Re-visiting Cueva Viento with Old and New Friends

All the activities we do are kind of rainfall dependent. You can't cave when there could be rising water...diving sucks if it has been raining...don't want to kayak or hike if it is stormy. Yesterday was originally going to be a 10 plus hour hike on the Tanama River to do a different section than what we had done before. It has 7 or so cavern things you float through and of course lots of hiking. It was going to be a very wet trip with floating and swimming and walking. Lately the weather has really sucked and it has been grey with flash flood warnings in the afternoon. The trip was cancelled and a trip to Cueva Viento put in its place. Dallas organized everything and Anthony was the leader. Jeff and I went here with Tom before and did a circular route with a rappelling and lots of hand lines. This trip was gear free and a first cave for several people we did not know. Like this guy who seems to enjoy it!

There are some formations in the cave but mainly it is interesting because of the mud and climbing and ant-farm layers of mazes. Here is a hand line that helps a lot when the feet start sliding. Some of the drops are big drops and the hand lines keep you from falling all the way down as long as you can hold on! Our friend Ivan is on the left and I'm not sure of the names of the other people.

Jeff likes to pose near tunnels and formations.

He's really posing now! Anthony is acting as a human anchor holding the hand line with his waist so others can get up the muddy slope. The guy in the background is crawling off to another spot.

The first time we came here it was very confusing, probably because of the route we took and the rappelling (we still have to think when we rappel). This time it wasn't confusing at all - but we stayed on one level. We did wander down to the river but didn't venture upward.

Bro is contemplating the long, slippery drop down.

Ivan is using another hand line.

The stone iguana points the way...in or out? Who knows?

Sorry I don't remember your name - a new caving guy.. I have another blog post about Cueva Viento that you can find by looking at the side bar. More pictures there!