16At present it looks like the committee will adopt two lists, a shortlist that can be widely distrib<strong>ut</strong>ed and printed in any book containing <strong>cave</strong>maps, and a longer list containing many less frequently used symbols <strong>for</strong> specialpurpose maps. Both lists will need to be compatible, and use the same symbols <strong>for</strong>equivalent features. At present the long Hedges list is not compatible with theAMCS short list, the main difference being water and domes. There are many compromisesavailable on the symbols <strong>for</strong> domes, and water appears to be the realproblem. Hedges seems to feel that ruled lines are not "natural" and should notbe used <strong>for</strong> a natural feature. The AMCS mappers feel that water is an especiallyimportant feature and needs a unique, easily recognized symbol. The AMCS listpresented here <strong>for</strong> adoption by the NSS is the same list presented in the lastissue of the Activities Letter except that water depth is given by a number ina square, rather than using the combined water depth-ceiling height symbol givenin the previous list. The AMCS list is presented here in a one page <strong>for</strong>mat. The32 symbols on this list can be effectively portrayed on a single 8 X 11 page,and includes all symbols in common use, as well as the geologic -symbols. The AMCSfeels it is important to include geologic symbols on all symbol lists to break theignorance cycle. Cavers never see them so they don't use them. Geologic symbolsshould be used on most <strong>cave</strong> maps. The statement that the NSS or AMCS adopt theUSGS symbols is of little help. The AMCS 36 symbol list should be adopted by theNSS and widely distrib<strong>ut</strong>ed. This should be as soon as possible as new lists of"standard" map symbols are proliferating rapidly.Vehslage, White, Russell~ Cravens, FieselerAbo<strong>ut</strong> the map symbols committee:5 August 19758218 SherrillLandover, Md.20785As best I recall, Vehslage, White, and Russell already have received copiesof both the symbols which I proposed and the accompanying manuscript. If not, orif you've mislaid your copies, please request new ones.Cravens and Fieseler are receiving copies of the map symbols with this letter;copies of the manuscript will follow in abo<strong>ut</strong> two weeks, after I can arrange tohave it duplicated.DUE TO THE DIFFERENT TIMES AT WHICH EACH OF YOUR COPIES HAS BEEN MADE,therewill"be minor differences both in the symbols and in the text. A few changes havebeen made due to recent in<strong>for</strong>mation from the British Cave Research Association,others have been made on the request of Russell, one on the suggestion of FrancoUrbani P., another because I think somebody was pulling my leg and I didn'trealize it.Making five identical sets of the thing would cost me abo<strong>ut</strong> $30 and I don'thave the money. If you can't make do, then I suggest we wait until sometime nextwinter, when the So~iedad Venezolano de Espeleolog{a publis~es the whole thingand reprints will become available (in Spanish, of course) (Franco Urbani P. hasmade a bea<strong>ut</strong>iful translation of the manuscript ~)My position is fully stated in the manuscript. Hence, I won't address anyspecific subjects here, b<strong>ut</strong> will await questions from the rest of you.The one serious conflict between AMCS and my compilation is in showing water.It is necessary to be able to map bed materials, bed contours, high and low stages,and other things simultaneously with "water" -- in a single color. My use ofwaterlines, drawn with a flexible pen, is easier and clearer than is AMCS' use of
mechanical shading -- the dots, contours, speleothem symbols, and what not stando<strong>ut</strong> better among waterlines than within a uni<strong>for</strong>m shading. If we are to useshading <strong>for</strong> water (and very few North American cartographers do so, I mightpoint o<strong>ut</strong>), then many of the other symbols on my list will have to be jiggered,also.The matter of length can be handled easily by having a "basic" list of adozen or 15 symbols (less than AMCS) and a "comprehensive" list (which could beeven longer than mine). Both would be "NSS Standard Map Symbols", each complementingthe other.Speleologically,Jim17Russell, Vehslage, MartinOn map symbols3 June 19758218 SherrillLandover, Md.20785What is "wrong ll with the existing set of NSS symbols is that there aren'tenough of them, primarily. There also are some inconsistencies, and they mightbe edged a bit closer to the VIS standard list, b<strong>ut</strong> mainly there aren't enough.This is argued, beginning on p. 20 of the ms which I'm loaning to Russell. Heis to <strong>for</strong>ward this to you at the Convention as soon as he has read it (copyanything you like, first). It has 39 pages, which is more than either I or theNSS ought to af<strong>for</strong>d to print up and send to the BOG plus mailing list. As I said,it's being published in Venezuela and should be available (in Spanish) be<strong>for</strong>e theend of the year.If the consensus is that the 1961 list has "enough" symbols, then my paperis an interesting b<strong>ut</strong> impractical exercise and should be turned down.Please note, Bill, that this is not "my" list, in 1961, it is Will "'bite's,et al list; also, it was never adopted as the NSS standard list -- it was onlyproposed to the BOG and then <strong>for</strong>gotten. The NSS has no <strong>for</strong>mally approved list ofsymbols.A copy of the list of symbols will be mailed to Martin, care of etc, by Friday,if not sooner. He isn't getting a manuscript, because I have only one copy tocirculate and I don't want it getting lost in the mail <strong>for</strong> half the summer. Coveringletter will be included, though.What is "better" abo<strong>ut</strong> the set I'm proposing is throughly defended in themanuscript which Bill is to send Vehslage, c/o NSS Convention after Bill reads it.It's much more comprehensive, it's rationalized, and it's nearer to VIS practicein most respects.Comments on Russell's cr~t~que of my preliminary list (substantially differentfrom the version distrib<strong>ut</strong>ed to the BOG and to Martin):The "committee" is not yet in existence; I've suggested to Vehslage that
- Page 1: ASSCCIATION FOR MEXICAN CAVE STUDIE
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- Page 15 and 16: 3Michael Schulte has been working o
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- Page 19 and 20: 7Diamond Cave RevisitedAndy Grubbs,
- Page 21 and 22: 9CHE~-VEN-SIL-MUTSYSTEM\+--1000 ft.
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- Page 29 and 30: 17Discussion of Map Symbolsby Bill
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- Page 41 and 42: June 97Dear AMCSRE:Diamond CaveAfte
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- Page 83 and 84: 15Trip Report, Christmas-New Years
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AMCS ACTIVITIES LETTEREdited by Bil
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3View across the botto~ of Hoya de
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dubbed "The 170" quickly led to ano
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Roy dropped 3 pits an'i :l cave nea
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which would have been hazardous hol
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\I0YA DE LA LUZProfile B-B'Located
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12hotic DiseasesThe August 1976 iss
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14San Juan Area Nov 1976"eo?le: Tr~
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16Caving in Puebla, Vera Cruz, and
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RETURN TO HUAUTLA~Jith t~e 1976-77
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20SCHOOL BUS SCOOPSZOaUITLAN AREA~)
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enU~«
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2April 1, 1977, marks the 10th anni
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TRIP REPORTSDestination: Cueva del
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5uestination: Sierra las Alazanas a
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The Fissure t..as located by T.P.
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11The next morning Francisco "Kissi
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12could scamper up a wed~ed log and
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14This idea was thwarted given an u
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16NEW YEAR'S DAY IN SAN AGUSTINan t
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1'1later Jim and I began the long c
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20Our group of six intended on rapp
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22here and poked around for leads.
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24and myself about trash and abando
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line didn't cross; nylon against ny
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...'"1IIc.21II .._1II~(,),-• c..'
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30Medical Report On The April 1977
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'32One caver alInost lost her voice
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34considered normal. The diabetic d
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36Jim Smit~ Has followinp, Blake Ha
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3~the spot would make a smaU slip.
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AMCSACTIVITIeSNewsLe TTe Rno. 7
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'International NewsTHE SIERRA DE GU
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International Newsin the entrance a
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The Ten Deepest Caves in Mexicoby B
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to a drop. t returned and dropped a
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to the entrance. From San Andres we
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stove in a semi-catatonic state. He
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above the roaring cascades. At time
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With two leads 'beckoning we began
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Chaining a passage in Cueva de Infi
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the cave. We pulled our rope down b
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increased the cave's depth to -197
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series of parallel ascending (+30 0
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La Sistema Purificacidn: a theory a
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Between the Cold and the" GlorybyTe
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Back tothe Bird PitsbyBill StoneSum
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'Getting Down in Peiiaby Bill Stone
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CUEVADELAPENAPROFI LEmetersoRanc ho