Lost River - Karst Information Portal

2007 NSS Convention Guidebook
connects to the M survey, a complex upper
level area that contains some nice formations
and passage loops. From the Dressing Room
a waterfall can be heard rumbling in the
distance. Excitement builds as one approaches
the balcony overlooking the sixth drop, the
last dry spot on the main route to the end. The
rope is secured off several expansion bolts and
is rigged out of the water. The free 42-foot drop
is very scenic, featuring walls of banded chert
and waterfalls cascading down from above. The
stream continues around the dry island at the
bottom, channeling into the beginning of the
2,200-foot-long water crawl named Neptunes
Retreat. This crawl has no side leads and is
mainly hands and knees height and half full of
water. There are a couple of sections in which
the ceiling dips down leaving about a foot of
airspace.
After crawling nearly 50 stations, Neptunes
50
Joe Oliphant climbing the sixth and last pit.
Photo by Danny Dible.
Retreat begins to enlarge before intersecting a
major trunk passage. This passage, named Potato
Run, lies underneath a surface feature dry run
with the same name, and is the “undiscovered
passage” that has been theorized for years to
drain Potato Run. Turning left into the Potato
Run trunk will send one in the downstream
direction, which continues at walking sized
proportions for 3,200 feet (66 stations).
Several side leads branch for the downstream
section, and all go in the upward direction. The
most promising side lead was thought to be a
possible in-feeder from the Horseman’s Camp
on the surface. After traversing 175 feet it gets
too small to continue but has some airflow.
There are also two short side passages that also
head upward before leading back to the stream
level to form a loop. The deepest point in the
cave is near the end of the downstream section
and is located at the low point of a room. The
Joe Oliphant emerging from the entrance after a
trip. Photo by Danny Dible, July 28, 1991.