12MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

Number 10AMesActivitiesNewsletterJuly 1979EditorialPeter SprousePeter SprousePeter SprouseJim PisarowiczWilliam ElliottSheck ExleyBill StonePeter SprouseSteve KnutsonRobert JefferysAtkinson, ForsytheDale PatePublisherWilliam RussellEditorsPeter Sprouse, Terri TreacyStaffMaureen Cavanaugh, Gill Ediger, Dale PateMark Shumate, Lisa WilkLayoutTerri Treacy, Peter SprouseSan Agustfn layout by Bill Stone2 Mexico News4 International News6 Long and deep caves of Mexico8 Yucatan ... by bicycle!16 Sierra de Guatemala22 jNacimientos!32 1979 San Agustin Expedition60 Discovery in Cuetzalan64 Cuetzalan-Spring 197970 Sotano del Buque76 Cueva de Xocotlat82 Sistema Purificacion102 Letters to the Editor103 Book ReviewsThe AMCS Activities Newsletter is published at regularintervals by the Association for Mexican Cave Studies, anon-profit group dedicated to the conservation and study ofthe caves of Mexico. Articles, maps, and photographs oncaving and speleology in Mexico are solicited. A list of publicationsand prices is available on request.ASSOCIATION FORMEXICAN CAVE STUDIESP. O. Box 7672 U. T. StationAustin, Texas 78712With this issue the Activities Newsletter reachesits tenth volume. What began as an informal sevenpage summary of trip reports has evolved into thejournal you now hold in your hands. While this hasbeen the result of the efforts of a dedicated andenthusiastic staff of AMCS cavers, the real reason isthe increase in significant caving activities in Mexicoand the resulting demand for published information.Yet even though this issue contains a dozen timesmore information than the first did, there is muchthat is still going unreported. Those of you who havethings that should be publislted (and you know whoyou are), write it up and send it in. And don't bedaunted by the grandiose articles on supersystemseventhe smallest cave occupies a place in Mexicanspeleology.In this issue we are introduciilg two new departments.A Letters to the Editor section we hope willserve as an effective means of response to the Newsletter'scontents, as well as a general forum on Mexicanspeleology. The Book Reviews column will providean overview of recent publications of interest toAMCS cavers. Reviews from readers are welcome.The focus of AMCS caving in the last three yearshas been on major ongoing projects that have resultedin Mexico's rise to a truly world class status in termsof long and deep caves. One of these is the Cuetzalanarea in northern Puebla. Our last two issues, as wellas this present one, have featured reports on Cuetzalanin an attempt to disseminate as much information aspossible. This has turned out to be an important functionfor several reasons. Several independent groupsfrom the U.S. and Mexico have been active in the area,and often these published reports are the only waythat results of field work are getting exchanged. Aglance at the area map of Cuetzalan in this issue willshow that the many caves in the area will most likelybe joined one day in an enormous system. This willrequire an organized survey coordination in order tominimize resurveying and inadvertent duplication ofeffort. A high quality cave system (as Cuetzalan mostcertainly is) deserves a high quality survey . . .organize!Peter S. SprousePrinted in U.S.A.by the Speleo Press