Early exploration: Breathing and Butler caves

Abstract

Prior to 1958, Breathing Cave was the only large cave known in Burnsville Cove. That changed in May, 1958 when air blowing from beneath a sandstone ledge guided explorers to the discovery of the Butler Cave-Sinking Creek cave system. The exploration of the Butler Cave-Sinking Creek system along with nearby Breathing Cave is described in detail. Breathing consists of a large network maze on the flank of the Sinking Creek Syncline. Butler Cave consists of a master trunk passage and underground stream that follows the axis of a syncline northeast to a series of terminal sumps. Connecting with the trunk passage is a series of network maze caves that extend up the northwest flank of the syncline. Overall, Butler Cave contains 16.71 miles of surveyed passages. The excavation of a new entrance in 1998 allowed easy access to the cave and in recent years exploration is being continued.