After our longer than scheduled drive, we made it down to Wind Cave. The boys enjoyed when we went to Minnetonka Cave during our Leavitt Family Reunion during the summer so we thought we'd try another. There were many to choose from in the Black Hills but taken that two of our participants weren't going to be much for lots of stairs, we chose Wind Cave. We did the Natural Entrance Cave Tour which was only 1/2 mile and 300 stairs and we got to take an elevator back up at the end!
Some facts about Wind Cave:
*When we went through in October it was currently the 5th longest cave in the world (3rd longest in the United States) at 136 miles so far explored. They think it may be the world's longest but they are still currently exploring the cave and think they've only explored less than 10% of it so far!!
*At one point we were 200 feet below ground! They've explored points as low as 654 feet below ground!
*It's one of the world's most complex caves! It's totally different from the other caves I've been in during my life because there are narrow little passage ways every where you look!
*Every other weekend volunteers come and explore and map new parts of the cave.
*To get to a new, unexplored part of the cave, it would take 24 hours!
*Has the most boxwork of any known cave. (There's pictures of boxwork below.)
*The entrance is one of the most sacred spots on earth to the Lakota Indians. For that reason, the only natural entrance to the cave has been unchanged and no one uses that as an entrance or exit. The used dynamite to blow an entrance open nearby that visitors use today.
*Wind Cave was discovered by two guys who walked by and the wind coming out of the hole blew the hat off of one of the guy's head. The next time they came, the wind had changed and sucked his hat in.
Easton before we started the tour.
The ranger who lead our tour. He's standing by the only natural entrance and showing the wind is blowing out of the cave currently.
We all got a chance to go and see the entrance up close.
This would be the boxwork the cave is famous for.
Brayden in the cave.
Easton and Aunt Stephanie. At one point there was a large opening and he turned off all the lights and we got to experience complete darkness.
Our Family
Some of the stairs we walked down.
Easton and Aunt Stephanie
Our family again in the cave.
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