Wounded Knee Cave in Red Rock Canyon

I heard of this cave from a friend.  I called and made an apointment to go explore the cave.  You need an appointment because the cave is locked.  It has a locked gate so that no one who would destroy it can enter.   And for good reason.  Another cave not more that 20 minutes away is trashed and spray painted with grafftie.   I was told bring knee pads, climbing helmet, 3 flashlights, water, snacks.  I was so excited to go and explore this cave, with it's stalagtites and stalagmites. I had my pro camera but never got it out of the back pack it was too dusty.  So I used my Olympus point and shoot camera.  The images aren't that great but here they are.   Now the rest of the story....

Entrance to wounded knee cave.  Yes you have to belly crawl.

Hence Wounded Knee

After crawling through the opening there is a 4 bar gate with a lock on the bottom bar.

Bars so the cave can breath.  They take down the bottom bar and you have to crawl under the bar to get the the part of the cave that you have to climb to get to the main cave.

 A plaque  talking about the cave put there by the Nevada Grotto a caving group that takes care of the cave, takes measurments twice a year.

 One of the limestone mini structures just inside the gate.

 The verticle climb to get to the main cave.

I tried I really did.  I made it half way up and couldn't go any farther. I had on thermals, pants, shirt, jacket, hat, helmet, leather gloves.   I began to overheat so I started pealing off clothes.  I took off everything but my thermals and my pants.  It was too late.  Hiking boots are really not very good climbing shoes either.  To climb this you really need to upper and lower body strength. 

Aparently I have neither.  

This is where I sat and waited while the others went into the main cave to get the measurements.

 All this horse needs is some water in that tire, to soak his tired feet.

All was not lost however. 

 On the way back to the car I took some interesting photographs along the way.

 Horse collars in the tac shed

 Measuring for the new shoes.

Filling the hoof to get ready for the new shoes.

Anticipating the ride.