Cool cave

When I worked at Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs (well, Manitou Springs to be exact) it seemed like there were always people who would compare us to Mammoth cave in Kentucky.  It was always something about how small our cave was compared to Mammoth.  So naturally I was excited to finally see this cave with my very own eyes.  And it was still bloody hot out so the 54 degree cave sounded pretty awesome.  I booked us a tour at 10:00am for the Domes and Dripstones tour which started with a bus ride to a different entrance to the cave.
The bus

They allow up to 114 people on the tour and I think it was pretty close to that actually.  Actually, speaking of actually, our tour guide actually used the word actually more than any other word actually.  It was actually very annoying and yet amusing at the same time actually.

We were greeted at the door by some HUGE spiders which gave Brielle the heeby jeebies…but she toughed it out.  You decend hundreds of stairs into the cave.  There are not many formations but the vertical extent of the shafts you are in are impressive as are the stairs themselves….I can’t imagine building them.  We stopped in a few different bigger rooms for the tour guide to give a bit of history and geology before we ended at the highlight of the tour, Frozen Niagara.  It was a pretty big piece of flowstone.  There were a few other decorations in this very active area of the cave but that was about it.

The tour was fine but not outstanding.  The groups are way too big for my taste.  If you got stuck near the back of the group you’d miss out on a lot of what was said because Miss Actually actually started talking before the whole group had arrived.  It felt very rushed and impersonal.  Plus we probably spoiled our appetite by going to Carlsbad Caverns and Sonora Caverns.  Both are impressive because of the numerous and wonderful decorations and Carlsbad is even more epic due to its size.  I think much of Mammoth’s impressiveness comes from its extent….over 300 miles of passageways.  They have quite a few different tours that let you see a small fraction of the entire system but its hard to appreciate something you cannot see.  Don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful  cave and I loved getting to visit it…but I had higher expectations.

After the tour we ate a picnic lunch and the kids worked on their Jr Ranger badges.  Ranger Emily did a great job asking the kids questions and complimenting their work.  I had planned on the boys wanting to do one of the other tours but when I asked they did not express much interest.  They too were a bit disappointed but I thought for sure Dacen would want to go.  We all took a stroll down to the natural entrance.  It was crazy hot and humid outside and then you turn the corner and there is this cool (almost feels cold) 54 degree air that hits you…its a pretty crazy feeling.

We went back to the campground and the kids traded in Chicken Run for the Apple Dumpling Gang.  It was good clean family fun and a good way to wind down after a day out in the heat.

Here we are

Waiting for tour

The bus

Bus ride to entrance

Tourists

Lining up at cave entrance

Man made entrance

Decorations

Frozen Niagara

Columns

White nose syndrome cleaning station

Clean shoes

Picnic lunch

Working

Jr Rangers

Waiting

Natural entrance

Outside natural entrance

Inside natural entrance

Water at entrance

 

2 thoughts on “Cool cave

  • June 20, 2016 at 6:36 pm
    Permalink

    Actually, if you’ve heard one tour guide, you’ve actually heard them all.

    Reply
    • June 20, 2016 at 6:58 pm
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      Actually you’re right

      Reply

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