Fall VAR/MAR 2010

October 1-3, 2010
Lower Campground at Friars Hole Cave Preserve
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Hosted by D.C. Grotto and Baltimore Grotto

The D.C. Grotto and Baltimore Grotto invite you to attend the Fall 2010 joint meeting of the Mid-Appalachian Region (MAR) and the Virginia Region (VAR) of the NSS. The event will be held at the Friars Hole Cave Preserve in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, during the weekend of October 1-3, 2010. There will be caving in the Friars Hole Cave System, the largest cave in the Appalachians, with 45.5 miles of mapped passage. The cave preserve is owned by the Mothes family. Robert Mothes runs the farm and controls access to the Snedegars Saltpeter Entrance, North Stream Entrance, Crookshank Pit, and Toothpick Entrance to Friars Hole.

Camping and Facilities: Primitive camping will be provided in a mowed hayfield between the North Stream Entrance and the Snedegars Saltpeter Entrance to the Friars Hole Cave System. Port-a-pots will be provided, but there will be no showers. Sorry, the landowner has requested that no pets come because this is a working farm. Please plan to remove any trash your camp generates. The closest restaurants and grocery stores are in Hillsboro (20-30 minutes), Marlinton (30-40 minutes), and Lewisburg (45-60 minutes), so bring everything you need for the weekend. Individual fires will not be permitted, but there will be a communal bonfire, weather permitting. The campground will be open from Noon Friday until 3 p.m. Sunday.

FRIDAY

Beverages (beer, soda, water) will be provided both Friday and Saturday evenings.

SATURDAY

Caving Trips: With 46 miles of cave right beneath your feet, we can't make it much easier to go caving. Easy walking passage, muddy crawls, and vertical - it's all right here! We will also have led trips to area caves, including a skin-scraping Bone-Norman through trip. Other led trips are being planned to Culverson Creek, Poor Farm, and Snedegars. Volunteers to lead trips to other caves are highly encouraged. Please decon before coming to VAR.

Sandy and Brian Preaux will be demonstrating their new surface-to-cave communication radio system on-site, and an introductory survey course is also being planned.

Sinkhole Cleanup: There will be an off-site sinkhole cleanup project, with lunch and drinks provided for participants. Please bring good boots and gloves.

Above-Ground Activities: The Friars Hole area abounds in wonderful above-ground attractions as well, including Bear Town State Park, the Cranberry Glades, the triple Falls of Hills Creek, Droop Mountain Battlefield, geocaching, bike riding on the Greenbrier Trail, and kayaking (bring your own boat).

Saturday Dinner:

• Bratwurst sausages
• Vegetarian chili
• Salad
• Baked beans
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Beverages

Vegetarians must pre-register so we can have enough food for you.

We will have two programs following dinner. Sandy and Brian Preaux will present a video of the exploration of the lower Friars Hole system set to cave ballads and Mike and Andrea Futrell will talk about the integration of GIS data into the VSS srchives and cave exploration in general. After the talks, DJ John Fox will spin your favorite dance tunes while you enjoy your favoriate caver beverages. The Snedegars entrance to Friars Hole is just off the campground. Midnight cave bocci, anyone?

SUNDAY

Pancake Breakfast: Both Front Royal and PCC are taking some time off. Anyone else want to step forward?

Sunday Morning Meeting: The VAR business meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Sunday. The MAR ballot box will be at registration.

Pack up, clean up camp, and go home

Registration: Preregistration has been extended until September 21st. Download the registration form and mail it in now. Only those who pre-register will receive a guidebook. We will endeavor to feed all comers, but you are not guaranteed a meal unless you preregister. Pre-registration will cost $30 for VAR or MAR; $35 for combined VAR and MAR, $23 for children (5-16), and free for children under 5. On-site registration will cost $5 more.

Directions:Take I-64 to Exit 169 (Rt. 219) West Virginia, Lewisburg exit. Go north on Route 219 for 24 miles (passing through Maxwelton, Frankford, and Renick) up to the top of Droop Mountain and turn left on Lobelia Road. This is a one-and-a-half-lane road with some hairpin turns. Follow it to a "T" at Jacox Road (Jacob on google maps and many GPS units) and turn left. You will pass a church on the right and a graveyard on the left. Turn left into the first gravel driveway (labeled Boggs Run Road on GPS units). Follow the driveway, passing over the cattle guard, to a clearing with a cabin (registration).

Questions, comments, or complaints? Contact Dusty Gulden DustyCaver@aol.com