Spelunking is by no means a sport that can be considered completely safe, even in the most unassuming of caves. Even a simple exploration that only involves a lot of walking can be a cause for concern, as there are a lot of hazards strewn about the cave that can potentially injure someone at the wrong time.
Still, even with all the dangers that spelunking has, this does not discourage people from trying it out. Perhaps they enjoy the thrill of going into a place that isn’t completely safe, or they enjoy the physical activities that cause them to exercise their mind and body. Or maybe they just like exploring undiscovered caves.
Nevertheless, whether it’s taking a relatively safe stroll down a cave with a guide or rappelling down the deepest depths of an underground cave, there are hazards on the floor, on the walls, and potentially even on the ceiling that you should be aware of, among other things. Let’s take a look, and hopefully these types of hazards will help you become more aware and to prepare for any contingencies.
Tripping and falling
Watch your step! Tripping inside a cave while exploring it is one of the most common injuries that a caver can experience, but it is also one of the most dangerous ones.
How is it dangerous? You see, the danger comes not from tripping itself, but from where you land. Imagine this: You are walking in a cave and trip on a piece of stone that you didn’t notice, causing you to land on the solid hard floor. Your body will feel sore all over from that trip, but you’re more than likely fine and still be able to get up and continue your exploration.
Now imagine the same scenario, but when you trip, instead of landing on the path in front of you, you fall into a pit that you didn’t notice was in your way. What should have been a quick fall suddenly sent you plunging down deeper into the cave, and you may potentially end up with even worse injuries that might even incapacitate you from moving properly, if at all.
Indeed, it is not the act itself, but the consequences of said act. The main reason why this is such a cause for concern is because of how dimly lit caves are, even with proper lighting from you and your fellow spelunkers lighting up the inside of the cave. This isn’t as much of a problem when you’re hiking outdoors in the forest or even the mountains, as you have the benefit of the sun illuminating your path ahead, allowing you to see if the path continues on, or if it might suddenly cave in.
It doesn’t help that caves don’t exactly have even footing either. Unlike paved paths or roads, caves can suddenly slop upwards or downwards with little rhyme or reason. Sometimes the walls might squeeze you tight, other times the walls are so far that you can’t even see them without shining your light in their general direction. This random layout makes for a unique experience for any explorer as it means that the cave has a different feel from the ones before, but it also means that there is a chance for accidents on such unstable ground.
Getting lost
Caves are three-dimensional places. Going back isn’t as simple as retracing your steps like you would for a regular hiking trip, as caves are known to branch out in different directions. And not just horizontally either, there might be paths that go upwards or downwards, depending on the cave, and getting lost here is much easier than you would think.
To add on to that, cave structures look quite natural and camouflages itself well with everything else in the cave. In fact, they are so good at hiding themselves that their structure makes them look like every other wall that you see, which can make backtracking difficult when everything looks the same.
If you really want to ensure that you don’t get lost, make sure that your light never runs out, and you take precautions in doing so.
Leaving markers behind like glowsticks or marking certain parts of the cave can help point you in the right direction on your way out, which is important as the way out of the cave will most certainly look different from the way in.
Falling objects
Humans aren’t the only things that can fall in caves! While not as common as the previous two, falling objects can be a point of concern for potential head injuries. Most commonly, it comes from someone above failing to secure their equipment, causing it to slip out and fall on to an unsuspecting person below.
But manmade objects aren’t the only things that can fall down. Depending on how much of a ruckus you make while inside a cave, stones, rocks, and stalactites of all shapes and sizes might suddenly come barreling down towards you from above.
On the worst-case scenario, you may end up caved due to a rockfall blocking your path out, but thankfully, these instances are relatively uncommon, especially on caves that are known to be stable.
Of course, the best way to keep safe from falling objects is to always wear a helmet when spelunking and to properly secure one’s possessions, especially when climbing.