Possible Undiscovered Cavern In Death Valley

[DeathValleyDazed]

Having just enjoyed a geology video from our very own community geologist Andrew on a lava tube in Oregon

I got to wondering about caverns under the mountains of Death Valley. I realize lava tubes don't fit the DEVA geology but I'm hoping for at least one cool cavern, the type that are large enough to allow human exploration without damaging the glories of formations like the ones in Carlsbad, Lehman, Mammoth, Kartchner, etc. 

And one that is much more accessible than this one which contains fragile formations dependent upon underground humidity to maintain structure. This exploration is supposedly lead by an NPS ranger, Dave Ek*, who back in 2006 assisted at Devil's Hole with the pupfish. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hq2TXDXBs0

I hope that somewhere there is at least one unexplored or discovered narrow entrance that will open up to the underground wonders of Death Valley. With this list of rock formations in DEVA one would think some cool caverns might be possible? 
https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/ge...ations.htm

If DEVA's sister National Park, Great Basin, 380 miles to the north can have a cool cavern within similar rock formations why can't DEVA? 
https://www.nps.gov/grba/planyourvisit/l...-tours.htm

Maybe the new intern who scores this Natural Resources Management Assistant opening can locate a new cavern?
https://wfscjobs.tamu.edu/jobs/natural-r...onal-park/

However after reviewing the: https://www.nps.gov/deva/general-managem...troduction
it's apparent that I'm on the wrong side of this issues: "Cave Resources: Avoid development of caves and perpetuate natural conditions." 

So in summary, if I ever stumble across such a "cool cavern" I'll inform DEVA Natural Resources and keep my mouth closed and online trip report silent on this one. 

* https://www.gettyimages.in/detail/news-p.../564046303

[ski3pin]

I had read - somewhere - that one of the adits at Leadfield hit a natural limestone cavern. I've wondered, without anything definitive, if it was one on the slopes just west of the townsite that is closed off with steel bars to allow bat passage.

[GowerGulch42]

I had read - somewhere - that one of the adits at Leadfield hit a natural limestone cavern. I've wondered, without anything definitive, if it was one on the slopes just west of the townsite that is closed off with steel bars to allow bat passage.

Correct. A few other adits in the area also hit smaller caverns.*

Nevada has had the luxury of having a surpassingly cold and wet climate for a long time now - due to its altitude - and most mountain ranges of the eastern 1/2 of the state have at least some caverns. Up around Great Basin and Eureka, large caves are practically common. There's a lot of water in those hills. Some caves in that area of Nevada are so old that they're completely dry - possibly millions of years old.

Why doesn't Death Valley have any large caves? It never went through the right kind of climatic conditions. Some old rocks in the south of the Park (Kingston Range and Ibex Hills, for instance) have "paleokarst" which are basically the crushed remains of caves hundreds of millions of years old. I haven't seen those, but they're on my DV Geology Bucket List. 

The National Cave and Karst Resource Database lists Death Valley NP as having 72 caves, split among limestone karstic caves, mineshaft (honestly a hell of a lot more than 72 there!), and pseudokarst (mud caves). The National Cave Resources Protection Act makes it nearly impossible for regular folks to get a hold of cave maps and locations, for good reason, but with a little geo-sleuthing you can get a good idea of where they should be. The rocks I know of which have some cavernous weathering are around Leadfield, Lost Burro Gap, and Devil's Hole. There's a few caves around the latter, most well-protected and unremarkable. The short summary of all that I just said is that Death Valley has areas with known cavernous weathering, but basically no known large caves. Most of those 72 caves are rock shelters in limestones, including that big overhang in Cottonwood Canyon. There's a number of mud caves, but none really large enough to explore (as far as I know…).


One more thought – the mountains of Death Valley are pretty young. The result of that is steep, rugged topography which is hugely unfavorable to cave formation. There's a few spots I've been looking at since I started this post with some karstic features (stone-forest-like spires) in high, inaccessible terrain. I still won't rule out any explorable caverns, but the odds are slim in my opinion. I'd love to be wrong.

[Daymoth]

Having just enjoyed a geology video from our very own community geologist Andrew on a lava tube in Oregon

I got to wondering about caverns under the mountains of Death Valley. I realize lava tubes don't fit the DEVA geology but I'm hoping for at least one cool cavern, the type that are large enough to allow human exploration without damaging the glories of formations like the ones in Carlsbad, Lehman, Mammoth, Kartchner, etc. 

Depends on what you define as big, the cavern in your second link is about 160ft deep and its a world class cave.

Its not accessible even to cavers sadly. My understanding is since the SoCal grotto helped with the gate in 1950 there has been like a NSS trip per decade. 

In part because its super delicate aragonite and moonmilk and requires very experienced and careful access ( Ek, Faye and their camera were absolutely reckless idiots that could have damaged it badly forever) and there have been several break ins to illegally harvest the formations ( and that youtube video is to blame for some of the vandal entry attempts so please dont give it publicity).

But yes please if anyone finds a wild cave treat please it like a petroglyph site, dont disscuss locations here in the open and do not put the cave at risk (not like those irresponsible assholes Ek and Faye did). 

If you want developed caves, Mitchell caverns are not far from DV.

[DAW89446]

I suggest Lovelock Cave near Lovelock, NV.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovelock_Cave

[DeathValleyDazed]

One more thought – the mountains of Death Valley are pretty young. The result of that is steep, rugged topography which is hugely unfavorable to cave formation. There's a few spots I've been looking at since I started this post with some karstic features (stone-forest-like spires) in high, inaccessible terrain. I still won't rule out any explorable caverns, but the odds are slim in my opinion. I'd love to be wrong.

Hey GG42, I appreciate you sharing your expertise here! During my past scrambles up the slopes of DEVA I never really kept an eye out for possible cavern entrances but I'll pay more attention in the future just in case I get really lucky. 

One of my fondest cavern memories was two decades ago taking my daughter into a guided candlelight tour of Lehman Caves at Great Basin National Park. The small group, eery lighting, and excellent tour guide was beyond expectations. One room in the cavern was large enough that the old pioneer local people held dances and concerts inside. I believe the candlelight tours were discontinued shortly after due to soot pollution. 

Thanks DAW, ski3pin, and Daymoth for the tips and notes on other nearby caverns:


I recently learned about "gold wire" and that pockets of it had been discovered by luck in the Bullfrog Mining District back in the DEVA day. And three years ago modern drilling methods claim to have located worthwhile deposits under the Mother Lode: https://resourceworld.com/corvus-gold-ex...de-nevada/

[jesportland]

I had read - somewhere - that one of the adits at Leadfield hit a natural limestone cavern. I've wondered, without anything definitive, if it was one on the slopes just west of the townsite that is closed off with steel bars to allow bat passage.

I go to DV in October also with a "caver" that is active in central Oregon caves. Shes say there is a cave by Leadfield but I'm not sure we've seen it yet. She says she also has permission from the park to go in it but well...who knows.

[MojaveGeek]

I go to DV in October also with a "caver" that is active in central Oregon caves. Shes say there is a cave by Leadfield but I'm not sure we've seen it yet. She says she also has permission from the park to go in it but well...who knows.

Oh, that would make a cool TR, if it's OK to post.

[Daymoth]

So just throwing it out again...

Could we please not discuss in an open forum the location of a cave that has been vandalized several times to harvest formations ?

Pleeeeeeease

[Beardilocks]

I’ve always been amused by the tales of a cave system that legend states is the southern Panamints.  The area has since been absorbed into the China Lake complex and is off limits.  Coincidence or the real reason they put a base there?!?!?!?

Definitely a fun read at least.  

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ca-deat...roundcity/




But in all seriousness, I’ve never come across anything in my back country adventures that was more than a glorified alcove.  Mineshafts not included.  But I don’t explore those in depth (pun intended) for obvious safety reasons. 

I will say that with my years of experience with NPS, they could very well be hiding a whole cave system or two.  But also that it would have leaked at some point.