Beyond C-3: Volume II

Description

The National Speleological Society’s 1954 Collins Crystal Cave Expedition helped to establish parameters for serious project caving in the United States.  Lingering in storage for seven decades, a treasure trove of the expedition’s correspondence, reports, and transcripts has been uncovered and curated.  Most of the associated documents are being published in this series for the very first time.  These irreplaceable artifacts afford a “behind the scenes” glimpse into the inner workings of an adventure that unfolded, struggled, and triumphed under rural Kentucky.

Volume II of this six-volume series provides commentary and reproduces documents germane to assembling the team of explorers designed to ensure the success of this ambitious expedition.  Occasionally, after an initial rejection, a little negotiation with leadership might result in an applicant being promoted to the “accepted” list.  One particularly entertaining sequence involves a young student named Roy Davis.  Roy’s initial query was rebuffed because he did not meet the minimum 21-year-old age requirement.  Conceding to Roy’s passionate requests, this rule was waived one time, and for Davis only.  But, to no avail, because Roy then got into a tussle about the $30 expedition fee and, in due course, decided not to come.

A few documents from Volume II