A ballad awaits you David.
> On Jul 11, 2019, at 11:33 AM, William R. Elliott <[email protected]> wrote: > > More info.: Illusive Pit is actually in Municipio Bustamante, not Candela, > according to the AMCS GIS database. It is near the boundary in the mountains, > and the first explorers thought it was in Candela, but it's in Bustamante. > > I guess you could say that the pit was so awesome is was like an illusion, > thus illusive or illusory, but they may have made a pun on illusive/elusive. > It certainly was also elusive. Many cavers make puns when naming caves, and > there are many bilingual puns among Mexican cave names. > > Was it Oren Tranbarger who figured out the precise location? I think he wrote > an article about it later. > > Thanks, > > William R. (Bill) Elliott > [email protected] > > 573-291-5093 cell > > > >> On Thu, Jul 11, 2019 at 11:08 AM Bill Steele <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> David, if you could succeed in getting the Illusive Pit open again for >> cavers, I promise to write a ballad about it like the minstrels of old, >> singing your praises, and enter it in the NSS Ballad Contest. How’s that for >> an offer? >> >> It’s Illusive Pit. To wit: >> http://www.mexicancaves.org/maps/0036.pdf >> >> Bill Steele >> [email protected] >> >>> On Jul 11, 2019, at 10:48 AM, David <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> The gate to the ranch is about here and was the only gate in the area >>> around 1995. >>> >>> >>> https://maps.app.goo.gl/JhahJ7GmyLhWBCVW8 >>> >>> Gate was constructed of pipe and painted bright yellow, with a protected >>> single heavy-duty key lock. >>> >>> There is a ranch house about 1/4 mile southwest beyond the gate. >>> >>> Only one spot required serious four-wheeling across an arroyo >>> before the house. Bring lumber, 2×6. >>> >>> The rest is flat with sharp rocks and tall sharp plants. So there, you just >>> need good ground-clearance and really tough tires >>> >>> Ranch hands lived in Candela 4 blocks south of Municipal building. >>> >>> Locals called it "La Mina de Something. ??" >>> >>> Owner's adult daughter lived on Nebraska St . in Laredo, Texas about ten >>> years ago. >>> >>> See Eustorgio Garcia ( R.I.P. ) >>> >>> >>> Using rebelays, the pit could be rigged as 3 easy drops ( 2 ledges, one of >>> which is large enough to get off rope in an emergency ( I tested it ). >>> >>> Leads are around but up high, but I think those passages may be mined >>> tunnels. >>> >>> There could potentially be more passage beneath 20 tons of guano. >>> >>> I would recommend doing all the popular caves in the region there and just >>> skipping Illusive Pit. >>> >>> I ridge-walked the lower elevations of the west face of the mountain >>> several times while searching for it and while hoping to find other caves. >>> If there are other caves, they would probably be higher above Illusive Pit. >>> >>> Most likely there are more caves, on that mountain. I do not know if the >>> east face gets more rain. >>> >>> I did not re-find it by myself. The ranch-hands knew of it, but did not >>> know where it was exactly. They were one ravine off, as I recall and >>> about 100 meters off elevation. >>> >>> I gave them a 12-pack of American beer, which did not please their wives. >>> I think I made up for that on the second trip. >>> >>> I recall Terry Raines saying he verified the ledges interrupted the free >>> drop. >>> >>> My opinion is that you would have to install bolts if you did not bring a >>> 600 foot rope. We tied 3 ropes together and crossed knots which >>> unfortunately were not placed at the ledges. ( The first time we did it ) >>> >>> >>> >>> D. L. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com >>> [email protected] | Archives: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers >> _______________________________________________ >> Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com >> [email protected] | Archives: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers > _______________________________________________ > Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com > [email protected] | Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers
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