The Lava River Cave meets all "Confined Space Entry" criteria, so be prepared for this in the beginning of your exploration. Using your hands, feet and even sitting on rocks for stability at times is likely. The first 300 ft of the cave is composed of loose, often times slippery boulder rocks that require some amount of scrambling. Phyical Abilities: Being in mostly good physical condition is appropriate.The approach from the parking lot to the entry of the Lava River Cave is a flat, hard-packed trail that is less than 1/4 mile long. Any vehicle will have an easy time accessing the area. Access: The road to the main parking lot is well-maintained.This cave changes height frequently, and in the dark, it is difficult to make out anything outside of the focus of your flashlight. This means the cold can also feel slightly damp depending on the time of year. The cave not only has a constant average temperature of 42°, but it leaks snowmelt and moisture from rainstorms. This again is due to the lack of light and the uneven floor surface of the cave. Closed-toed shoes with traction is definitely the way to go. This includes hiking boots, running shoes, etc. It is the kind of dark where you cannot see your hand even if it is touching your nose! This is no ordinary dark where you can slightly make out the shape of the rocks or count on your eyes to get used to the darkness. If you break or run out of a light source, you'll experience what pure, pitch-black, darkness looks like. This is because the rock floors tend to be a combination of slippery and dark. Yes, you really do want at least 2-3 light sources including a flashlight, headlamp, lantern, etc.
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