Reaching far back in personal history, several classmates at Colorado Springs High School (now Palmer) and I became interested in cave exploring, joining an organization called the National Speleological Society (NSS). This was an early metamorphosis for the direction my education focus was going, coupling scientific discovery with wild adventure. Along with technical rock climbing, we utilized weekends to launch explorations of lesser-known Colorado caves. These getaway sorties were a needed relief after struggling through Mrs. Zinn’s English class or Dean Moon’s chemistry lab experiments and exams during the studies week. Close by home, we could slip into Manitou’s William’s Canyon to party and explore Hucky Cove, a well-known and frequently visited local cave. Although attempts were made to seal it, someone always broke the…
