of life. Donate to the NSS! https://members.caves.org/general...

Mike Mansur is the author of The Cave Formation Repair Project. He and his team of volunteers have worked hundreds of hours repairing and restoring cave formations in such high-profile caves such as Carlsbad Caverns, Fort Stanton Cave, and Caverns of Sonora, among many others.  Buy the book: https://speleobooks.secure-mall.com/item/The-Cave-Formation-Repair-Project-2nd-Edition-4132 Order a custom...

Tray Heinke appeared on an episode of Naked and Afraid,  which was a big part of this talk, but he's been an Indiana caver for many years, exploring Indiana's longest cave, Binkley Cave; including a harrowing trip in December of 2016 that trapped him and his companions for more than 36 hours. He tells the story, and shares his adventurous plans for the near future. Order a custom cave suit from ou...

Patti Cummings is the Vice President of the Richard Blenz Nature Conservancy, home of Indiana’s storied Buckner Cave. She talks about her caving history and life, as well as managing the NSS-owned Buckner property, and specifically the home of former owner Dick Blenz, who passed away in 2018. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Find your local...

Zeke McKee is a Tennessee caver who has explored and mapped many caves, including Heart of Gould, and Enigma–both of which we talk about at length, including details of a harrowing rescue in 2020. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Find your local grotto! https://caves.org/committee/i-o/grottos/new_grotto_page-v2.shtml

Host Matt Pelsor visits Cagle’s Chasm in Tennessee and chats with Chris Lee, Jennifer Young, Jeff Rose, and trip leader Jim Minie. This episode is part two of a three-part series recorded remotely during SERA Cave Faire in early May, 2023. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Indiana Cave Capers: http://www.cigcaves.com/indiana-cave-capers/all-...

Host Matt Pelsor returns to Conley Hole in Tennessee for the first time since 2016 and talks with Justin Huffman about his successful effort to discover 500 new caves in a single year. Also along on this trip are Corey Ellis, and Alea Moore. This episode is part one of a three-part series recorded remotely during SERA Cave Faire in early May, 2023. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophir...

Shawn Williams is a Missouri caver with a storied caving history and personal life. Both are on full display in this extended interview. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Register for SERA here! May 4-7 https://sera2023.com/ Speleofest! http://speleofest.com/ Indiana Cave Capers: http://www.cigcaves.com/indiana-cave-capers/all-about-cave-cap...

Kevin Mulligan helped develop the caving ropes course known as The Gauntlet, which has been seen at many caving events. We talk about how it has evolved since its inception, Kevin’s work with The Caving Academy, NCRC, and cave exploration. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Book The Gauntlet by emailing TheGauntletSRT@gmail.com Contribute to...

Kelly Smallwood lives in the heart of TAG, and has been involved in many projects, including surveying for the Jack Daniels Distillery. She shares a lot about her caving life, including surviving a tough cancer diagnosis in 2017. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Check out Kelly’s YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@tag_caver Pre-regis...

Joel Despain is a California caver, the new co-editor of the NSS News, and has made caving a big part of his professional life. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ Pre-register for SERA here! May 4-7 https://sera2023.com/ Find your local grotto! https://caves.org/committee/i-o/grottos/new_grotto_page-v2.shtml

Miki Manning is a caver from TAG who is heavily involved with fundraising for the NSS. We talk about her active caving life, as well as specific ways to financially support the efforts of the NSS. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ More on the Carter Caves State Resort Park Winter Adventure Weekend: https://www.winteradventureweekend.com/   T...

Indiana caver and gifted cave map cartographer Glenn Lemasters died on Tuesday, December 13th, 2022 at the age of 70.

Chad McCain is a caver based in St. Louis, Missouri. He shares a number of great exploration stories, and a few harrowing tales of what can happen when things go wrong. RIP Marion O. Smith  AKA: The GOAT 1942-2022 Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ More on the Carter Caves State Resort Park Winter Adventure Weekend: https://www.winteradventur...

Former NSS President Tom Rea passed away on Saturday. He was 88.

Fenn Spencer is a lifelong legacy TAG caver. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ More on the Carter Caves State Resort Park Winter Adventure Weekend: https://www.winteradventureweekend.com/   Find your local grotto! https://caves.org/committee/i-o/grottos/new_grotto_page-v2.shtml

Marion Akers is an Indiana-based caver and cave cartographer involved in exploration in TAG, Indiana, and Mexico. Order a custom cave suit from our sponsor, Sophireaptress! https://www.sophireaptress.com/ More on the Carter Caves State Resort Park Winter Adventure Weekend: https://www.winteradventureweekend.com/   Find your local grotto! https://caves.org/committee/i-o/grottos/new_grotto_page-v2.s...