Caves: warm airflow?

[imike]

...what might it mean to find warm air flowing up out of a crawl hole? found at bottom of 60' deep cleft... can see down and around for 20-40' (did not have light... intend to go back with ropes and light)...

[Nighthiker]

Are you sure its not a well disguised air shaft for a missile silo complex ?

[chumley]

Something big lives down there. The warmth is from when it exhales.

[RedRoxx44]

What is your elevation and are you in limestone? Caves tend to keep the air temp of surrounding terrain--low desert caves are warm, caves at higher elevations generally cooler. Larger caves breathe, so there is an in and out cycle. Cavers use incense or cigarettes to watch how the smoke moves to ascertain direction. The air movement can mean a good sized cave or in the case of cracks can just be from another entrance nearby. What is the smell? Generally caves have an earthy almost damp smell if they are "wet" growing cave versus a dormant dry cave. Be careful in cracks. If you get stuck make sure you are stable or have a good handhold then exhale as much as possible ( men get stuck mostly in the chest region) collapsing your chest as much as possible then pull and or push up. This is a good strategy even if someone is pulling your arms or legs. Some cavers use this to get in farther but you have to have good control and make sure you can come back up what gravity has assisted on descent. Good luck.

[mazatzal]

Something big lives down there

Perhaps a white worm?

[imike]

limestone... 6,000'+... is connected to a fissue formation... a split that is visible for about quarter mile long across adjacent ridges... 60' deep at the point of the crawl hole... opens to a cut that allows movement... need lights to see what is next. I did not smell anything... guy apprehensive of snakes and live things smelled musty odor... lady smelled metallic odors. I'll not be squeezing through anything!

[Jim]

If it is was the fissure yesterday, and the pressure was dropping, it may have simply been rock "warmed" air moving up out of a (?) deep cave that was at a higher pressure than the air with the lower pressure colder air moving in. I'm curious to know the depth of this feature.

[imike]

If it is was the fissure yesterday, and the pressure was dropping, it may have simply been rock "warmed" air moving up out of a (?) deep cave that was at a higher pressure than the air with the lower pressure colder air moving in. I'm curious to know the depth of this feature.

pick a day...we'll go check it out...

[SuperstitionGuy]

Be sure to post the GPS coordinates here on HAZ so if you find and do not return from the Shangri-La below this vent that we can place a memorial there for you. ;)

[imike]

Be sure to post the GPS coordinates here on HAZ so if you find and do not return from the Shangri-La below this vent that we can place a memorial there for you. ;)

I want a brass plaque... and an annual event... really, I'd like those anyway!

[imike]

heading up tomorrow (Friday) after the group hike... going to set a cable from the top so that my rope will reach down and into the lower cave. I may just leave the cable there... we can tie into it whenever we venture up and down...

...if I do not post a triplog Friday evening....

[imike]

down into the Lair today... calm out... no wind... but, steady outflow of warm air... so... need small body to slip through entry... or, I'll move a boulder out of the way?

[big_load]

This thread reminds me of the sacred breathing holes, like the one near the ball court at Wupatki..

[azbackpackr]

Um, flipping my boat in big rapids? Sure, any day! Caves? Mmmmm. No. Well, okay, maybe if they have little paved pathways with railings, then I'll go in.

Pick your poison...