Category: Preserves
Bear Cave: “Reserved”
Dates reserved: (one group per day due to COVID-19: Closed for the season. Support our cave conservation efforts with a donation. Your contribution supports our current cave acquisition fund and property management expenses. We are an all-volunteer organization. There is no “overhead” except for speleothems attached to the cave ceiling.
Continue ReadingThe Good News: Caving To Resume
MAKC response to COVID-19: The MAKC recognizes the issues regarding COVID-19 and any impacts it may have on caves, caving, cavers, and bats. Masks, gloves, social distancing, and CDC, state, county, and local guidelines are encouraged as much as possible. Any travel restrictions are to be followed, as are the desires of landowners. Where caving […]
Continue ReadingBarbara Schomer Preserve Surveying
Email teamsarah@karst.org for details.
Continue ReadingSilers Cave Schedule
2020 February Reserved February 15, survey trip. All surveyors welcome Reserved: Saturday, February 29, one trip open. March Reserved, Saturday, March 14, one trip open. April May June July August September October Reserved: Unavailable for the month of October. Please read the Silers Cave Management Plan before asking for permission to visit. NSS and […]
Continue ReadingSilers Cave Survey
Silers Cave contains approximately a mile and half of maze passage. The cave was originally mapped in the 1930s, and again in the early 1980s, but the new owners of Silers Cave have requested an up-to-date map be made, and we are happy to oblige. A core group has already formed, but new members with […]
Continue ReadingRupert Cave Management Plan
RUPERT CAVE – The first 1,800 feet of passage within Rupert Cave, between the entrance and the “Keyhole”, is considered the “Historical Section” of the cave. Beyond the “Keyhole” is considered the “New Section”. An aluminum sign positioned directly over the “Keyhole” clearly marks the dividing line. The two sections have distinct access / management policies, […]
Continue ReadingRupert Cave Preserve
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 […]
Continue ReadingBilly Clay Preserve Permit Application
Application for Permit Application for Permit Billy Clay Cave Preserve Billy Clay Cave Preserve. Each person on the trip should fill out the form and submit it. BE IT KNOWN TO ALL WHO APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO BE IT KNOWN TO ALL WHO APPLY FOR A PERMIT TO VISIT THE BILLY CLAY CAVE PRESERVE […]
Continue ReadingHarlansburg Cave Management Plan
INTRODUCTION The Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy (MAKC), a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania leased Harlanburg Cave, Lawrence County, Pa., in November of 2002. HISTORY Bruce Smith prepared a brief history of the cave for the Pittsburgh Grotto’s August/October 1970 Netherworld News. Smith was able to interview key participants in the cave’s early exploration. […]
Continue ReadingCleversburg Sink Management Plan
INTRODUCTION The Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy (MAKC) is a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania in 1997. The MAKC owns or leases several karst preserves in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The MAKC was established by cavers to preserve and ensure access to caves by acquiring and managing caves and karst areas for conservation, scientific […]
Continue ReadingBilly Clay Management Plan
(Revised May 2015, February 2019) Pocohontas County, WV Introduction The Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy (MAKC), a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania, purchased 2.87 acres subdivided from a development located near Snowshoe, West Virginia for the purpose of creating a karst preserve. The tract includes both Billy Clay Pit and Clay Pit #2. Billy […]
Continue ReadingBedford Springs Management Plan
MAKC member Mike Kern was instrumental in proposing a lease of this cave for MAKC, to assist the resort with cave management. Since cave management is our area of expertise, the resort was very interested in a lease for management purposes. So now we have one! Mike and Kaleb Hammond have agreed to be the […]
Continue ReadingBear Cave Management Plan
Bear Cave Management Plan • Cave Closed between October 15 and April 15! Enacted May 1, 2002 (Revised January 10, 2004, February 16, 2019) NOTE: Bear Cave is Now Closed October 15 – April 15 Special Note: Bear Cave Closed was in 2009 due to White Nose Syndrome. While it has been reopened, please contact […]
Continue ReadingSarah Furnace Cave Management Plan
The Management Plan for this preserve was adopted by the MAKC Board on November 16, 2019. After reading this plan carefully, cavers interested in visiting the preserve should fill out the free permit available at this link. INTRODUCTION The Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy (MAKC), a non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania completed the purchase […]
Continue ReadingBarbara Schomer Preserve Permit Application
Persons wishing to visit the Barbara Schomer Preserve of the MAKC and Sarah Furnace Cave, should submit the following permit application.
Continue ReadingCleversburg Sink
After much work and persistence, the MAKC and Franklin County Grotto (FCG) negotiated a lease of Cleversburg Sink with Southampton Township (the cave owners) in Cumberland County, PA. Since late in 2006, the cave has been closed until an access policy could be worked out. Cleversburg Sink is a significant geologic and hydrogeological cave.The management […]
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