Taylor Run Cave Survey / Project History

Project History Overview: In 1972 Doug Medville et al found and mapped Spring Cave, in an unnamed ravine north of Taylor Run in Randolph County, WV. Afterward, and until 1994, little further discovery was made in this attractive stretch of Greenbrier limestone. But Doug returned, and with his wife Hazel, Miles Drake and others, located the entrance to Twisted Fissure . A new round of exploration and survey then began.

Rick Royer, Miles Drake, Bob Zimmerman and Barry Horner review survey data and draft maps in the Taylor Run camp.

In the years since that discovery a lengthy number of participants pushed survey in Twisted Fissure to over two miles. Follow-up ridgewalks to check other leads noted in 1994 relocated Taylor Run #2 and Green Snake Pit . The former was squeezed into and first surveyed by Karen Willmes, Dave West and Susan Posey. The latter was surveyed by Devin Kouts, Susan Posey and Rick Royer on a snowy New Years eve. With time Taylor Run #2 was connected to another Medville survey, Smashed Finger, for an extent of nearly 3/4 of a mile.

The author photographed Paul Gillis (foreground) and Peter Penczer in the Twisted Fissure A survey, October 1994.

Just as survey looked to be winding down in 1998 Charlie Plantz found the entrance to Across The Gulch Cave , with over 2000 feet of borehole surveyed to date. Barry Horner later located his namesake Horner's Headwall , and several recent finds have turned up Ladd's Lead, Fuzzy Naval and Reisenschein Caves. Up the hill a way, a pit noted during one of our ridgewalks two years back, has been opened by the Mud Ducks who report 1000 feet plus of new cave, dubbed Gnarly Tree . Interesting to note, speculation holds that Gnarly Tree drains into Spring Cave, the cave that got this whole thing started.

There is a lot left to do in Taylor Run and it truly deserves the title of "Project Area".

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