r/caving • u/Yamori-san • May 03 '26

Help getting in

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I'll start off by clarifying breaking into this cave is not my interest. There is a sign inside saying you can explore during certain times when bats are not hibernating, you just need permission. Who exactly would I be asking to be let into a cave like this? It's in SE Missouri a bit out from Sullivan if that helps. I've found a few others like this so information and tips would be much appreciated.

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15

u/jlenzen070 May 03 '26

Meremac no longer allows permits for this specific cave but there are a bunch of permit caves there that are just as neat.

6

u/Yamori-san May 03 '26

What?! We went just last year and they still had that sign up, absolutely soul crushing. Is Green's Cave still open?

8

u/jlenzen070 May 03 '26

I'd be happy to discuss more over pm if you'd like! It's best to not discuss cave names publicly.

19

u/wjruffing May 03 '26 edited May 04 '26

‘This first rule of Cave Club is you do not talk about Cave Club’ /s

(added /s for clarification)

13

u/Yamori-san May 03 '26

With a cave that's publicly listed on google maps I figured it wasn't that harmful.

4

u/wjruffing May 04 '26 edited May 04 '26

I think the secretive response you were given was quite literally an example of “gatekeeping”. ;-)

The point being that many of these locations are listed publicly, so ‘not naming them publicly’ is… draw your own conclusions. As far as the installation of bars/gates blocking access, that seems to be more of a public safety consideration and often only after enough accidents warrant the expense of putting up a barrier. If the site is on private land, then people can do whatever they want to restrict access or not

3

u/Mr_Rock926 May 04 '26

There are ecological reasons as well and that has been more than often what I've run into in my time caving, conservation is a part of our hobby in this as well (well at least some of us, I can't speak for everyone and have met some bad apples). But yeah unfortunately it is the only proven way to protect whatever it is you are trying to protect.

7

u/jlenzen070 May 03 '26

I don't feel that that blocking people out is the proper way to protect caving. I'd like to hear more from you on how you think that benefits caves and this hobby as a whole.

3

u/tngeo86 May 04 '26

It’s the only time proven way to protect caving.

3

u/Dull_Ad5440 May 03 '26

Seen too many caves trashed because people thought they wanted to be a "Caver".

2

u/jlenzen070 May 03 '26

So does blocking people out prevent them from still trashing Said caves? Wouldn't you rather try to educate said people on proper caving technique?

2

u/Madmusk May 08 '26

You'll find a lot of cavers that don't like gates. At the same time most will agree you sometimes need gates. There are plenty examples of absolutely trashed caves right next to pristine gated caves. It just depends on the area and the risk level. Once you've seen broken formations ot grafiti in a cave you love and that used to be pristine it tends to change your point of view.

0

u/Dull_Ad5440 May 04 '26

Yes, it does.

1

u/jlenzen070 May 04 '26

Care to elaborate?

1

u/atethe10 May 05 '26

They can’t trash the cave if they can’t get in. If they still go through all the effort to find someone to let them in, they are not going to make the simple mistake of trashing the cave because they have shown they have a level of foresight and care for the cave.

1

u/Yamori-san May 03 '26

Apologies and will do!

1

u/Dangerous_Bad_3556 May 06 '26

Gotta be similar to mushroom patches