On November 17, 2018, MAKC’s Board of Directors voted to help manage Rupert Cave from George and Karen, at their request, in order to help them manage the cave. The MAKC has appointed a preserve management team, headed by Jeff Jahn, which will coordinate trips to the cave starting in the spring of 2019. George and Karen will still be involved with the cave, but are stepping back a bit in order to enjoy retirement. George and Karen care deeply about the cave, and have numerous restrictions on access in order to protect its speleothems, particularly in the new section.
Team members include Sunni Reitmyer, Chance Bennett, Dennis Melko, Mike Shank and Mike Kern. They, along with Jeff, have undergone several training sessions with George and Karen in order to learn the sensitivities of trips to the cave in accordance with George and Karen’s wishes.
Conservation is the top priority for managing Rupert Cave. The cave management policy limits the number of trips beyond the Keyhole into the new section to six per year. New section trips are also limited in size to a maximum of six cavers plus a guide. All trips into the new section must be led by a guide who is familiar with the cave. Visitors are required to stay on established trails at all times. Access into the historical section of the cave is open to anyone properly equipped and with basic caving experience. Several areas of this section of the cave have been marked off for restoration. For access into Rupert Cave email: rupertcave@karst.org.
Please enjoy the articles and read the management plan to make your proposed trip to the cave the most enjoyable it can be, without doing harm to the cave. As the NSS’ motto states, “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but (carefully placed) footprints, kill nothing but time.”