I have a fear of small confined spaces. When in this kind of situation my heart starts to race and I am filled with a deep primal panic that dismisses all rational thought. So, why I ever decided to go caving in Yosemite recently is a mystery. I often commit to daring or unique adventures before considering what it is I am actually involving myself in. I owe this tendency to the fact that I am an “experience junky”. I love to try new things, to see the world from a new perspective, to get outside my comfort zone. It makes life interesting…and usually makes for a great story too!

So, last weekend my husband and I accompanied a co-worker (and avid caver) to the Stanislaus National Forest located on Yosemite’s doorstep. The objective of the weekend was to find remote areas with promising topography (in which caves were likely to be found) and bush-wack off trail in search of these “said” caves. Then, upon discovery, crawl inside and explore or start digging if the opening is too small. I came prepared with my headlamp, bug repellent, some old clothes, and tons of enthusiasm.

It was a lot of fun. But, I did learn a thing or two that I feel I should pass on to all you adventurous travelers out there. If you are thinking of going on a wild caving expedition in the near future, here are some tips: Read More »