[Nmcaver] John Ackerman's Update for the Tyson Spring Cave

Sat Dec 23 07:39:16 EST 2006

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John Ackerman's Update for the Tyson Spring Cave. 
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Description: 23 Dec. 2006.

The gaping mouth of this cave system lies directly below a cluster of
towering limestone bluffs in Fillmore County. And out of its inky black
mouth flows a tempestuous vibrant volume of water, which cascades down large
stair stepping blocks of rock, beginning its journey through the descending
forested valley.

When I first laid eyes on this resurgence I was smitten, as I know previous
generations must have been, dating back to the arrival of the Native
Indians. Because the setting is almost utopian, no doubt our ancestors chose
to make arduous journeys through the wild terrain in order to spend quality
time there. But due to its remote site, historical information is in short
supply. We do know however, that shortly after the War of 1812 the United
States government gifted approximately 120 acres to a war widow, who then
deeded the property to Mr. Harper Tyson in 1862. He was obviously very proud
of his cave, and sometime between 1875-1885 a professional photographer, who
utilized the stunning new stereoscopic method, photographed the idyllic cave
resurgence. Another historical photograph, taken by a succeeding landowner,
can be found in the Fillmore County Historical archives. 

It has been reported that the resurgence was a favorite picnic setting back
then and that folks could venture into the 800-foot long cave using wooden
boats. Unfortunately these early adventurers were prevented from penetrating
deeper into the cave because the main passage ultimately became totally
submerged in water. How frustrating this must have been, because during low
water conditions it is almost certain that they could clearly hear a
vivacious turbulent waterfall through tiny air gaps along the ceiling. 

It wasn't until the advent of wetsuits that explorers could finally wade
through the bone chilling water to inspect every foot of this cave in hopes
of finding a route around the water filled passage. During the 1960's and
70's Ron Spong, founder of the Minnesota Spelological Survey, made multiple
attempts to breath dive and snorkel through the water filled passage but was
unsuccessful. During the 1980's a well known local caver, Roger Kehret,
focused on the idea that if the talus pile of rocks just outside the
entrance could be removed it may lower the water level inside the cave by
several inches. He theorized that several inches of water was all that stood
between himself and the continuation of the cave.

In 1985, while Roger was still actively pursuing his goal, MSS members Larry
Laine and Steve Porter successfully dove through the sump using SCUBA gear.
They returned with the good news that the cave indeed continued deeper into
the unknown. Due to dangerous water conditions and the need to modify their
diving gear, the second penetration into the new section did not occur until
the following year. A third trip was made in May 1987.

In the meantime Roger was like a locomotive train, making deliberate and
steady forward progress in his attempt to lower the water level so that
non-divers could explore the cave. His efforts paid off and by now the water
level had been lowered enough so that the tiny air gaps along the ceiling
allowed safe passage deeper into the cave. Just after passing through this
dangerous area the fabled waterfall was encountered, but soon thereafter the
passage became totally water filled. On September 6, 1987 Roger summoned
Dave Gerboth and myself to the cave for what he felt was the final hurdle in
lowering the water level. Roger was confident that if a few inches of rock
were broken away from a constriction near the waterfall that the result may
be a slightly lower water level. 

The three of us transported a sledgehammer and large chisel to the site, and
after three hours we managed to chip a few inches off the top edge of the
constriction. By now my knuckles were beaten and bloody, and because the
water was so cold my hands were almost numb. When we turned around to
inspect the water filled passage we were elated to see that a small "v"
shaped air gap had opened along the edge of one wall. We were all speechless
as we felt and heard a torrent of air screaming through the newly created
space, beckoning from beyond. I managed to tilt my nose into this tiny
cavity and worked my way slowly ahead, into blackness. Eventually the air
space grew and I found myself standing in a large spacious passage-the third
person to do so, and the first person to enter this new cave system without
SCUBA gear. 

Soon Dave and Roger successfully worked their way through the slot without
extinguishing their carbide lamps and together we began to move deeper into
the cave. Unfortunately Roger had bloodied his nose and had broken his
glasses during his foray through the slot passage and as a result decided to
retreat with Dave. Without any consideration for safety I went on alone. I
seemed to be drawn deeper into the cave like a magnet. This place was alive
and vibrant. The turquoise blue water ebbed and flowed over numerous calcite
dams and collected here and there into deep cavities, some of which required
me to swim across. The further into the cave I traveled the more astounded I
became. The main passage became wider and taller, and as I crested a bus
sized limestone block I found myself standing in a huge room with a sandy
floor. After catching my breath momentarily I rejoined the main stream
passage, where the formations grew in size and color. After traveling one
mile through this labyrinth I was totally awestruck. 

Eventually I came upon another sump but could see several inches of air
space and so I decided to risk it once again. This almost proved to be a
fatal error on my part because I actually became lost in this passage with
my lips scraping against the ceiling. I meandered throughout the icy cold
pitch-black passage, sniffing for a way out, any way out. My neck muscles
were eventually so fatigued that they were almost unable to hold my lips to
the ceiling. Finally I made the correct turn and popped out into the
continuation of the huge cave passage. Hours later, after traveling almost
two more miles through stupendous cave passages I turned around and made my
long solo journey out. Along the way I was enthralled by the dynamics of the
stream passage and understood my fate if it were to rain outside, causing
the water to rise even one inch. Why I thought I could cheat death I will
never know. Maybe it was because I understood that great discoveries involve
great risk. 

Three weeks later fellow MSS caver Jason Engelhardt, my employee Bob
Vanderweit and Dave accompanied me into the cave to continue the
exploration. The day wore on and the miles passed us as we traveled past the
original place where the divers had turned around. Our legs were beginning
to feel a bit like rubber. My mind, however, was in overdrive. My
anticipation peaked as I rounded each bend and marveled at the sights and
sounds that lay before me. By early evening the others were trailing behind,
and as I rounded another bend in the passage I discovered the route ahead
was blocked again by water. I had found the "end" of the cave, but
nonetheless, my adrenaline level was still soaring and I felt like I was
flying. 

On the way out of the cave while the rest of the party took a break on a
sandy bank, I trekked solo down a long narrow side branch. The first part of
the passage was very friendly but eventually the ceiling hunkered down and I
had to move forward by crawling on my hands and knees. After a few hundred
feet the ceiling became lower yet and I was forced to slide ahead on my
belly. Eventually my belly and my back were both pressed tightly between the
floor and the ceiling, and every little cobblestone that I slid over dug
into my chest. I could hear a thundering echo ahead and so I was mostly
oblivious to the pain. After following this passage for over one quarter
mile the ceiling finally rose up, and as I stood up I was dumbfounded at
what my eyes were seeing. I had discovered an incredibly tall decorated
dome, perhaps the tallest in Minnesota. As I reveled at this stupendous
dome, with my neck cocked all the way back, I felt a sharp pain in my right
rib cage. Intuitively, I reached down inside of my wetsuit and pulled out an
off-white golf ball sized cobblestone! This little nugget must have made its
way there as I was bulldozing along the passage. For some reason I thought
of it as a well-earned prize, and so I stuffed it safely back inside my
wetsuit and began the journey back. When I returned to my van that evening I
placed my special prize in a nice little niche inside the dashboard console.

I had been the first human to reach the far depths of this cave system and
the experience had been etched into my very being. 

Part two. 

I was 33 years old when I made that epic trip into Tyson's Spring Cave and
it has remained seared into my consciousness ever since. To this day I still
have that special beige cobblestone, which I have kept in each one of the
nine vans I have owned since then. One recent sunny afternoon as I was
parked on a St. Paul side street waiting for a customer to arrive, I
casually removed that memorable cobblestone from the little niche below my
dashboard. And as I rolled it around in the palm of my hand memories of the
cave came back to me with startling lucidity. Then it dawned on me that it
had actually been 19 whole years since I had been in Tyson Spring Cave. As
unbelievable as it must seem to most people, including myself, I had tested
my luck countless times throughout the years and actually lived to see my
52nd birthday. As I deliberately placed the cobblestone back in its special
compartment I paused for as few moments and then made an unyielding pledge
right there and then that revisiting Tyson's would be a top priority. 

And so it would be.

Two weeks later I found myself standing at the mouth of the cave, and that
very same morning I disappeared into it, on my way to retrace my original
journey into this amazing cave system. Although I had a support team
available, I chose once again to make a solo reconnaissance into this
formidable tempestuous cave system. 

As I navigated through the low air spaces, the labyrinth of swims,
negotiated over and under immense dislodged blocks of limestone, and
strolled amongst massive delicate formations, the awesome presence of this
3.5-5-mile long cave revealed itself once again. Upon reaching the immense
dry room, I paused momentarily, gazed from end to end, and continued my
journey deeper into the cave. I felt strong, electrically charged, and
honored to be a witness to such an incredible environment. As I resumed my
excursion along the main gallery, the formations appeared to be even more
abundant, pristine, and grandiose than I had remembered 19 years ago. As I
rounded a gentle bend in the passage, I abruptly paused under a large
shimmering transparent formation, and glancing down at the myriad of
colorful cobblestones on the floor, one in particular caught the glimmer of
my light. It was beige, and was about the size of a golf ball. As I embraced
it in the palm of my hand, my eyes returned to the immaculate formation
overhead, and right then and there I made a firm commitment to myself that
this cave system would forever remain pristine.

Today I am so pleased to announce that Tyson Spring Cave will indeed be
perpetually protected. The Minnesota Karst Preserve has purchased property
over the cave system and has secured subsurface rights, which includes the
natural stream entrance and four other outlying caves. A 115-foot deep
access shaft has now been created into the magnificent Tyson Spring Cave
system, which will allow safe entry to cavers and researchers. I would like
to thank Dave Gerboth, Charles Graling, Ted Ford and many others who have
helped make this historically significant project possible. My heartfelt
appreciation goes out to Clay Kraus, who was instrumental in making this
vision a reality. 

John Ackerman.

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