Golf Course May 30

Today I went through a fun cave called Golf Course, so named for the chain of deep, overhung potholes requiring delicate maneuvers to avoid falling in. The cave is located in an impressive karst field with deep dolines (sinkholes) separated by high ridges. We took a wrong turn at some point and found ourselves closer to the exit than the entrance and so went through the cave in reverse. After exploring a few caves and holes that were not Golf Course, we eventually found it. The upper section is a tall, narrow stream passage with a distinctive potholed floor. The stream is then abandoned for a dry upper level knee crawl that goes down two rifts via 5m cable ladders. Yet another rift passage leads you to the complex, multi-storied lower entrance. A 6m chimney climb brings you back into the daylight. The streamway was the definite highlight- features were always where they needed to be to allow a bit of creativity to keep you dry. In the middle of one of the largest potholes was a bedrock pillar that acted as a perfect stepping stone to traverse what would otherwise be an inevitable swim.

Photos by Chucky.




Half the trip is finding the cave!