Typical PSC Caving Events

Cave Survey! PSC organizes and conducts numerous cave survey projects. At any given time there will be three or more active surveys underway within the club. Of particular interest these days are the Gangsta-Mappers projects, the Germany Valley Karst Survey (GVKS), the Taylor Run Region Survey , and the Highland County Survey.

Club Trips. Yes we do have fun too. Usually in the summer (but whenever access is feasible) the club will organize a number of "group trips" to such notable spelean destinations as Cave Mount Cave, Trout Rocks Caves, Simmons-Mingo and the caves of the Dry Fork region, Scott Hollow Cave and numerous others. These are all just fun, exploratory trips. At times however we'll find special things to do on these trips, like Cave Survey !! (naw just kidding). Neat trips like bat counts or paleo bone site digs are not uncommon, however.

Typical PSC Non-Caving Events

PSC has a variety of traditional non-caving events scattered throughout the year. Some are just for fun while others are for the benefit of the club.

  • St. Patrick's Day Party. Wear green and be Irish for a day. At the Field House.
  • Summer Solstice Party. PSC welcomes in the summer at the Field House every June. Togas and druidic wear are often appropriate.
  • Halloween Party. A costume party at the Field House.
  • Christmas Party. A stuff yourself potluck at a house somewhere in the DC area.
  • New Year's and Independence Day. Often impromptu parties complete with fireworks occur on these days.
  • Beach Trip. Sailing, swimming, loafing, eating (out), lazy weekend on the Atlantic Coast.
  • Field House Work Weekends. Usually twice a year a full Saturday of maintenance projects are scheduled for the Field House and it's access road.
  • Smoke Hole Road Clean-Up. PSC has adopted a stretch of road near the Field House. Three times a year (often on Sundays in the spring, summer, and fall) we pick up garbage along our adopted road.

    Regional Caving Events:

    Besides the numerous PSC caving trips and social events, there are many other regularly occurring cave related events that many PSC members attend. Exact dates and locations are usually listed in The Potomac Caver.

    National Speleological Society Convention . This week long convention is held in a different location every year, usually in July or August. About half of the conventions are east of the Mississippi. There are many presentations and seminars on all aspects of caving (e.g., geology, history, exploration, biology), rope climbing competitions, slide shows, and much socializing. Many cave trips are usually available.

    Old Timers Reunion . Held in West Virginia every Labor Day weekend. This is the largest congregation of cavers in the world. There is no pretense of science or cave exploration; just lots of partying and socializing. There are many easily accessible caves nearby.

    Mid-Appalachian Region Meetings . The MAR is an association of caving clubs in Pennsylvania and Maryland. It meets two weekends a year, usually in October and May. The purpose is largely social. There are numerous cave trips on Saturday and a business meeting on Sunday. MAR and VAR (below) often jointly sponsor one of their weekends each year.

    Virginia Region Meetings . The VAR is an association of caving clubs in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. It meets two weekends a year, usually in October and May. The purpose is largely social. There are numerous cave trips to choose from on Saturday and a business meeting on Sunday.

    TAG Fall Cave-In. Similar to VAR's get-together. The cavers of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia get together in early October for a weekend of parties, speleo-competitions, and lots of "pit bouncing."

    West Virginia Association of Cave Studies (WVACS) . WVACS has a field house in Greenbrier County, WV. Members and hardy cavers gather the first full weekend of every month for continuing surveys and studies of the over 1500 caves in that area.

    Mammoth Cave National Park . Six or eight times a year, typically on long weekends, the Cave Research Foundation (CRF) conducts surveys, exploration, and scientific studies in the Mammoth Cave System. New cave is continuously being discovered and people willing to learn cave surveying are always welcomed. Ask any CRF member how to join.

    Baltimore Grotto's Halloween Hunt . Around Halloween each year the Baltimore Grotto conducts a day long "treasure" hunt in Pendleton County, WV. All of the clues and items to find are located in the numerous caves in the area. They stay in the PSC Field House for the weekend.