17MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

147S6tano de las Ra!ces lon the same propertYI has a large andpicturesque entrance draped with hanging vines. It turned out tobe another 20Q-footer without passages. Some other smaller pitswere found and explored on this property very near S6tano de Sucha­110 and there remain at least three openings near the floor of thevalley which we did not have time to enter. Also lon the slopeopposite the manager's house (away from the road ldown to thevalley floor l and up the other side) there is a cave opening witha stream coming from it which we did not get to see. (Ed. note:Several of these caves were explored during JulYI 1966. See AMCSNewsletter l v. III no. 4 1 p. 79; 80.)22 December Back to Sr. Pelaez's ranch to explore the largest ofhIs caves l S6tano de la Poca Ventana. (Ed. note: Dr. F. Bonetrefers to this cave as Cueva del Ahuate NUm. 2 1 in his book"Cuevas de la Sierra Madre Oriental en la Region de Xilitla," 1953 1p. 58.) This cave has a large entrance room with an opening undera ledge at one end of the room. A short descent leads to a largewalking passage decorated with flowstone formations and then to alarge l partially alluviated room. There is also a formation-filledgrotto with a small pool which is reached by a short solutioncrawl. A chimney descent and a drop totalling about 20 feet leadsto a 230 foot drop at the bottom of which is a small, mud-flooredroom with a small lround I window-like solution hole. There werequite a few bats present l including vampires l and it is possiblethat more passage exists than what we found.Some of our group chose to visit Sotano de Huitzmolotitla andto watch the bird flight. Only the initial 364 foot drop was descended.23-24 December S6tano de Tlamaya once again. Impressive and intriguIngas ever though qUite a few "cultural artifacts" havecrept their way into the confines of this cave. Turned back onceagain at a level maybe 80 to 90 feet from the lowest point in thecave where one traverses a 2 inch ledge against a mud wall over adeep pool. Not dangerous in any way - just the thought of beingsoaking wet and 14 hours from the entrance. On the way out wecaught a half-hour's sleep in the Big Room until Eddy's teeth wentoff like an alarm clock. We shivered onward, gathering our greatbundles of rope.25 December The village square in Xilitla transformed itselfinto a colorful Christmas bazaar which we enjoyed - our Jeep servingas an anchor point for a sun tarp under which shoes and sandalswere sold.26 December We headed to Tlamaya again and located the entrance toS6tano de la Gorra but found that we were still somewhat exhaustedfrom S6tano de Tlamaya then headed for the beaches of Tampico fora short rest-cure after stopping to look at Cueva del Salitre.27-30 December On return we stopped to visit Sr. Martfnez and tosee Sotano de la Tinaja, Grutas de Quintero which at one time hadbeen commercial l and the picturesque Nacimiento del Rfo Mante.