17MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

.Persons: Richard Finch, Bob Hosley, Alan Lenk, Ron Richards,Jim Rodemaker, Ed YarbroughDate: 20-30 December 1966Destination: Sotano de Tlamaya and the Xilitla Region, S.L.P.Reported by: Bob Hosley Indianapolis, Indiana146Besides our intended visit to what then was the deepest knowncave in the Americas, our plans had included back-packing into arelatively unexplored area along the Arroyo Seco. The plans hadbeen worked out with John Fish who was most helpful in providing amap and in making additional suggestions for profitable areas forcave-hunting. On a previous visit we had encountered disappointmenton the part of the Presidente of Xilitla that no one had exploreda s6tano on his property. We had resolved to do so to betterrelationships and also, hopefull, to discover one of thosegreatest-of-all-caves: incomparably big, or deep, or wet, orwhat-have-you. We emerged from the Presidencia with our customaryletter and a small guide leading us to the store of Sr. EliseoPelaez Campos. Sr. Pelaez had come to Xilitla within the year andhad purchased the Presidente's ranch, s6tano and all. Pelaez, anew friend to cavers, speaks English and soon had us exploringthree openings on his property at the west edge of town. Noneproved large. To aid our own memories and, in the absence ofother known names, we assigned ~ne to each of the pits or caveswe explored. A brief description of these caves and a generallocation follows.20 December s6tano de la Vaca on the property of Sr. EliseoPelaez, Xilitla. Total drop 70 feet, 50 feet down to the floorof a room and 20 feet farther down a crevice. At the bottom isa short passage and a dead cow and numerous cow bones. We suggestedto Sr. Pelaez that he fence off the pit from his wanderingcattle.S6tano Rotondo on the property of Sr. Pelaez. Single, rotunda-likeroom about 20 feet in diameter. Total drop about 25feet to a water run-off passage that pinches too tight to continue.21 December While looking for s6tano de Huitzmolotitla to watchthe bird flight at dusk, my memory played a trick and I got thewrong location. In the search for the pit in growing darkness, wecame upon an entrance about 15 feet across that sounded deep.Lighted bundles of dried banana leaves suggested the same, blazingbright as they finally came to rest on the bottom. The pit,S6tano de Suchallo, is a straight-sided shaft 205 feet deep.There is a short solution passage extending about 20 feet from thebottom. We found that we were not on Rancho de Huitzmolotitla,but the ranch nearest it in the direction of Xilitla belonging toa Sr. Caviarez (?). The pit is only a short distance down thehill from the road and very near the property line of Huitzmolotitla.There are several other openings on this property - theirpresence leading to the demise of our original plans since we werenot aware of anyone having checked out these openings. The ranchmanager was most cooperative in pointing them out. s6tano delEscorpi6n is very near the ranch manager's home and has an entranceabout 3 feet across. The total depth of the pit is 192feet, and it narrows somewhat toward the bottom. In fact, therewas just room for Ron and I and a large scorpion who eyeballed uswith mixed emotions while I hurriedly ascended. There are nopassages off the pit.