Part 2 - Spring 2002 through Summer 2005

Volume 4, Number 4
Spring 2002, 26 pp. plus 2 pp. Billy Clay Pit surface and cave sponsor maps

The MAKC board continued to evolve, with John L. Long and Wendell Barner named as new members.  Outgoing members, as noted before, included Barb Ritts, John Pearson, Ethan Frantz and Nancy Finney. Only one vacant seat remained.  Kim Metzgar also resigned as the first and only chairman, handing over the reigns to John Nestor.  Andrea Dieffenbaugher became Vice Chairman and Paula Grgich was named secretary.  Paula Grgich recounted the Cave Rescue Class the MAKC hosted at Laurel Caverns, and Kerry Speelman and Trent DiMarco reported on the discovery of Glory Hole Cave near Hummelstown.  Kim Metzgar reported on proeprty issues with Bear Cave, including several groups running tours of her property for a fee, all without her knowledge, and other nightmares.  The Bear Cave Management Plan, which grew as a result of some of these incidents, is published in this issue. Cortney Mayle (Frantz’s) Caver’s Cookbook was published and advertised.  Grants to help pay off Billy Clay Pit were announced, a final donor list was published, as were several pages of photos from the work weekend at the property.  Jay Reich’s maps of some iron ore mines in York County were published and life and sustaining membership categories were created.

Volume 5, Number 1
Summer 2002, 24 pp. plus 2 pp. Cave Assessment Worksheet

Kelly Hart is pictured on the cover of this issue doing a daring rockclimb to visit a sea cave while at the Maine NSS Convention.  The MAKC was well-represented at the convention.  Walt Hamm published the second of his ongoing series “Working the Swago Area,” with maps and descriptions of Dead Calf Cave, Kyle’s Crawl Cave, McKeever’s Cellar Cave, and Swago Horse Cave.  Trip reports to some West Virginia caves are included, as is a trip report about the convention.  A wrap-up on the Machan’s R ock cleanup is included and Tom Metzgar wrote an article on “Future MAKC Acquisitions.”  We also published an article on the state reducing its plans to sell oil and gas leases in some of its natural areas, some of which contain caves.

Volume 5, Number 2
Fall 2002, 30 pp.

John Long is pictured in this color cover in a photo taken by Neal Krause in Bear Cave.  Paul Damon, Jr. rejoined the board and Neal Krause also joined, filling vacancies created by John Nestor and Garrett Czmor.  Andrea Dieffenbaugher became Chairman and John Long Vice Chairman.  News included an account of a rescue at Casparis Cave, rules for the Trout Rocks Caves, a Glory Hole Cave map, and a map of the sand mine at Idles Acres Campground in McVeytown, Mifflin County, Pa.  Walt Hamm’s “Working the Swago” series featured Kiner Cow Shelter Cave, Dynamite Pit, Bottoms Up Cave, Beverage Dome Pit and Ruckers Jug Cave.  Jason Gray described and mapped caves near Buttermilk Falls along Cowanshannock Creek in Armstrong County, Buttermilk Breakdown Cave and Whitesucker Shelter Cave.  An account of the MAKC Auction and Campout at Laurel Caverns was given.  Some nice cave rat and Bear Cave photos were published, and an update on the MAKC board, with bios and photos, was given.

Volume 5, Number 3
Winter 2003, 34 pp.

Neal Krause’s stunning photo of formations in Hesston Cave, Huntingdon County, is on the color cover of this meaty issue.  The main feature was the announcement of the Hesston Cave lease and its management plan. The articles were written by Mark Lancaster and the photos were taken by Neal Krause.  A five-year summary of MAKC activities was given in honor of the conservancy’s five-year anniversary.  Some early Hall Cave writeups and maps were published, and Walt Hamm’s “Working the Swago Area” series featured a locator map for the McKeever Pits, Swago False Bottom Cave, and Briar Patch Cave. Some small sandstone shelters and caves were documented in Somerset County, Somerset Shelter, Friday the 13th Cave, Hiker’s Haven Cave and Shelter.  Jumonville Shelter in Fayette County was mapped as was that county’s Bowest Shelter, More Bear Cave photos by Neal Krause rounded out the issue.

Volume 5, Number 4
Spring 2003, 22 pp.

A collage of a photo and a portion of the Harlansburg Cave map on this  issue’s cover announce the lease of Pennsylvania’s longest cave by MAKC.  Questions about the cave were answered, and we noted that the cave would be gated according to a request from the landowner.  The management plan, a history of the current mapping project, photos, and the establishment of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Cave Fund were announced.  The annual members’ event was promoted, and we also noted the acquisition of Great X Cave by the NSS.  Kim Metzgar provided an analysis of the Bear Cave parking lot logbook from 1976 to 2002, showing 7.907 records of visitation and 65,125 visitors from 26 states, France, Finland and South Wales.  More interesting data is provided in this analytical article.

Volume 6, Number 1
Summer 2003, 26 pp.

Kerry Speelman’s photo of a cave rat at Seneca Rocks Cave is featured on this issue’s cover.  The newsletter announced that the Strangford Cave newsletter cover from 2002 won a green ribbon in the NSS Graphic Arts Salon.  Photos are shown of the Billy Clay work weekend, and John Long became Chairman of MAKC, Kerry Speelman Vice Chairman. Secretary Paula Grgich resigned to move to England.  The year 2003 was also remembered for the great flood at the Spring VAR in West Virginia, and several cave gate projects.  MAKC gated Harlansburg Cave and our open house was at Lincoln Caverns.  Kerry Speelman writes of a trip to Big Springs Cave, Tucker County, WV, and Mike Schirato wrote about a trip to Waterworld Cave, also in Tucker County.  Cornwell Cave in West Virginia was sold.  MAKC member Sue Moore and her husband Phil Gowaty created the MAKC bat shade, based on the bat bumper sticker design of Earl Biffle.  They also submitted pictures from the spring MVOR in Missouri where they met Earl and presented him with a bat shade in person.

Volume 6, Number 2
Fall 2003, 30 pp.

A photo and trip report on the NSS Convention in California was given.  Carl Pierce became MAKC secretary and Sue Moore joined the board of directors.  Kerry Speelman wrote of surveying efforts in Salisbury Mine, Somerset County, Pa. and Bart the Cave Dog made his writing debut by giving an account of his rescuing Boy Scouts from Bear Cave, all by his little canine self.  The State Forest Management Plan draft is published, primarily because the plan for the first time included caves.  A map of Rim Rock Cave in McConnell’s Mill State Park, Lawrence County, Pa., is the first life member map, drafted in honor of Dean Snyder, the first life member.  A holiday wish list, 12-page membership directory and calendar were appended to this issue.

Volume 6, Number 3
Winter 2003, 30 pp.

The reopening of the Hillside area caves and the Trout Run Woods Management plan were part of this issue.  Kim Metzgar begins her chronicle of the fight to save Chestnut Ridge from being mined away, and Tom Metzgar publishes the first of a two-part series on the history of Copperhead Cave.  Photo features include some Lawrence County caving.  Changes in the Bear Cave management plan were made, a summary of some stupid email requests to visit Bear Cave was given, and Bridge Rock Cave in McConnell’s Mill State Park was surveyed for MAKC Life Member Kelly Hart.  Mike Schirato joined the Board of Directors.

Volume 6, Number 4
Spring 2004 Special Edition, 30 pp.

Kerry Speelman edited and compiled a 50 page newsletter featuring his work in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.  There are many never-before published cave maps, including Indian Caves 1-3, Indian Pit, Lick Hole, Just Stutzman Caves 1-3, Ogletown Cave, Pompey Hill Caves 1-2, and State Gamelands 50 Cave and Shelter.  History, a status of the Somerset project, and photos are included.  Contributors with the field work included Beth Dillon, Brian Fritz, Mike Kern and Mike Schirato.  Thelma’s Shelter was a new cave mapped for MAKC Life Member Kevin Dunleavy.

Volume 7, Number 1
Summer 2004, 28 pp.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is pictured on the color cover of this issue holding up a MAKC tshirt.  Flanking him are Phil Gowaty and Sue Moore, board members who live near Erie and who met the governor at the dedication for a new state park.  Kerry Speelman and John Long are also on the cover in conjunction with a feature on the MAKC’s cleanup of tons of garbage on the Trout Run Woods Preserve.  Paul Damon, Sr.’s feature article on the “50-Year Quest for the Big One” is the lead article in the newsletter.  Photo features include the Billy Clay work weekend, Hesston Cave and a Bear Cave tree removal project organized by Johnny Motto.  MAKC got a thank-you for participating in Earth Day at Saint Vincent College, and the second part of Tom Metzgar’s Copperhead Cave history is published.  New Yorker Kelly Hart joined the MAKC Board of Directors.

Volume 7, Number 2
Fall 2004, 24 pp.

A portion of the new Lincoln Caverns map (survey underway) forms part of a collage on the cover.  Kim Metzgar’s article, “No Guts! No Glory!” recounts a survey trip where she ended up crawling through the dessicated, floating body parts of a dead raccoon.  The survey party routed upon this discovery.  Trip reports included the MAKC’s cleanup of the Trout Run Woods Preserve, the Mosquito-laden NSS Convention in Michigan, and Carl Pierce’s report on the National Cave Conservancies Forum.  Life Member Map 4 for John Long, Heinekin Hole, Westmoreland County, is published.  The cave was discovered by Al Hollingsworth.  John Pearson writes of an access problem with Persinger’s Cave, Jeff Bray’s update on the West Virginia Cave Conservancy, and Kim Metzgar’s continuing saga of the fight to save Chestnut Ridge from quarrying wrap up the issue.

Volume 7, Number 3
Winter 2005, 24 pp.

Charles Acklin’s artwork “Billy Clay Pit Project #1” is featured on the color cover.  Kerry Speelman publishes photos and an article on the efforts to map Salisbury Mine in Somerset County, Pa., and Andrea Dieffenbaugher writes of a Kentucky caving trip.  There is a summary of the 2004 Machan’s Rock cleanup, and an article about the need to remove a decaying tree from the Hall Cave preserve.  Kevin Patrick published Pennsylvania Caves & Other Rocky Roadside Wonders, the the newsletter recounts the acquisition of Loyalhanna Gorge by Westmoreland County (from the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy).  There is a new management plan for Cleversburg Sink, as reported by the Franklin County Grotto.

Volume 7, Number 4
Spring 2005, 24 pp.

Walt Hamm’s shot of John Appleby in Swago Pit is on the color cover.  Walt Continues with part 5 of “Working the Swago Area,” and gives a history of the cave landowners in the area.  Chapter’s 8 and 9 of Kim Metzgar’s saga to save the Chestnut Ridge from mining appear, as does Kris Gunnarsson’s article on a bat problem in Dawson, Pennsylvania.  Dan Peden provided some photos of some of his relatives visiting Bear Cave in the 1930s, the a wet spring MAR did damage to the MAKC booth.  Finally, Kerry Speelman writes of a Scott Hollow trip.

Volume 8, Number 1
Summer 2005, 24 pp.

Ahhh, the mud of the mazy Vanport Caves. Tom Metzgar and Dennis Melko want both in and out of Harlansburg Cave on this issue’s cover. The Karst Chronicle received a green honorable mention ribbon for the Volume 7 Number 2 issue’s cover. Another Trout Run Woods Preserve cleanup occurred, and this year’s NSS convention was in Alabama.  Surveying in Harlansburg, Rattlesnake Sink, Bear Cave register replacement, and the Laurel Caverns First Cave Carnival round out the issue.