March 5th, 2025. Online meeting.

Minutes by Bram Lovelace, Secretary 

Intros

Sarah, Bram, Amy, Lianna, Desmond, Drew, Angelica, Brianna, Blaine, Angie, Travis, Trin, Ian, Shannon, Jesse, Payton, Josh, Ben, Pat, garret, Robert, maurice, (and Cygnus). 

Everyone had helpful advice they had received, from having a callout and extra headlamps to always having kneepads. 

Trip reports

• Lake cave trip – Angelica with a TAG caver in town and friends
• Hannah and Ian – some glacier caves in Valdez
• PoH – Drew: very pretty past the tricky squeezes!
• PoH – 2/22 Amy L, Aidan, Angelica, Eric: Sliders…

Presentation 

• Waitomo area caves in New Zealand with Travis Prescott
  • Visited 5 caves around Waitomo, highlights were gloworms, formations, water features, and more!
  • If you go, save your money on Waitomo cave and go to the other, better, caves nearby!
  • Ruakuri Cave Blackwater rafting was the highlight!
  • Mangawhitikau had the best glow worms and boat ride 

Announcements

• BC cave rescue in May (If openings)
• Beginners weekend in May!
• LGBTQ+ group planning a trip in April
• September Western Regional (in California)
• October TAG fall cave in and Fisherpistle expedition 
• Monthly cave map practice by OBG (for those interested in practice) https://outofboundsgrotto.org/monthlymap/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0uW_nIXeWRewkK8PXlpeJXE4nO1nKESp1MLfHcWTF5asqP5j9OoOx4RRo_aem_UtnH0Fb8SeihgOTvXmOjZg
• OCR Aug 16/17th. Sign up link available by the next meeting
  • We also have a scholarship (Lauren Kenyon Memorial Cave Rescue Scholarship), Sign up will release soon
• 2 elementary / middle school stem events (in shoreline) table at a stem fair: 3/25 6-8pm (Tue), 5/2 6-8pm (Fri): reach out if you want to help!
  • Cave suit, harness, helmet, educational stuff
  • Either be there or help plan stuff! 

Business Meeting

• Treasurer report: no changes but new members
• Gear inventory:
  • Centralize (at Amy’s house?). What things do we have and where? 
• Beginners trip
  • We need a coordinator! (thanks Sarah)
  • Also trip leaders! 
  • Travis yay
  • Let us know if you can help!
  • Lake, Oles, Ape (with permits), many others if people want 
  • mid to late April beginner trip leader discussion
• Cave survey training ahead of summer?
  • Low priority but not sure if there is interest
  • Beginner cave survey workshop at the beginner weekend – basics of functional Orientation Cave Survey
• Welcome committee for new cavers?
  • Standardize messaging for the grotto
• Library location: should be in Seattle to be accessible. Amy to check if the Mountaineers would be open to having our library