Add at top of plan; Revised March 2011
In the Knox Cave Management Plan there will be no changes in the following sections except as noted.
Introduction
Purpose
History
Changes in Resources; Underground Biological
No other Resources changes.
The most changes are in the access section and that is included in full.
> RESOURCES
> UNDERGROUND RESOURCES
BIOLOGICAL - No troglobites are known to exist in the cave. It is possible that Stygmobromus alleghaniensis, an amphipod, exists in the cave. Also, likely to be present would be a cave cricket, Ceuthophilus maculatus, the cave moth, Scoliopteryx libatrix, harvestmen, Leiobunum sp., and snails, Mesomphix sp. More significant is the bat population. The last A bat count was performed on 12/08/86. In that count a total of 571 bats were counted. 549 were little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). There were 11 small footed bats (M. leibii), 5 northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis), and 6 eastern pipistrelles (Pipistrellus subflavus). This is nearly double the number of bats counted in 1980. As it has been 14 years since a complete count, another should be done. The most recent counts were 2008 with a total of 366 bats, 2009 with a total of 182 bats and 2011 with 354 Myotis lucifugus and 5 Myotis leibii.
Visitors will be required to sign a release form. Further, a A permission slip requiring the entry of vehicle information will be needed. Prospective visitors must have the permission on NCC letterhead paper, and it will be dated for only one trip. This letter must be clearly displayed on the dash of the vehicle. The vehicles must park in the designated parking area where the eastern right-of-way meets KnoxCave Road. No vehicles will be allowed to drive to the property line at the "Knox rocks.". Vehicles not displaying the permission may be towed away at the owner's expense and the persons are subject to arrest for trespassing.
To obtain permission to enter the cave, groups must meet the following requirements and agree to abide by the following rules:
1. Minimum group size is 3. In special circumstances, permission will be granted to 2 individuals.
2. In the request for permission, the group's leader should briefly summarize his experience as well as that of the group.
3. All cavers are expected to abide by the normally accepted rules of safe and conservation minded caving as outlined by the National Speleological Society, 2813 Cave Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama 35810-4431.
4. Knox Cave must be treated as a unique natural resource, and nothing should be taken out of the cave except trash.
5. All work projects must be clearly defined and authorized beforehand.
6. Each group is expected to clean up any trash in the cave or on the property
7. Access for minors: A special parental permission form must be signed for each and every minor on the release form.7. Private groups
8.At the discretion of the Access Manager, insurance or certificate thereof may be required for private groups such as schools, camps, and scouts. Groups such as the Boy Scouts will be required to show proof that they are complying with their own rules regarding caving. are required to gain access through the special use coordinator.
Periods of Access: At the present time Knox Cave and Crossbones Cave is are closed from the middle first of October until mid-May or when the sinkhole is ice-free whichever comes later. (As a matter of clarification, this refers to all ice, not just ice on the wall of the sink.) Crossbones Cave is open all year. Should the two caves ever
be connected, the time frames for Knox Cave should take precedent.
Equipment Requirements: For both caves, all persons must have a helmet with a chinstrap. All persons must have at least three (3) sources of light. One of these must be mounted on or attached to the helmet.
For Knox Cave it is strongly recommended that individuals be belayed down the ladder..
Crossbones Cave is a vertical cave. All cavers must have their own equipment for descending and ascending. Rope adequate for rigging the entrance drop will be
required.
USE CONFLICTS
There is often a conflict between cave access and cave closure for bats. Officially, Knox Cave has been closed for hibernating bats since 1980. After 20 years this closure is no longer an issue. With the opening of Crossbones Cave in 2000, this could become an issue. At present Crossbones Cave is open year-round. Should Crossbones and Knox be connected, both caves should be closed to accommodate the hibernating bats. However, Crossbones could open in mid-May
regardless of ice conditions.
EXPLORATION RULES
1. Any digging on the property or in the caves must be specifically authorized by either the Access or Property manager.
2. Use of explosives will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If granted, authorization for their use will be done so for one specific situation. No blanket permit
may be granted for their use.
3. For long-term dig projects a blanket permission may be granted at the discretion of either the Access or Property manager.
PUBLICITY POLICY
The cave is not publicized in magazines or newspapers of general circulation. Except when used as information positive local exposure to the NCC. Caver's publications like The Northeastern Caver and the NSS News may contain information on the latest discoveries. Some grotto publications may also have information, but again these have limited circulation and usually do not give locations.
SURFACE MANAGEMENT
No fires without permission.
Hunting - Frequently, the issue of hunting on the Knox Cave will be permitted on an individual basis at the discretion of the manager. If the Northeastern Cave Conservancy chooses to permit the Knox Trail to cross the property, then hunting should be forbidden.
Property comes up. In fact 2000 is the first year it has not. We see no fundemental problem with permitting hunting. However, if Crossbones is to be kept open year-round, hunting should be forbidden. If the Northeastern Cave Conservancy chooses to permit the Knox Trail to cross the property, then hunting should also be forbidden.
At the McFails Cave and Barton Hill Karst Preserves (both owned by
the National Speleological Society) there are registration boxes. There have been proposals to construct a registration box or a kiosk atKnox Cave. At this time it is recommended that no such things be built. There is a fundamental difference between the Knox Cave Preserve and McFails and Barton Hill. The latter two NSS preserves have trails and non-cavers are permitted to visit them. In fact, numerous geology classes use the McFails Cave Preserve. However, at Knox Cave only permitted cavers are allowed on the preserve.Thus, a registration box or kiosk would accomplish little and, in fact, might be construed to invite individuals onto the property.
There has been talk in the Town of Knox of constructing a trail to connect the Knox Wildlife Management Area on Pleasant Valley Road with the Nature Conservancy's Limestone Rise Preserve on State Route 146. Such a trail could pass through the Knox Cave Preserve and both rights of way. If the Conservancy is approached on this matter, the trail should be routed to avoid the known caves. If such a trail is constructed, then and only then might it be appropriate to construct a information kiosk. Also, if such a trail is constructed, it is recommended that signs be placed at the parking area that say"Parking by Permit Only" and that "No Parking" signs be placed where the northern ROW meets Middle Road.
RESCUE CONSIDERATIONS
Both Knox and Crossbones Caves pose problems with respect to cave rescue because of tight passages that are difficult to access.
Knox Cave - For rescue planning Knox Cave has long been split between that part of the cave north of the Gunbarrel and that part south of it. The opening of the Gunbarrel Bypass somewhat obviates the need for this bifurcation. However, it will be maintained for the sake of discussion and rescue from the Gunbarrel will discussed separately.
South of the Gunbarrel - There are three (3) danger areas in Knox Cave south of the Gunbarrel. These are the ladder, the Finger Passages, and the end of the Indian
Passage.
During the period between the removal of the stairs at the end of the entrance passage and the installation of the ladder in October 1973, there were a number of rescues in the cave. These resulted from individuals climbing down branches or fencing or wires to gain access to the cave. There were so many rescues that the Knox Volunteer Fire Dept tried to have the cave permanently closed. This threat ended when the ladder was installed. The ladder poses its own problems. These include a wide-spacing between rungs, very smooth rungs, and a step that is hard to use due to its proximity to the concrete deck at the top. Most of these problems could be eliminated by belaying people while on the ladder. Thus, it should be recommended to groups, especially those with beginners, that they consider belaying individuals using the ladder. For individuals under 16 years old, belaying should be mandatory. is highly recommended.
The ladder or, more accurately, also poses an impediment to the evacuation of a patient in a stretcher. For that reason consideration should be given to installation of a permanent anchor at the ladder to assist in hauling a stretcher up the drop. This should be placed high enough so that if the stretcher is hauled vertically, the foot can be landed on the concrete platform.
Over the years a number of individuals have dug at the end of the Indian Passage. The loose material in the collapsed dome at the end of the passage makes this an extremely dangerous undertaking. The discovery of Crossbones Cave would seem to eliminate the need to dig here. Because of the danger and the apparent pointlessness, individuals should be discouraged from digging here. If they insist special precautions such as continuous shoring need to be put in place.
The Finger Passages are both tight and have vertical relief. This combination makes rescue from this area problematic. Clearly, a SKED stretcher would be needed to evacuate a patient from the Finger Passages. However, due to vertical drops with limited space at the top of the drop, it may be necessary to place bolts to create points for re-directing the haul line. Thus, a hammer-drill and bolting kit might be necessary for removing an injured caver from the Finger Passages.
The Gunbarrel - Since the ladder was installed the majority of incidents in the cave have resulted from individuals getting stuck in the Gunbarrel. This is typically caused by a knee getting stuck in the narrow slot at the bottom of the passage. Such incidents are not to be taken lightly. The individual is in close contact with the bedrock and could become hypothermic very easily. In the past it was often difficult to free someone from such a situation because typically the knee is distal to the rescuers and the passage is small.
With the Gunbarrel Bypass such rescues should be considerably easier as it will permit a rescuer to approach the trapped individual from the north end of the passage.
North of the Gunbarrel - Until the opening of the Gunbarrel Bypass, cavers dealt with rescues beyond it by hoping none would be necessary. The prospect of working an
individual in a stretcher through the Gunbarrel was daunting. The bypass has greatly simplified the planning for a rescue beyond the Gunbarrel. However, it has also created a situation that may increase the need for a rescue.
The entrance to the bypass is much more inviting than the Gunbarrel and trespassers will have no problem finding their way to it. (After the bypass was open, the first group arrested for trespassing had found the route without a problem.) This will bring less
experienced individuals to the Great Divide.
The Great Divide is a 30-foot climb up into the passage to the Alabaster Room. Cavers must either make this climb or bypass it via the Lemon Squeeze. Over the years there have been a number of incidents here. Fortunately, none have resulted in the need for a full-fledged rescue. Whether this record will be maintained is unknown, but it is the 30-foot exposed climb at the Great Divide which poses the biggest concern north of the Gunbarrel. While a rescue from the base of the Great Divide would not be trivial, the presence of the bypass will simplify the execution of such a rescue.
If a rescue is necessary beyond the Great Divide, it will likely be necessary to place anchors for hauling a stretcher up from the Alabaster Room or for lowering one from the top of the Great Divide or both. As with the Finger Passages, a hammer-drill and bolting kit might be necessary for such as rescue.
Crossbones Cave - Probably the most troublesome aspect of a rescue from Crossbones Cave is the entrance. At the top of the entrance drop is the Toilet Bowl, a
tight squeeze through a chert layer. This is sufficiently tight that single rope techniques are often supplemented with a cable ladder. A rope/hauling system for the entrance dome would likely be needed. This will entail the need for a tripod as there are no usable trees near the entrance. Also, For a hauling system, there are two bolts available (the normal rig points, a redirect with pulleys could bring a haul-line to the surface to assist in getting a caver up and out.) Whether a patient in a stretcher
could be evacuated through the Toilet Bowl is not known. A test effort should be made using a dummy in a stretcher.
Beyond this, the cave contains a number of tight squeezes through dig areas and some climbdowns. A second cable ladder/hauling system would be needed if the lowest level of the cave is involved.
FUTURE PLANS & RECOMMENDATIONS
A conservation easement on the property should be sold to the Albany County Land Conservancy. This will provide considerable protection to the cave and property should the NCC every lose the cave. The exact conditions of the easement remain to be worked out.
The boundary of the property needs to be walked on an annual basis. As needed the posted signs need to be maintained to assure that the land is properly posted in accordance with the NYS Environmental Conservation Law and the Penal Law.
The boundary should be fenced in selected areas to assure that locals are not using ATVs to access the property.
New Sink - now Crossbones Cave - was discovered in 1971. A thorough search of the property should be made for other karst features.
It has been 14 years since a complete bat count was performed, another should be done.The gate on Crossbones Cave should be upgraded. The culvert should be anchored more permanently. Instead of a chain, a long rod with a provision for lock
it should be installed.
If the NCC is approached about having a cross-Knox trail routed on the Knox Cave Preserve and both rights of way, the Conservancy should agree. If such a trail is
constructed, then it might be appropriate to construct a information kiosk. Also, if such a trail is constructed, it is recommended that signs be placed at the parking area that say "Parking by Permit Only" and that "No Parking" signs be
placed where the northern ROW meets Middle Road.
Consideration should be given to installation of a permanent anchor at the ladder to assist in hauling a stretcher up the drop.
Some mock rescues should be held every 5-10 years in Knox Cave from either the finger Passages or from the base of the Great Divide or both.