Old Glory Hole Cave is a quartzite pit cave in an undisclosed area within the United States. I was able to re-discover this cave after 40 years of lost data through the archives and files of lost records. This void was opened by human influence and was surveyed in the 1970s to a depth of 138ft, approximately 105ft in length, with a ceiling in the large room almost 100ft high. We were lucky to have great weather and the sun was at a position where a sunbeam shone through the e

Parunuweap Canyon is a remote non-technical slot canyon that few people visit but has all the luster of the traditional Zion Narrows. The canyon runs east from Carmel Junction and meanders west toward the Virgin River. A beautiful and uncrowded alternative to the permit-heavy main canyon corridors. With Andy Orr.

The United States has some of the most beautiful lands in the world. The high deserts have impressed me for years and every new expedition finds more ground to cover. Checking off several drone-identified cave leads in Nevada with Steven Eginore and Peter Johnson — some beautiful sunsets and new terrain explored. The search for undiscovered caves continues.

Growing up in Chicago meant Zion was a flight, a week off work, and a car rental. Now living in Las Vegas it can be a weekend trip. I took Andy Orr to Fat Man's Misery (West Fork) 3BIII for a long day on Zion's south end. Andy's first technical canyon — a great intro with challenging elements and a lot of fun. Check ropewiki.com for current beta.

Moms Cave is in a Nevada limestone range that has unfortunately seen heavy human impact — graffiti vandalism, bolted routes, and significant foot traffic over the years. Despite the impact the cave still has interesting passage and character. Documenting these caves serves a conservation purpose — understanding the level of impact helps prioritize protection efforts. Contact the Southern Nevada Grotto for more information on responsible caving in Nevada.

Photos by Scott Swaney. A multi-day Nevada massif expedition checking drone-spotted cave leads in 100-degree heat. We each had 60-75lb packs with essential water stashes at checkpoints. The objective was the southeast tip of the massif where multiple holes were spotted in the wall. On the way, I noticed a small opening in the rock — moved the rock, slipped inside: 7-8ft entrance into a few small hypogenic rooms. Cloak and Dagger Cave — total depth ~40ft, total length ~100ft.

Cave Valley Cave is a Nevada classic with over 1,200ft of horizontal passage, located near Ely. The cave was mined in the past to extract minerals and ore from the walls — miners left their marks on this historically significant cave. One of the more popular caves in the region due to the Ely mining industry. First 500ft are dry and heavily trafficked, including beer cans and graffiti. Past the register: phreatic passage getting progressively muddier. Multiple large rooms con

Hidden Lake Cave is a nice decorated cave at over 1,000ft above the basin — its high entrance acts as a natural filter keeping it in great condition. Several other entrances at the base appeared interesting for future exploration. Entry via a dusty crawl into a room with gray and red colored walls and muddy formations. Warm and moist inside. A side passage led up before ending at a large blocking rock. Back of the lake section (dry): tabletop formations and columns leading to

Photos by Scott Swaney. Agama Cave was discovered by Jason and Tamara Ballensky about a month before this visit. The cave has a 30ft entrance pit with a natural bridge going over it. After checking the dead-end leads nearby, we headed over to Agama. Pit drops into a small room with a high lead that went back up 20ft to a blind room. The other side of the room has a short but super dusty crawl where all the wind blows through — instant dust devil in the face. We called it the

Nevada is a mysterious place with enormous opportunity for geologic exploration. One region in particular has been giving up clues to more caves with every visit into its desolate limestone ridges. On this visit a new discovery was made on the ridge: Natural Arch Cave, named for the striking natural arch above the entrance pit. I climbed down into the entrance and continued down the hypogenic passage for about 50ft until it opened into a standing room. Unfortunately the cave

Death Angel Cave is high in the Egan Range Wilderness — a real 4x4 road to the mountain top then a hike over to the entrance. The 120ft entrance pit drops into a large room. The cave is in the low 50s due to its high elevation. A natural arch sits at the top of the drop but a widow maker hangs just under it — take care when redirecting the rope over the arch for a better climb. Rigged a tag line down the slope to the edge just under the arch, padded everything. The room was b

Mt. Charleston reaches 11,918ft starting from 7,500ft at the canyon trailhead. Canyon trail shaves a few miles but elevates the ascent from 7,500ft directly to 11,900ft. I hiked from the canyon trailhead to the summit and back in about 8 hours (~16 miles) including stops and a small mid-trail nap. Bring 3+ liters of water — there is a spring on the trail but I arrived at the car with only a quarter liter. Past the junction: limestone exposed alongside the aftermath of a devas

Kelso Dunes in Mojave National Preserve covers around 45 square miles of desert. The quartz and feldspar sand travels with prevailing winds creating an ocean-like landscape of meandering wave-like dunes. The tallest dune in the Kelso area reaches around 650ft from the base of the sand, making it the second tallest dune in California. Vegetation holds terrain together and paces the movement of the dune's erosion and wind travel. The dunes also have a booming or singing sound w

String of Pearls Canyon is in Red Rock NCA just outside Las Vegas, between Mud Spring and Old Bill canyons. Named for rapid-fire potholes before the big drops. Rated 3BIV, some rate 4BIV for natural anchor challenges. Upper drops under 100ft, then the canyon opens to tiered raps up to 200ft. First big drop ~150ft to a platform, then 200ft to a ledge. Final tier: 100ft, 170ft, 70ft, 50ft. Car to car 10 hours, 100F. Reminded me of Spry Canyon in Zion but with more pothole plung

Lechuguilla Cave in Carlsbad, New Mexico is a 138-mile hypogenic system accessible only through a competitive NPS proposal process. We spent 5 days re-surveying the Chandelier Maze and upper Mouses Delight — a region of the cave so decorated with gypsum chandeliers, aragonite frostwork, and crystal formations that it ranks among the most visually stunning caves on Earth. With Pat Kambesis, Mark Wenner, Johanna Kovarik, Jennifer Foote, John Prouty, and Erin Lynch.

String of Pearls Canyon is in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area just outside Las Vegas — named for the series of potholes and plunge pools in rapid-fire sequence before the large drops appear. Located north of Mud Spring Canyon and south of Old Bill Canyon. Rated 3BIV (some give it 4BIV for the natural anchor challenges and extended drops). 10 hours car to car in 100-degree heat — hungover. Not quite as straightforward as advertised. Upper series: drops under 100

Kelso Dunes covers about 45 square miles of desert in the Mojave — quartz and feldspar sand carried by prevailing winds into ocean-like meandering dunes. The tallest dune in the Kelso area is the second tallest in California, reaching around 650ft from the base. Vegetation holds much of the terrain together, pacing the movement of the dunes. The dunes have a famous booming sound when sand slides down the face — it vibrated like a low-end musical instrument with each step desc

Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico is at the forefront of world cave exploration — a 138-mile hypogenic system in the Carlsbad desert that has attracted the best cartographers and scientists on the planet. The most decorated cave system in the world. Access requires a formal NPS proposal process with strict guidelines. If approved, you enter a 68°F / 100% humidity cave at the absolute pinnacle of American caving. Team: Pat Kambesis (trip leader), Mark Wenner, Erin Lynch, Johanna

Bill Christy (VP, Southern Nevada Grotto) presented his new cave discovery at a grotto meeting — at 8,500ft on a Nevada limestone range with a large room, formations, and moonmilk-covered white walls. We borrowed a Suunto Tandem from Ron Davis and brought two DistoX units for an efficient survey. Survey team: Tom Madsen and John Leonard on instruments. Adam on photography. Cave rests in a cliff corner near the mountain top — impressive valley views from the entrance. Entrance

After returning to Ely from Emerald Lake Cave, we grabbed lunch and headed to the range where Peshio Cave is located. Justin's 4Runner got us high up a steep road with a beautiful basin view. The following morning we woke to a herd of elk running down the mountain, their hooves clamping on the limestone. With Justin Bailey, Dakota Drew, and Jamie Goodwin. The cave sits at about 7,200ft elevation. One entrance required crawling through dusty passages until breaking into a stan