Lost River - Karst Information Portal

2007 NSS Convention Guidebook
Call the owner Chad Cook before leaving
the convention site. He requests that a
liability release form be filled out and brought
to him before entry.
McIntosh Pit is located within the town of
Paoli and has a very
unusual entrance.
A large cistern-like
concrete structure
was built over the
entrance many years
ago, probably for
safety reasons. It
takes some creativity
to remove the 200to
300-pound, lipped
concrete-slab lid for
entry, but if a “spud
bar” is handy, leverage
and a chockstone are
enough.
Rigging a 120foot
rope to the
closest tree provides
for a free 76-foot
rappel to the top of
the trash mound.
Rig high on the tree
to make lip crossing
easier when ascending
from the cave, since
this may be the most
perfectly undercut lip
you’ll ever experience.
Once on bottom
you can explore the
mound of 1970s era
trash, some of which
is now accumulating
dripstone. The pit
is spacious at the
bottom and there is a
small side dome with
formations. Rumor
408
McIntosh Pit
By Aaron Atz
has it that the pit was closer to 100 feet deep
or more before the trashing began. This is
plausible. Watch for broken glass, sharp metal,
and other hazards.