David Foley

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With the unpredictable weather the Roanoke Valley has been experiencing lately, it can be pretty hard to plan an outdoor adventure, but one local group never has that problem.

Roanoke Parks and Recreation is giving the community an opportunity to get out of the weather and look at some of the caves in the area that most people would never get to see. And because most of the caves in Virginia stay at a constant 55 degrees, the weather is never an issue.

This isn't like walking through a commercialized cavern with walkways and track lighting; it is another world altogether.

"These are wild caves," said Aaron Conover, event planner with the city of Roanoke. "You won't be just walking along, you will be climbing, crawling and squeezing through the cave."

Adventurers will get down and dirty as they explore hidden passages, crawl by underground rivers, and admire the natural beauty of the cave formations and wildlife.

Conover said he can't guarantee seeing any wildlife in the caves, but there are almost always bats in them, and sometimes the group will get to see some cave fish in the underground streams.

Another benefit of the program is that it gives people an opportunity to use some of the caving equipment that professionals use.

"A lot of times people go in caves, but don't prepare," Conover said. "We teach cave safety techniques, and provide all of the safety equipment required."

Carl Cornett went on a caving excursion with Roanoke Parks and Recreation three years ago, and has been hooked on caving ever since. He has even gotten so involved in caving that he is now an instructor for the program and said he can't get enough.

"It's a beautiful world down there," Cornett said. "I do a lot of picture taking. I absolutely love it."

Cornett said he would recommend it to anyone.

"It's a lot of fun and it's nice to know you are down there with people you can trust your life to."

He added that caving is a team sport, so to speak.

"By and large, caving is physically challenging, and there is a lot of teamwork involved," Cornett said. "You need to squeeze into some tight places, and you might need to slide your pack through to someone, or you might need them to spot your footing for you."

While there are a lot of caves in the Roanoke Valley, most of them are on private property and getting permission to explore them is not always easy. Roanoke Parks and Recreation works with the property owners so that everyone has the opportunity take a plunge into some of our valley's hidden treasures.

The program also offers a certain mystique to those who attend because the destination is kept a secret to discourage would be "cave crashers" who might sneak into the caves unprepared or, worse yet, vandalize them. But don't worry: adventurers only need to show up at the Roanoke Parks and Recreation office at 210 Reserve Ave. in Roanoke, and a bus will take them to the site.

There are a few rules, though. All explorers must be at least 12, and if they are under 16, they need to be accompanied by an adult. The registration fee is $25 and that includes all the equipment, but everyone should dress in warm clothes and bring an extra set to change into in case they get wet.

The next trip is scheduled for March 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to register, call Conover at 853-1276 or visit the city of Roanoke's Web site at www.roanokeva.gov.