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Caving (Horizontal and Vertical)

See the list of current leaders, here.

See horizontal caving leadership requirements here

See vertical caving leadership requirements here

In order to go on a vertical caving trip you must become vertical caving certified by completing 3 vert clinics. Learn more about that here

Caving is the exploration of underground spaces primarily carved out by water over many thousands of years. “Karst” is a type of landscape primarily made up of limestone where caves are formed. In NY, karst is mostly found east of Syracuse in Schoharie and Albany counties but can also be found north around the Watertown area. The majority of caves in NY are closed from October 1^st to April 30^th to protect hibernating bats from White Nose Syndrome. However, other states and even some caves in NY remain open. Caves in NY also hover around 45 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.  SUOC also frequents caves in PA, WV, VA, and the world-famous TAG region down south (TN, AL, GA). Caves in each region and across the world vary greatly in size, shape, and character. This guide will help you understand how your leaders rate the difficulty of the trips they take out and what to expect when signing up. Don’t be afraid to ask your leader for more details and descriptions of the particular cave you’ll be visiting. Often, they will have visited the cave previously and can describe the entire trip and the areas they plan to visit. Trip length varies but typical beginner trips are 1-3 hours, and advanced trips are often 6-8+. Be aware that it’s a combination of trip goals, participant experience, and passage difficulty that dictate the length of a trip more than anything.

Caving with SUOC will take you to some of the most impressive and remote places you could ever see. We cave all over NY, PA, WV, VA, TN, AL, and GA! Walk though train tunnel sized passages, rappel down 200+ foot pits, see incredible formations and crystals, crawl down flowing river passages, and learn about about bats and other organisms that call caves home. SUOC is one of the best trained and equipped college caving groups in the North East so you can join with no experience and eventually start leading your own advanced horizontal and vertical caving trips using the club’s gear. Just bring your energy and enthusiasm and we will show you what you need to know to cave safely!

Meet our caving chair Jonah!