Advanced caves require descending and\/or ascending ropes to access cave passages. This is known as “vertical.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several times per year, the grotto holds rope-climbing and rappelling practice and training sessions at local cliffs. The modern methods used to traverse vertical passages in caves are called Single Rope Techniques<\/a> (SRT), to distinguish them from older methods that used an additional “safety” rope, which became obsolete after nylon ropes became available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Caving SRT is somewhat different from rope work in other sports, such as rock climbing, so we recommend that members attend at least one vertical practice before joining a trip to a vertical<\/a> cave. Novice vertical practices are often held at College Rock<\/a>, in Hopkinton, MA, or the famous Quincy Quarries<\/a>, which are accessible from public transportation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For more advanced training, we visit Crow Hill Cliff<\/a>, in Leominster State Forest, near Fitchburg, Mass. This is about a 90 minute ride from Boston, but offers a 105 foot free drop, the highest in the area, and extensive views<\/a> of Mt. Wachusett and the Eastern Massachusetts landscape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Vertical Training Advanced caves require descending and\/or ascending ropes to access cave passages. This is known as “vertical.” Several times per year, the grotto holds rope-climbing and rappelling practice and training sessions at local cliffs. The modern methods used to traverse vertical passages in caves are called Single Rope Techniques (SRT), to distinguish them from … <\/p>\n