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the highs and l o ws
of Adventure Clubs
by Linda Fulps (fulpsl@mst.edu)
From the depths of the Earth to the wild blue yonder,
study-weary S&T students in need of a break find some pretty
unusual places to burn off steam.
“I like going someplace where you have no contact with
the outside world — where it’s quiet with no electronics,” says
Laura Sisken, a junior in physics, “Also, I like mud.”
That’s a must for MSM Spelunkers Club members, who spend
hours far inside the Ozarks’ hillsides crawling on their bellies
through muddy creeks and squeezing through tight spaces, in pitch
darkness with just a headlamp for light. Not for the claustrophobic,
spelunking is physically and mentally demanding, and dangerous.
But the payoff is worth it.
“Caves are like the final frontier,” says club president
Tyler Allen, a senior in electrical engineering. “Each is unique, and
you always notice something new.”
Begun in the early 1930s, the Spelunkers Club became
university-sanctioned in 1949 and is open to anyone interested in
the sport, including local residents. About 230 people are on the
club’s email list, but only about 20 are regular cavers.
Former club president Eugene Degenhardt, GeoE’67,
described the group as a “quite independent, rag-tag, contrary,
territorial, protective, maverick caving club.” That same spirit
was evident at a recent meeting, with 16 members dispersed
throughout a large classroom, barely visible, slouched far down
in their seats with an entire row to themselves. Here they swap
stories and plan their next adventure.
The sport relies on the group’s ability to work together in the
close confines of a cave. A minimum of three people are required
for an outing, and safety is the priority. They are also vigilant about
decontaminating their gear before and after entering a cave, and
not disturbing wildlife or formations.
“The cave ecosystem is very fragile,” says Allen. “We try to
keep our numbers to a maximum of 12 people to limit the chances
18 MISSOURI S&T magazine | SPRING 2011
of stepping on creatures you can barely see, or disturbing bats
trying to hibernate.”
Andy Free, a Rolla resident and 14-year member, helps the club
maintain relationships with area cave owners. “I’ve worked hard to
get to know them,” he says. “I make sure our members take care
of their caves.”
Members work to restore, survey and map the caves.
Mapping is completed by hand, then is computerized and sent to
the Missouri Spelunkers Society. “No one wants to do the
sketching, because it’s really hard,” says Allen. “But if you do,
your name is included on the map.”
Spending hours underground isn’t for everyone. Some
students prefer the thrill of wide open spaces. For them, nothing
compares to a freefall from 10,000 feet.
For about $200 each, members of Missouri S&T Skydiving Club
board a small plane at Rolla National Airport near Vichy, Mo., for
a jump that typically lasts 5-10 minutes. They plan one jump per
semester.
“Most first-timers tandem-jump with a certified instructor,”
says club president Ben Payne, a graduate student in physics.
“And most of them just do it just once.”
“I like going someplace where
you have no contact with the
outside world — where it’s quiet
with no electronics.”
— Laura Sisken, a junior in physics