Horizontal 12 Award

The Horizontal 12 award is designed to promote better cave owner relationships by reducing the traffic to some of the more popular caves. It is hoped that providing an award such as this will also encourage caving proficiency.

Requirements:

  1. Traversing the major portion of 12 Alabama caves that are more than one mile in length. There are numerous caves you can choose from to fulfill this requirement, as there are currently over 50 caves in Alabama that are over one mile in length. 

  2. Obeying reasonable safety and conservation practices.

  3. Membership in the National Speleological Society.

Open Cave Suggestions for Horizontal 12 Award

These are Alabama caves that are either currently open (with appropriate permission) or caves we have planned trips to this year over a mile in length

SCCI Caves:

  • Anderson Cave

  • Kennamer Cave

  • Limrock Blowing Cave

  • Moody Cave

  • Steward Springs

  • Tumbling Rock Cave

Public Land:

  • Guess Cave

  • Jess Elliott Cave (Iron Hoop Entrance)

  • Kettle Branch Cave

Private Caves (Please contact HG Board for more info):

  • Ashmore Springs

  • Bluff River Cave

  • Couey Caverns

  • Eudy Cave

  • Glover Cave

  • Graves Cave

  • Gross Skeleton Cave

  • Guffey Cave

  • Hans Kennamer Cave

  • Hering Cave

  • Jess Elliott Cave

  • Old Blowing Cave

  • Talley Ditch

  • Wolf Cave

Vertical 8 Award

The Vertical 8 award is designed to promote better cave owner relationships by reducing the traffic to some of the more popular caves. It is hoped that providing an award such as this will also encourage vertical caving proficiency.

Requirements:

Descending and ascending 8 Alabama pit-caves:

  1. All of which were more than 100 feet, single pitch

  2. Two of which were more than 200 feet, single pitch

  3. One of which was more than 400 feet (on rope) in depth

  4. Personally rigging at least one of these pit-caves

  5. Obeying reasonable safety and conservation practices

  6. Membership in the National National Speleological Society

    Classic 8 Award

The Classic 8 award is designed to promote proficiency in the 3-knot climbing system.

Requirements:

Descending and ascending 8 Alabama pit-caves on a 3-knot climbing system:

  1. All of which were more than 100 feet, single pitch

  2. Two of which were more than 200 feet, single pitch

  3. One of which was more than 400 feet (on rope) in depth

  4. Your climbing system must have three points of attachment and not include any mechanical device. Prusik or helical knots are acceptable. A quick attachment safety doesn’t count as a point of attachment - we encourage you to have a quick-attachment safety as part of your climbing system!

  5. Personally rigging at least one of these pit-caves

  6. Obeying reasonable safety and conservation practices

  7. Membership in the National Speleological Society