Caves , "TOTAL DARKNESS" and Flashlights

Caves , \"TOTAL DARKNESS\" and Flashlights

We piled the children in the mini-van and took a little
family vacation to Arizona (think Chevy Chase with flashlights).

We stopped at Grand Canyon Caverns off of old Route 66. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As is common on cave tours, there was a demonstration of "total darkness"
(you can't see your hand in front of your face). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
You cannot imagine how much light a SureFire G2Z or
an Arc LSP-H put out until you turn one on in "total darkness".

The guide did the demonstration several times and showed
light from his puny Mag D cell /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif and the output from a butane lighter.
I was not disruptive but did manage to "test" my lights.

This was EXTREMELY COOL! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Later he told us that they do "special" flashlight only tours! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif
I was both heartbroken and thrilled at the same time!

Next time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif . . .

Please post your cave or total darkness experiences.

Maybe we need to organize a special "total darkness" "flash-a-holic cave junket.


"Lux" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Caves ,

The only "total darkness" experience I recently had was the ice storm power outage we had this past winter. One LED on a headlamp was more than enough to perform day to day tasks inside the pitch-black house.

Re: Caves ,

I'm sure that "total darkness" is where some light makers "test' their products and end up with the claims they make.

Re: Caves, Total darkness

See my thread from June:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB22&Number=256663&Forum=UBB22&Words=rebus&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=6months&Main=256663&Search=true#Post256663

-Rebus

Re: Caves ,

Too numerous to list; Probably have spent at least three years of my life total underground in caves (and mostly) mines; Often have spent a week or more at a time underground without coming up for a look at the surface world. Longest single time was 10.5 days.

I sure wish they had white LEDs back then. Sure would have made the logistics on those long ventures a lot easier.

Re: Caves ,

I have been meaning to start a new post similar to this one to write about our family vacation trip to Glenwood Caverns (LINK) in Glenwood Springs Colorado, and now I have another reason for finally doing it.

We took all secondary roads and old high country passes such as Cottonwood, Scofield and McClure to get to Glenwood Springs, stopping at several historic mining towns on our way such as: Fairplay, Buena Vista, Crested Butte, Marble, and Redstone. I chose this route specifically to avoid the mad rush of I-70, and the only interstate miles in almost a thousand miles driven during our four-day adventure was to show the kids the incredible engineering work done for I-70 in Glenwood Canyon, and a visit to Hanging Lake. I should point out that we were in a GMC Yukon, and a couple of the passes that we took were very rough 4X4 only routes.

The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is accessible via a 4,300 feet Leitner/Poma Swiss Made Gondola system from the Colorado River Valley floor on the East Side of Glenwood Springs, to the top of Iron Mountain and visitor facilities and entrance to the caverns. As we were waiting for our ride, the returning Gondola just before we got on for our trip up the mountain had been stopped by magnetic safety sensors for about 15 minutes due to a wind gust, and as we were going up the cableway, it was a bit tense as the wind caused a lot of swaying to our six passenger gondola.

I had several EDC flashlights with me as we entered the Caverns including (but not limited to): SF L4, TW4 (SF KL4 & E1E body), SL TL-3 LED, ARC LSH-P, Belkin Quadra 4 in 1 Pen/Stylus/Laser Pointer/LED Flashlight. Our guide had only a Maglite 4-D at his disposal and as we found out later a laser pointer. The ambient lighting in the caverns is AC lighting placed to safely light the walking areas and overhead rocks, and yet not glare into your eyes and affect your eye's adjustment to the low level lighting that is suitable for a cavern, As we are taking the tour, I had the TW4 in my hand and my son Tyler and I used it to check out other features of the cave that were along our path. I was carrying the TW4 with the clickie switch operated with my thumb, and the light coming out of my fist by my little finger, so all you really saw in the semi-darkness was a big bunch of very white light.

When we got past the narrow sections of the cave to the first large area where the group could gather and get more information from our guide, there were some small openings that went back 40-50 feet that we were able to inspect quite easily with the TW4. I could see the guide checking out what Tyler and I were doing out of the corner of his eye, and as soon as he could he asked to see my TW4. I also showed him the SF L4 and he was amazed, especially when compared to his Mag 4-D. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Later on we did the "Total Darkness" thing, and out of respect for the eyes of our group, I refrained from introducing the group to "floating spots." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
As our tour made it back to the exit, a lady in the tour asked the guide about a feature that was partially visible behind the lighting and about 60 feet away from where the guide was standing, he pointed his Mag at it and you could barely see any difference in the light level, I then got out my SL TL3 and he laughed as I painted the area with light from at least 75 feet away, and he could then explain the formation we were seeing.

The guide pointed out the "Fairy" formation with his laser pointer. This small detail of the cave gave this section of the Caverns that we were in the "Fairy Caves" name that this cave complex has gone by. The guide laughed again as suddenly there were two red dots dancing on the "Fairy." Fortunately our group had a sense of humor and we all had a great time on the tour.

Our trip to the mountains was a wonderful journey, and a few days later Tyler and I returned to South Park - Weston pass for a two-night Fishing trip. He caught his first fish ever, an 18" Trout in Bailey at Moordale Resorts where we spent our first night. Very near to the summit of Weston Pass was an abandoned mine and we were able to see way back into it with my McCulloch HID X990 without actually entering the mine. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: Caves ,

well my total darkness experience wasnt as fun lol. i used to go night fishing at a lake here in the middle of no where. well one night with a new moon i was cruseing out the on my old 1970 cb 750 motorcylcle. i was hauling but cause it was so far away .on a very curvy road. well all a suddden the bike lights when out. it was so dark i couldt see nothing i mean nothing.just like being blind folded in the dark .well needless to say when youre going around 90 on a curvy road at night seeing is a big plus. well just buy luck i got the bike to a stop. but i sure want to avoid doing it again lol

Re: Caves and Bunkers

Great guide to Show Caves worldwide:

http://www.showcaves.com

Man made caves,my local nuclear bunker, taken before it got toasted internally:

http://www.capersville.co.uk

Classic virtual tour of Missile Silo:

http://triggur.org/silo

Adam