Lost River - Karst Information Portal

2007 NSS Convention Guidebook
A 70-foot-long
rope is needed to rig
the entrance drop. The
small crawlway that
leads to the borehole
is easily negotiated
since it is floored with
dry mud and is devoid
of sharp projections.
The impressively
large borehole is
enjoyable and has
some noteworthy
formations. The cave
has been popular
since its discovery,
and should provide a
pleasant afternoon of
caving.
Reference: OVR
Karst Encounters: 1990, 1991, D.Black
BIG Newsletter 10#1, 1971, D.DesMarais
The entrance to Langdons Cave is located on
Harrison Crawford State Forest property
and a permit required. During the convention,
permits will be available at the caving kiosk.
The cave is a popular cave for beginners, as
indicated by the path that leads to the cave’s
entrance. Located in a small sink just north of a
state forest road, the entrance is a medium size
hole at the top of a debris slope. At the bottom
of the entrance slope, the cave passage is nearly
blocked by a large flowstone mass. The only way
on is along the left wall. The cave continues as
easy walking with numerous flowstone masses
for 150 feet. At this point there is an 15-foot
climb-down. Although recommended, a rope
is not needed, but care should be taken because
the climb is muddy. The passage continues as
a large (50-foot-bigh by 15-foot-wide) canyon
passage. This passage ends about 600 feet from
360
Jamie Winner and Brian Welp in King Leo Cave. Photo by Chris Schotter.
Langdons Cave
CIG Cave Capers Guidebook, 1974, 1979
MVOR Guidebook 1987
By Dave Black
the entrance at a flowstone mass. On high ledges
along this passage there are numerous pretty
formations. Just before the end is a breakdown
area. There are many holes that can be explored
within the breakdown. One hole on the left,
leads to a 100-foot-long passage and an 38foot-deep,
sloping flowstone pit requiring a
rope. Another lead in the breakdown is on the
right and leads to the Key Hole. The Key Hole
is a body-size rock tube developed in dolomite
that opens into a dome-pit complex. A 100foot-long
rope is needed to explore the shallow
pits in this area. The pits consist of a blind 25foot
drop and a 10-foot drop followed by a
blind 25-footdrop.
Langdons Cave has witnessed more traffic
than any other cave in the area. Evidence of this
is some vandalism and many signatures, some
dating back to the early 1800s. The cave has also