17MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

TRIP REPORTS132• Persons: Ed Alexander, Don Erickson, Orion Knox, Bob Reed,Jeannie WigginsDate: 23-28 November 1966Destination: Joya de Salas, TamaulipasReported by: Ed Alexander Austin, TexasOur trip south from Austin was Rlanned with the purpose ofagain reaching the known bottom of Sotano de la Joya de Salaswhere several small leads had remained unchecked b¥ the previousgroup (see AMCS Newsletter, v. I, no. 6, p. 54, 56). We arrivedat Encino on Highway 85 south of Cd. Victoria, Tamps. after an allnight drive. Here the road to Joya heads west toward the highmountains, only a few miles away, which we could see rising severalthousand feet above us in the early morning haze. Making the LandRover as comfortable as possible for five people on the roughroads to follow, we left the pavement and started up, road loggingas we went. The Rio Sabinas was crossed 3 miles from the town.Here the old lumber road turned sharply left and we saw the firstof 55 miles and 3 days of steep, 4-wheel drive, bone-breakingdriving. All the roads which we found on the mountain were stillin miserable condition due to ~n 8 day hurricane which swept thisarea of Mexico a couple of months earlier. In many places largetrees had only recently been cleared from the roadway.Only 3 miles up the switchbacks we noticed that many largesinks were developed along our route. From here on up almost allof the large annual rainfall drains internally. At 6.2 miles fromEncino the first of many pits was found which opened immediatelyto the side of the road. This one was on the right shoulder andappeared to be about 30 feet deep. A mile and a half furtheralong we came to Sotano de Santa Maria which had been reportedearlier by McKenzie (see AMCS Newsletter, v. I, no. 3, p. 24-25).The 20 foot in diameter shaft opened only 15 feet to the left ofthe road, so tying off to the trailer hitch I rappelled in. Theshaft dropped about 100 feet to the top of a breakdown slope whichdescended about 50 feet more to the floor of the cave. (Seesketch map on page 133.) .The lower third of the cave was decoratedwith light-colored flowstone and several formations. Severalsmall pools were near the far edge of the room. No leads could befound.The road continued on toward the Julilo lumber camp, still3.5 miles away. While yet 1.5 miles from the camp we againstopped to look at one of the many very promising sinks, this onejust to the right of the road. A small horizontal cave was foundin this particular one. It sloped in over small breakdown forless than 100 feet. Don returned to the car, reporting thatseveral bones were present in the cave. Soon we arrived in Julilowhere we stopped for lunch while inquiring about roads and cavesin the area. At the store we learned that the road forks here,Joya de Salas to the right and La Perra and Rancho del Cielo tothe left. Here we were also told of a cave about one mile ontoward Joya which was described as having a "cathedral" room inside.Although we failed to locate the cave, it is probably afairly large, decorated room. There is also a cave near La Mina.This may be the same as the "cathedral".