Local News

Cavers Converge

1,000 attending convention in Elkins

ELKINS -- Organizers and visitors attending the 2023 National Speleological Society Convention have been pleased with the way things have worked out in the area this week.

"Everything is going wonderfully, despite the weather," Rich Geisler, 2023 NSS Convention Co-chair, told The Inter-Mountain Thursday. "Our registration is over 1,000 for this year's event and we have been having sessions, vendors, and displays all week -- it's been fantastic."

This is the third time that the annual convention has been held in Elkins, with the other two being in 1983 and 2000. Most of the convention's lectures, workshops, meetings and learning sessions have been on the campus of Davis & Elkins College.

"Elkins is a great location and D&E is the perfect size for what we are doing," said Geisler. "We have the advantage of having all the college facilities for everything we are doing, yet we are not spread all over creation. We were able to create our own little cluster of buildings that kept things nice and kind of close. It's just worked out wonderfully."

Vendors from all over the United States have been set up inside and outside the McDonnell Center at D&E. A Cave Simulator, which has been a popular attraction this week, made its way to Elkins all the way from Colorado.

"The Cave Simulator is an educational tool that they developed out West and they take it around to different events," said Geisler. "They also do a lot of public education with the simulator in schools, classrooms, scout groups and other community programs. It was a perfect fit for our event and we were happy we were able to bring it here."

Lance Mattson, who runs the Cave Simulator, said people from all over the country have given it a try this week.

"We've had quite a few people try it out, and some make it through much faster than others," said Mattson, a caving educator from New Mexico. "If people get inside and have any issues or get stuck, we have several hidden doors that we use to get them out."

Michael Kedda, a 73-year-old from Maryland who started caving back in 1971, decided to give the simulator a try Wednesday afternoon.

"I made it through, probably a little bit slower than most," said Kedda. "But I'm also probably a lot older than a lot of the people who have gone through it. I don't figure there's been too many people in their 70s trying it out."

Other than the events held at the college, those attending the convention have also made their way out and about to some of the 500 caves in the region.

"There are trips that have been going out every single day," Geisler said. "Some of them are guided trips for our members who are not from this area. And there have also been some self-led trips to some simpler caves for experienced cavers who can take care of themselves."

The convention has played host to visitors from states all across the U.S., and many of them have enjoyed their time in the area.

"I really like it here, the area is great and there is much to do as far as the outdoors go," said Mattson. "And all of the cavers I've talked to at the convention have said the same. We've all felt welcomed by everyone in the community." 

Today is the last official day of the 2023 National Speleological Society Convention. It will conclude with an Awards Banquet tonight at the Phil Gainer Community Center beginning at 7 p.m.

"People won't start leaving town until Saturday when we all kind of start filtering out," said Geisler. "Some people may linger around for a few days and some people will leave early because they have to make their way back across the country. Some of them have multi-day drives to get home, while others have flights to catch out of D.C. or Pittsburgh."

Geisler said once everyone departs, he and the convention's other staff members will make sure everything is the way it was when they arrived in Elkins.

"Once everyone is gone, us organizers change into cleanup mode," he said. "We will make sure everything at the college and in town is back to the way it was before, and say thank you to the community and D&E. We will then start getting ready for next year."