[AGL] Bustamante cave trip

[Igor Loving]

There have been a number of inquiries about the 2007 TSA Bustamante

>Project. It is still somewhat up in the air but here is where it stands as 

>of now.

>

>Commercial development is progressing. The tunnel is complete with a 

>concrete floor, a layer of reinforced shotcrete on the walls and ceiling 

>and two temporary sets of steel doors . The entrance to the tunnel is about 

>75 meters up what used to be the trail above the upper parking area. It 

>enters the cave on the east wall at the bottom of the Entrance Room  slope 

>at a level just above what would be the water level if the large pool were 

>to fill up.

>

>Rune Burnett, Susan Souby and I were at the cave this past November 29 and 

>toured the work in progress. Electricians were installing lights in the 

>tunnel and other workmen were bringing materials for the trail construction 

>from El Cono to the tunnel entrance. Trail supports and surfaces will be 

>constructed of a tan structural fiberglass material.

>

>While in Bustamante we visited with the new/past mayor, Jorge Santos about 

>having a 2007 Bustamante project. As far as the city officials are 

>concerned they would be very happy to have us there again. The possible 

>hang-up may be the construction. Work on the cave is scheduled to be 

>complete by the end of February. Work will begin immediately thereafter on 

>widening the road and extending it past the tunnel entrance at a lower 

>elevation then back to the tunnel with a switch back. The work on the road 

>will be on a five and a half day work week until complete, hopefully by the 

>end of next year.

>

>The mayor is trying to contact the powers that be in Monterrey to see if 

>work could be temporarily suspended and the road made passable for the TSA 

>project. As of Friday he had not made contact. He is scheduled to be in 

>Monterrey Monday the 11th and I will call him on Tuesday for an update.

>

>Work that we discussed undertaking with the mayor included:

>

>    Continue graffiti removal in the cave

>    Start cleanup and restoration in the Birthday Passage in preparation 

>for an International Congress of Speleology field trip to the cave

>    Start mud removal and cleanup of formations in the first room

>    Graffiti removal along the road to the cave

>    Trail delineation in rear areas of the cave

>    Continue trail clearing and marking on the Cabeza de Leon Trail above 

>the cave

>

>As in the past, access to the cave and camping in the canyon would be free 

>and the Sunday banquet would be at the Ancira Hotel.

>

>Further updates to follow shortly.

>

>Orion Knox

>

>

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Charlie Loving