incident at Huccacove Cave

Date
21st Nov 1982
Publication
ACA 1982 p. 265
Cave
Huccacove Cave
State
Colorado
County
Unknown
Country
United States of America
Category
Cave
Incident type
Rockfall
Group type
Unknown
Group size
5
Aid type
Unknown
Source
Unknown
Incident flags
 

Injured cavers

No injured cavers recorded.

Incident report

On November 21, 1982, five cavers were in Huccacove Cave in Colorado on a cleanup trip. At 2 p.m. as they were ascending Angel Falls on the way out, "the upper overhang (dried mud), about two feet in diameter, broke off at the base." This shattered on an overhang four feet lower, and buried the climber coming last from the shoulder to the top of his hardhat, the mud fragments filling in the spaces around him in the slot he was ascending. He descended to relieve himself of the loose material and continued out. He suffered only slight bruises on his head from his hardhat.

Incident analysis

The ascent was being done with cavers on the two overhangs to help novices and help pass trash bags up. A novice had just stepped onto the upper overhang when it collapsed. Schrock speculates that very dry conditions may have weakened the dried mud of the overhang. Many cavers had used it previously with no problem. He also observes that more than one caver making a climb at the same time is a poor practice.

Summary

A caver was partially buried by falling debris while ascending Angel Falls in Huccacove Cave during a cleanup trip; suffered slight bruises.

References

  1. Lee Schrock "Incident Report" Pueblo Underground (S. Colo. Mtn. Grotto) Jan.-Mar., 1983.
  2. Editor "Incident in Huccacove" Speleo-Flyer (USAFA Grotto) 1:1 February, 1983 p.
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