Well, not the ‘Last One’, but the ‘Last One’ at this spot.
Every year cavers gather at a property in easy access of caving states: Tennessee , Alabama, Georgia (The area known as TAG). The ‘TAG’ event has been held for something like 20 years at the same spot on Lookout Mountain. This year (2023) is that last time the Fall TAG Cavein will ever be held on that property on the mountain. Thanks to Dogwood Grotto for putting on a GREAT event.
People arrived throughout the day and into the evening on Thursday (Oct 5, 2023). Thanks to Glen Fell who is always the first to arrive and sets up the camping spot ever year.
Gathered around the campfire, the group formulated a plan to visit Byers Cave in the morning. Our small group hiked over a Georgia Mountain to visit Byers Cave. Byers Cave is owned and managed by the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc (SSCi), and is technically horizontal. However, this cave is for experienced cavers due to height exposure, chimneying, climbing and everything but super tight squeezes. Ben, who had been there before, and led the trip, brought ropes for a couple of tricky climbs.
NOTE: All photos of the Bryer trip are from Sara Garzon.
People slit up on Saturday. A small group of us stayed close and headed over to Catacombs Cave. Catacombs is a user friendly phreatic passage cave with almost no water at all. Of course this is during a drought. When it rains, this is a cave to NOT GO IN.
Upon getting to the cave on a very chilly morning after breakfast and stating to gear up. Teresa walked across the street and spread her arms out and smiled at the sun. She said Ring Tailed Lemers do this when it is cold. This is the Lemer Pose.
Of course all 1,300 people return to the site Saturday evening for announcements of cave conservation, honors, venders, a raffle, and a band.
We are very sad to loose this wonderful spot to hold this annual event. However, a new location is now being chosen for the event to live on in a new spot.
Story and photos by Phil Walker