| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenner, Ross | 17 | Male | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Collins, Randy | 15 | Male | Not recorded | Not recorded |
South Dakota, Brook's Cave
Sunday, 16 December 1973
Brook's Cave is a three-dimensional maze typical of the caves of the Black Hills. Ross Fenner (17) and Randy Collins (15), each carrying one flashlight, entered the cave early Sunday afternoon and attempted to find the Compass Room. Collins had never been caving previously: Fenner had made five or six trips to Brook's Cave. Another boy did not go with them because he did not have a flashlight. The boys did not return by evening. so their relatives started searching for them at 8:00 p.m. Later local rescue groups were called in, but little was done until members of the Paha Sapa Grotto were contacted at 1:50 a.m. Monday. Three members of the grotto were at the cave within 45 minutes, and they located the missing boys within another 20 minutes. The boys were not injured, but had merely been lost. Using a cable ladder rigged by the rescuers, the two boys were led to safety by 3:15 a.m.
Analysis: "The youths underestimated the complexity of the cave. They failed to observe landmarks and could not find their way out." (Stock)
"What caused their difficulty was the entrance into the Compass Room. It is a long slide that enters the passage near the ceiling. From the floor this passage is hidden from view by a projection of rock. Since several much larger, inviting holes lead downward. confusion can reign. Usually a larger party travels slower and pauses long enough to look backwards. Closer attention to surroundings would have prevented the search." (Zerr)
Sources: Report by Mark Stock. Report by Bruce Zerr. Anon. (1973) "Cave Exploring Youths Rescued." Rapid City Daily Journal. 17 December 1973. Anon. (1973) "Cave Rescue 'Some Kind of Record'." Rapid City Daily Journal 19 December 1973.
Report by Mark Stock. Rapid City Daily Journal 12/17/73, 12/19/73.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.