Management of Subterranean Ecosystems in Extreme Environments
2023 NCKMS Conference
Symposium Workshops
Management of Subterranean Ecosystems in Extreme Environments

Our workshop plans will evolve considerably over the next year. We encourage you to check back for upates.

Oct, 4/5 (Pre-Symposium)

Orientation to Cave Rescue

October 4/5 - Saturday/Sunday

Orientation to Cave Rescue
Orientation to Cave Rescue

This 2-day workshop is an "Orientation to Cave Rescue" designed by instructors from the National Cave Rescue Commission.

Suitable for cave and karst managers in addition to recreational explorers, this is an intensive two-day introduction to the science and management of cave rescue operations. Led by a team of highly qualified instructors, the techniques and skills you will learn from this seminar may be directly applied to cave rescue scenarios. Day 1 will include class sessions and exercises designed to teach a wide range of concepts and skills unique to cave rescue. Day 2 will deliver an underground mock rescue and debriefing custom-designed by the instructors to test and challenge your new skills.

This is an introductory level program which consists of classroom and field work in all phases of horizontal cave rescue including: underground environment, extrication techniques, communication systems, medical management, and organization and management of cave rescue. The basic orientation course material is presented for students who typically include agency resource managers, recreational cavers, emergency services personnel, and rescue management personnel.

You must attend the full 2 days to receive a certificate of course completion. Additional details will be emailed to you upon registration.

Workshop presenter: Gretchen Baker, GRBA/NPS

Spirit Cave Mummy

Spirit Cave mummy

The Spirit Cave mummy is the oldest human mummy found in North America. It was discovered in 1940 in Spirit Cave, 13 miles east of Fallon, Nevada by the husband-and-wife archaeological team of Sydney and Georgia Wheeler.

The Wheelers, working for the Nevada State Parks Commission, were surveying possible archaeological sites to prevent their loss due to guano mining. Upon entering Spirit Cave they discovered the remains of two people wrapped in tule matting. One set of remains, buried deeper than the other, had been partially mummified (the head and right shoulder). The Wheelers, with the assistance of local residents, recovered a total of sixty-seven artifacts from the cave.

ELY, NV WEATHER

Tonight

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 5am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. East southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday

Sunny Sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Saturday Night

Mostly Clear Mostly clear, with a low around 46. West northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Symposium Merchandise

h2go Essen Vacuum Food Container

It's a double-wall, stainless steel, 17 oz capacity thermos from h2go®. This thing is more rugged than your cave pack! We've been trying to beat up the manufacturer's sample, but it keeps winning. Hot things stayed hot, cold things stayed cold... and ours will have cool cave art printed on it.

RECENT NEWS

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JUNE 29, 2023
NCKMS Steering Committee Chooses Ely, Nevada as Host City for 2025 Symposium
Read More

Registration

Advance registration for the 2025 symposium is expected to open in mid-2024. We will send an email to past attendees when that system comes online.

Feel free to join our mailing list if you would like to receive occasional updates on our plans.

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