Preserves – Page 2

Barbara Schomer Preserve Surveying

October 8, 2019October 29, 2020 karst857

Email teamsarah@karst.org for details.

Silers Cave Schedule

August 18, 2019February 5, 2020 karst663

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 […]

Silers Cave Survey

August 17, 2019October 5, 2019 karst612

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 […]

Rupert Cave Management Plan

May 29, 2019June 10, 2019 karst1123

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, […]

Rupert Cave Preserve

May 28, 2019June 10, 2019 karst742

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 […]

Billy Clay Preserve Permit Application

May 28, 2019June 10, 2019 karst626

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 […]

Harlansburg Cave Management Plan

May 27, 2019November 18, 2019 karst1336

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. […]

Cleversburg Sink Management Plan

May 27, 2019November 18, 2019 karst1022

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 […]

Billy Clay Management Plan

May 27, 2019November 18, 2019 karst1024

(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 […]

Bedford Springs Management Plan

May 27, 2019November 18, 2019 karst769

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 […]

Bear Cave Management Plan

May 27, 2019November 18, 2019 karst2080

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 […]

Sarah Furnace Cave Management Plan

May 27, 2019November 20, 2019 karst996

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 […]

Barbara Schomer Preserve Permit Application

May 26, 2019June 10, 2019 karst422

Persons wishing to visit the Barbara Schomer Preserve of the MAKC and Sarah Furnace Cave, should submit the following permit application.

Cleversburg Sink

May 26, 2019June 10, 2019 karst654

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 […]

Bedford Springs Cave

May 26, 2019June 10, 2019 karst350

Thanks to the work of member Mike Kern, the MAKC has negotiated a lease agreement for access to the Bedford Springs Cave. Mike Kern and Kaleb Hammond are heading up the preserve management team and can be contacted at BedfordSprings@karst.org. Part of our lease agreement includes notifying the owner and the security team when a trip is […]

Bear Cave Preserve Permit Request

May 26, 2019June 12, 2019 karst707

Bear Cave Natural Area • Western PA •Open 4/15 to 10/15 • MAKC Lease • Permit Required • bearcave@karst.org Please read the management plan and mail or email a permit application to visit Bear Cave. While the permit application is below, the management plan should be read before submitting. The plan will be changing with […]

Barbara Schomer Preserve

May 26, 2019October 24, 2019 karst744

Shortly after her passing in 2011, the MAKC received a substantial gift from the estate of Barbara Schomer, which was restricted to our cave acquisition fund. We have looked at at least a half dozen cave projects in that time; however, none have come to fruition. Finally, with the option on Sarah Furnace Cave, MAKC […]

Rupert Cave Biology

May 25, 2019June 10, 2019 karst330

Rupert Cave has never had a large bat population, although four bat species have been found in the cave; Northern Long Eared, Eastern Pipistrelle, Big Brown and Little Brown bats. In 2001 a bat gate was added to the side of the entrance building. Over the following eight years the bat count would climb from […]