Illuminating Mammoth Cave
Vienne Geren at Mammoth Cave National Park
Vienne Geren, Columbia College (SC)
We were led into the cave when it was well lit, when we could see the people and formations of rock besides us. Then it all went dark. The lead ranger took out his lighter. He told us to imagine we were the first people to discover this cave. Back when there was no LED stage lighting, only you and your torch, and you could barely see five feet in front of you. By the glow of his lighter, I could barely make out the students I had made my way into the cave with, I had even less view of the cave walls, and no clue what might lie beyond the light. Thanks to modern technology and the work of the National Park Management, with the flip of a switch, the ranger lit up the cave in front of us. Illuminated was a ginormous round room that gave Mammoth Cave its name, and this was only the beginning of our trek into the longest cave in the world. This summer I had the opportunity to explore and learn about Mammoth Cave for an entire week, walking, hiking, and crawling through 10 miles of cave trail with an incredible group of honors students. We got to learn about the cave from every angle, how it was formed, what lives inside, its rich history, the people that contributed to the legend of Mammoth Cave, and how the National Parks continue to preserve and tell their stories.
We were incredibly lucky to have an amazing trip facilitator with us who knew a lot of the geology and history of the cave. As we walked throughout the cave, we looked closer at the ceiling and walls to learn how each part of the cave had been formed. We learned how different cave features are formed based on the shale cap rock above them; how broken cap rock results in beautiful calcite formations in the cave below, and completely eroded cap rock will result in vertical shafts. We learned how gypsum will not occur in humid areas of the cave, and whether the gypsum is “ugly” or not (brown flatter gypsum vs whiter crystalline gypsum) any change in humidity levels in the cave could affect its presence. We were really lucky to learn from our trip facilitator in the cave, and to learn from him and his vast expanse of knowledge outside the cave as well.
Our trip facilitator and many members of the Mammoth Cave Interpretation and Science Resource Management (SRM) departments gave us insight to the life inside the cave and its history. Because caves are low energy environments and most trails receive a lot of foot traffic, we didn’t see much cave life other than the occasional bat and far too many cave crickets. However, we were constantly learning about the role Mammoth Cave has played in Kentucky’s history and the many things that have taken place inside. There is a story about the cave's discovery featuring a young man chasing a bear and embarking upon the same large round room our group did, exclaiming “What a Mammoth Cave!” and giving the cave its name. Although this story is popular, it was not the first discovery of the cave, and there is evidence of indigenous communities using the cave before this event. We were told many stories of indigenous presence in the cave, many of which end mysteriously. Mammoth Cave has also been used to mine saltpeter (an ingredient of gunpowder) for wars, and this resource in Kentucky offered a valuable advantage in these battles. After the wars passed and Mammoth Cave was not anymore a military resource, it became a public resource. During this time there were several guides and map makers making history, including Stephen Bishop, Max Kemper, Nick and Mat Bransford. These guides were crucial to the exploration and progression of Mammoth Cave and are remembered for their contributions long after they have passed.
In addition to exploring and learning about the cave, our group was able to experience part of the research being done by Mammoth Cave’s SRM. SRM routinely tests the radon levels in the cave to ensure the safety of tourists and guides who spend lots of their time inside the cave. The tests performed were nothing unusual, they showed safe levels of radon for all cave visitors, and we got to learn about the process of testing, data collecting, and why it is so important to test accurately for everyone’s safety.
In conclusion, Partners in the Parks: Mammoth Cave was an absolute success. Every day was spent learning about Mammoth Cave and the area around it, all while being with an incredible group of people who were excited about learning as well. Although we only traveled a small fraction of Mammoth Cave, it was an incredible adventure, and I can’t wait for the next one.
