Beyond C-3: Volume IV

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 IV of this six-volume series provides commentary and reproduces documents germane to the expedition’s considerable documentary activities, plus its concerted effort to inform the non-caving public about the discoveries being made.  Many of the explorers were formally interviewed.  Press releases were issued on a frequent basis.  Professional broadcaster William Burke (“Skeets”) Miller provided underground updates through NBC radio affiliates.  As such, this volume includes transcripts of interviews and radio broadcasts, along with updates offered to the press pool.  Also presented are logs detailing activities at various camps, final reports from certain expedition personnel, and papers showing results of surveys intended to augment a map of the previously known portions of Collins Crystal Cave.

A few documents from Volume IV