| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander, Calvin | 41 | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
On March 18 a group of fifteen cavers gathered at Spring Valley Caverns in
Fillmore County, Minnesota. They split up into groups of three or four to push and
survey remaining leads. The cave is mainly walking passage with very little vertical
work. A commercialization project had resulted in stairs at vertical pitches but
these had rotted away. At the southwest end of the Grand Canyon is a five to six
meter wall of breakdown with more walking passage at the top. A 3/4 inch
galvanized pipe stood vertically there, the only remains of a set of stairs. The
present group carried a painter's wooden ladder to use at this point. In place, it was
a foot shorter than the pitch.
Late in the trip Calvin Alexander (41) was heading out. One caver was near the
bottom of the ladder as Alexander approached the top. The two were conversing as
Alexander attempted to step down to the first rung of the ladder and turn around at
the same time. His foot missed and he fell, his foot catching between the first and
second rungs. His shoulder struck the wall and he was left hanging upside-down,
holding the galvanized pipe.
The victim was helped upright, then down the ladder. He felt alright, so exited
the cave under his own power. Medical examination showed a dislocated shoulder
with one small bone chip.
Alexander admits this was the result of a momentary, thoughtless
carelessness. This of course is just what often happens at the end of a trip. The
need to concentrate becomes more important as it becomes more difficult.
This accident could have been very serious if Alexander's foot had not caught in
the rung.
Calvin Alexander dislocated his shoulder after falling when he missed the rung of a ladder while exiting Spring Valley Caverns.