Saturday, July 12, 2008

Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana. W-O-W!!!!!

We took a day trip from Ennis to the Lewis and Clark Caverns. Our tour started at 10:30 in the morning and took about 2 1/2 hours. It was a beautiful drive from our campsite, but nothing compared to what was in store for us once we got underground.

After a half mile walk straight up to the entrance. most of us got in the shade to cool down until the stragglers finally arrived. After a short lecture we entered the caverns (now a very cool 50 deg).
Before starting we got a picture of us without our jackets.
We went down and down and... (overall about 600 steps) You wanted to stop at each step and spend time just looking around as the sights were spectacular. The formations have taken thousands of years to form just from dripping water
into several rooms
This picture gives some size to the structure on the right, go down 2 pictures to get a better view of it.
I think the floor next to the handrail has warts


"Just" another huge room in the cavern structure. We continued to be amazed at every turn.

The water came off the ceiling from several locations making this beautiful structure standing about 10' high.

See, Deb, you can be a mile high and not in Denver! And we were still several hundred feet below ground!

The exit was a tunnel over 500 feet long that was blasted years after the caverns were discovered. They had to put in double air-lock doors because they found when they blasted through that the wind came in at 40 mph through the tunnels.
We are now in Lewiston Idaho and with poor cell and internet connection so will post the last few days as soon as we can. They have been interesting but not exciting.


2 comments:

Debbie said...

Wow, wow, wow! I would love to see those caverns. Great photos and an amazing place. Thank you for the postcards! We love getting them. It'll be a hot one here today- yippee!

A. Doll said...

Oh, I'm going to have to put that on my list of places I NEED to go. I love caves/caverns. When in Mexico we dive/snorkle in caves that look alot like what you saw. My favorite are the ones with the bats flying in and out.