My Favorite Cave, Pettyjohn Cave
By: Hubert Crowell
I could write many stories about Pettyjohn Cave, however I would like to explain here why this
great cave is my favorite. For a Horizontal caver like myself, Pettyjohn has plenty to offer.
Good climbs, challenging passages, waterfalls, formations, intriguing passages, extreme hard to
reach places most of which I have not seen, possibilities for new discoveries and good mud.
Good Climbs
For some one looking for climbing
challenges, the entrance room has
plenty to offer. This long room over
500 feet long and averaging 50 feet
wide and 30 feet high ceilings, has
two easy climbs just to reach the
back. Near the entrance there is a
good climb up into an upper
formation room that connects to the
main entrance room at the ceiling
level. Most visitors rush pass this
area to get to the back of the room or
to head off to the main waterfall.
To reach the stream levels there are
challenging climbs if you avoid the ropes left there by previous cavers. Some of these ropes have
been in place for a long time and should not be used. One especially challenging climb is getting
up into the Racoon Room, this large room in the mid level of the cave gives access to most of the
middle levels of the cave. Pettyjohn Cave is divided up into three levels, the entrance room
which is high and mostly dry, the middle levels which are dry passages making up about 1/3 of
the known cave and reaching under the mountain to the north. A difficult climb from this
northern section is up into the Echo Room, the largest room in the cave. A 100 by 200 foot room
with high ceilings. And the lower stream passages which make up the largest portions of the
cave.
The waterfall climb leads to a second waterfall that is much easer to climb and an up stream
passage called Schreiber's Extension that is yet to be completely explored.
Challenging Passages
From the main entrance room there
are many ways to go deeper into the
cave and at the start of each of these
passages you will have a challenge.
The Pancake squeeze on the way to
the waterfall, some tight squeezes or
hard climbs, depending on which
route you choose, to get to the
Volcano Room. Each route from the
Main room is like a cave of its own.
If you like maze's try The Labyrinth
in the southeast lower level of
Pettyjohn. If you are looking for real
adventure, explore the extreme
northwest section called The Outer
Limits. And for a good technical climb, explore the rooms above the Double Echo Domes.
Waterfalls
If you like underground waterfalls, you will love Pettyjohn Cave. There are two good size
waterfalls on the way to Schreiber's Extension. A loud waterfall about 4 feet high just beyond
the Chute and on the way to the Outer Limits. And another one that you have to climb over to
enter the Labyrinth.
Formations
Formations are scattered through
the cave. The Entrance Room
contains the largest in the cave.
The Signature Room and the
passage to it are well worth seeing
for the formations. And there is a
beautiful formation room just
before you get to the Volcano
Room. Other nice formations
will surprise you along the routes
to the many sections of the cave.
Intriguing Passages
The Worm Tube is a long 150 feet crawl that is very tight and leads to the Echo Room and
beyond. The Z-Bends is an interesting alternative to the Pancake Squeeze when going to the
waterfall or the Racoon Room. There is a down sloping squeeze that is a real challenge to climb
back up when you visit the East Stream passage and Crowell Domes. The small hole leading
from the Bridge Room to the Mason-Dixon Passage is neat. And the stream canyon passage on
the way to the waterfall is fun.
Extreme Places
The extreme places are for the hard core cavers that like fourteen hour trips and want to be
pushed to their limits. Pettyjohn Cave offers four such areas. The Labyrinth, which I have only
visited the start of.
The Discovery Room above the Emerald Pool that you have to use the old existing rope or do a
hard technical climb. An extension pole was first
used to reach this area. And I understand that there
is much to be discovered beyond the Emerald Pool.
The Outer Limits which I am not even sure at what
level you reach. I have explored the stream passage
to tight muddy squeezes that finally turned me back
and high dry passages that could also be the way.
These were ten hour trips and I still had not found
the Outer Limits. I meet Richard Schreiber once
when I was leaving the cave and he was excited
about getting back under the mountain and I believe
that he was referring to the Outer Limits. I have a
copy of most of his survey notes but I think that I
am missing one that describes how to get there.
Schreiber's Extension is a long stream passage with
many leads and places to climb up into along the
way. The end is a low stream passage which has
been dug out and pushed to a second low room
blocked by another low stream crawl. This passage
continues around the edge of the mountain and
takes in water from along the mountain side. The
cave is still lower than the valley but under the edge of the mountain.
Possibilities for New Discoveries
The most promising area that I feel could
be developed is to the East. There are many
sink holes along the mountain east of the
entrance and Crowell Domes is the most
eastern portion of the cave with the
exception of the Labyrinth and Screech Owl
Cave. There is a possible lead from the
Echo Room that I would like to push some
day, but it would require some rock
removal. There is also a large sink on the
top of the mountain east of Pettyjohn that
the water has I believe been traced to the
sump below the Entrance Room in
Pettyjohn. Pettyjohn provides drainage for
most of this side of Pigeon Mountain until
you get to Ellison Cave which drains the north end of the mountain. Recent discoveries have
been made in Schreiber's Extension, Discovery Room, and the Anamatosis Room. I have 36,117
feet of level survey plotted, almost seven miles (6.935 Miles) and a total survey length of 7.127
Miles.
Good Mud
Pettyjohn Cave is known for its mud.
There are some places that you will
loose your shoes in the sticky stuff.
Crawl ways that you just slide through
in the mud with two slots for your knees
from all the traffic. I have seen the lower
level flood with the water backing up
from the stream canyon passage which
is narrow and can restrict the water
flow. Always check out the weather
forecast before going to the main
waterfall. You can read about cavers
getting lost in the waterfall area for days
and explore parts of the cave by clicking on pictures within the cave by visiting my web page. I
also have other links to stories about Pettyjohn on the main page.
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