 Wind
Cave has always been a world class natural resource. However, it was
not until explorers first entered, and then continued to push further
underground, that the significance of Wind Cave began to be realized.When most people think about the importance of Wind Cave they tend to dwell on boxwork and the cave's vast length. Over many years of exploration and mapping, Wind Cave has grown to be one of the world's largest known caves. Currently over 121.25 miles [ 195.13 km] of passages have been mapped in Wind Cave. This places Wind Cave as the third longest cave in the United States and fourth longest cave in the world. For all practical purposes the exploration and mapping of Wind Cave has been accomplished by volunteer help. Over many years, many people have contributed their knowledge, skills, and efforts to create the map that rangers and park visitors alike look at in wonderment. What follows is a brief history of the discovery, exploration, and survey of Wind Cave. Discovery of the Entrance The discovery
of the entrance to Wind Cave is shrouded in mystery. Lakota Indians
traveling and living in the Black Hills were the first people to
notice the entrance to the cave. They consider the area sacred.
There is no evidence that any of them actually entered the cave. Early Explorations Between the time of the Binghams noticing the winds of Wind Cave and 1890 several groups of people were reported to have visited the cave to explore..."the labyrinthine mazes of that attractive wonder..."(Custer Chronicle, July 1886). By September 23, 1887 the Hot Springs Star was reporting that Wind Cave had been explored for three miles [5km] and "no bottom found". Early caves lengths such as this were probably exaggerations of inexperienced cave explorers or of the press.
Modern cave exploration began with surveying and mapping of the cave. The first survey of Wind Cave started on April 4, 1902. The United States Wind Cave Survey (USWCS) was commissioned by the General Land Office and was done by Maryon Willsie, a surveyor from Rapid City, South Dakota. Willsie surveyed 4509.2 feet [1374m], basically following the current Natural Entrance route to the Assembly Room, out to the Pearly Gates, and up to the Fairgrounds. Following the initial
flurry of activity in the 1890's, little happened in the way of exploration
and survey in Wind Cave for many years. During the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) days, while the trail system was being developed,
some additional mapping was done but little in the way of new discoveries
was found.
Despite the
renewed interest in mapping Wind Cave very little in the way of
new passages was discovered until the 1960's. Between 1963 and 1965,
Herb and Jan Conn teamed up with Dave Schnute to make significant
breakthroughs in what was then known about Wind Cave. The discovery
of the Spillway led to Omnibus Hall and the Frostline. Until 1984,
when the Snake Pit Entrance (called the Blowhole at that time) was
connected into Wind Cave, this route provided the only way into
what we today know of the vast western reaches of Wind Cave. Even
with the connection to the Snake Pit Entrance, the Spillway continues
to be the preferred route.
From 1970 to 1973 the Windy City Grotto, a caving club from Chicago affiliated with the NSS, explored and surveyed in Wind Cave. This period saw over 20 miles [32km] of passages mapped, most of it previously unknown. Major finds that occurred during this time include Windy City Lake (lowest point in the cave) and Half Mile Hall (the largest room/passage yet discovered).
John Scheltens
was the president of the Windy City Grotto during the early 1970's when they brought
Wind Cave to the forefront of the caving world. In 1979 he returned to Wind Cave
when he became City Engineer of the town of Hot Springs, SD. Exploration activity
took off again as he teamed with ex-Windy City Grotto members Dave Springhetti
(from Rapid City, SD) and Andy Flurkey (from Denver until 1985). Assisted on occasion
by Colorado Grotto members, occasional NPS staff, and other cavers from across
the country, Scheltens has pushed the reaches of Wind Cave to their current limits
and is perhaps the most knowledgeable individual about the passages and survey
of the cave. Scheltens' significant finds (1979-present) include the Silent Expressway
and the entire northwest section of known cave. |
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Exploration activity took off when J.D. McDonald
was hired as manager of Wind Cave by the South Dakota Mining Company
in 1890. Fortunately for us 
Based
upon Alvin's writings, signatures, specimen stashes, and artifacts
discovered in the cave it is possible to estimate the extent of
exploration during this historic period of Wind Cave's history.
Despite claims by the McDonald's that the cave had been explored
for 97 miles [156km] (see Cave Regions of the Ozarks and Black
Hills, L.A. Owen 1898), only 5-8 miles [8-13km] of passages
were known by these first cave explorers.
Modern Exploration
To
this day, explorers are still surveying passages in the Historic
zone that had been previously entered as early as the early 1890's.
Individuals and groups that have been involved in the survey of
the Historic zone of Wind Cave include Alan Howard (1962), Windy
City Grotto (1970-1973), National Park Service (NPS) staff (1971-present),
Gartzke-Kopp [Black Hills Spelunkers] (1974), Bruce Zerr (1976),
the National Outdoor Leadership School [NOLS] (1978-1989), and the
Colorado Grotto (1990-present).
In addition to the Conn's western pushes they also found
their way out to the Xerox Room. That opened the door to further discoveries by
the Colorado Grotto. During the mid-1960's to mid-1970's these cavers pioneered
explorations in the Red Crystal Canyon and Atlas Underground Hempworks area. In
the past few years these cavers have been the most active mapping group and have
added several miles of new passages in the Red Crystal Canyon Area, Historic Zone
and Silent Expressway as well as many other areas of the cave.
For
the first time in the history of Wind Cave base camps were used
to push further into the cave without having to exit the cave between
trips. Two base camps were established (one merely a communication
station with telephone to the surface) and used during these explorations
by Windy City Grotto members. Although such camps are no longer
used in the exploration of Wind Cave since the person-power to establish
and stock the camps was found to be better utilized in exploring
and mapping, this era of exploration established Wind Cave as one
of the longest caves yet discovered anywhere in the world.
Over the years Wind Cave National
Park (WICA) has had cavers on the staff who have made contributions
to the exploration of the cave. Dave Schnute, who made significant
finds with Herb and Jan Conn was a seasonal ranger at WICA. Most
of the WICA staff contributions have been in the survey of passages
previously known in the Historic zone but several new areas were
pioneered by WICA cavers. Most notable of these contributions have
been Gypsum Palace/Blue Bayou Avenue
(currently the most northeast extent of the cave), the new lakes
area beyond Windy City Lake, and several areas north of Omnibus
Hall.