Explorers return to mapping Jewel Cave after two-year hiatus
JEWEL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT, S.D. — After two years, cavers have returned to mapping new sections of Jewel Cave – a process that requires them to spend multiple days underground.
Stalactites on calcite crystal (also called calcite spar). The calcite crystals are the “jewels” of Jewel Cave.
Using trigonometry, volunteers connect the dots from survey point to survey point – adding map length to the cave. While they’re taking measurements at each point, the cavers also draw a rough sketch of each section.
The group that went out at the end of October added nearly half a mile of new section to the cave, bringing the total known-length of Jewel Cave to just over 209 miles.
Mike Wiles, Chief of Resource Management at Jewel Cave, has over hours of exploration into Jewel Cave in his career. He says it’s really an experience like no other.
“It was…weird. It’s completely dark – and you wake up and there’s no light – no star light even coming in through your windows. So you have to have your hardhat with the light on the hardhat right next to you,” Wiles says.
Jewel Cave is the second longest cave in the United States and third longest in the world, so mapping is a pretty big deal.
And they’re already back at it – Wiles says a group of cavers went in Friday morning and will come back to the surface sometime Monday evening.
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MapSample
A portion of the cave map near the Scenic Tour route. Hatched lines are used to draw passages in the highest level. Solid lines are lower. Then dashed lines. Dotted lines represent the lower-level passages. Labels such as “SB2,” “SB3,” and “SB4” are the names of individual survey stations. The circled numbers are ceiling heights.
A portion of the cave map near the Scenic Tour route. Hatched lines are used to draw passages in the highest level. Solid lines are lower. Then dashed lines. Dotted lines represent the lower-level passages. Labels such as “SB2,” “SB3,” and “SB4” are the names of individual survey stations. The circled numbers are ceiling heights.
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Brunton compass
A Brunton compass. Cavers used to survey using it and a tape measure. Now they just use the modified Disto X.
A Brunton compass. Cavers used to survey using it and a tape measure. Now they just use the modified Disto X.
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Mike Wiles
A picture of Mike Wiles, current Chief of Resource Management at Jewel Cave National Monument, inside the cave in 2007.
A picture of Mike Wiles, current Chief of Resource Management at Jewel Cave National Monument, inside the cave in 2007.
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Stalactites on crystals
Stalactites on calcite crystal (also called calcite spar). The calcite crystals are the “jewels” of Jewel Cave.
Stalactites on calcite crystal (also called calcite spar). The calcite crystals are the “jewels” of Jewel Cave.
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DistoX
Laser distance meter, modified to be a survey instruments that measures distance, compass direction, and inclination . . . all in one shot! These three values allow us to calculate the 3D coordinates of the next survey station, and plot it on a map.
Laser distance meter, modified to be a survey instruments that measures distance, compass direction, and inclination . . . all in one shot! These three values allow us to calculate the 3D coordinates of the next survey station, and plot it on a map.
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Jewel Cave length
Updated length of Jewel Cave as of Oct. 24, 2021.
