Brandywine Red Clay Alliance Summer Camp Explores Wind Cave

Brandywine Red Clay Alliance (BRCA) is a great organization. Their summer camp program is fantastic as well.

It started in 1945 as the Brandywine Valley Association, in West Chester, PA, and merged with Red Clay in 2005 to form the Brandywine Red Clay Association.

The Myrick Conservation Center is the headquarters of Brandywine Red Clay Alliance as well as a 318 acre outdoor education center. The summer camp program is held at the Center, but ventures out to explore other local natural interests.


Since 2007 I've been fortunate enough to be able to contribute to their program. This year was no exception. I guided a group of 12 campers, councilors, and staff to explore Wind Cave in Pequea, PA.
Wind Cave, or as it's sometimes called Cold Cave, is a large tectonic cave. Unlike the more well known solution caves, tectonic caves are formed by plate shifts. There are no formations in the cave, but there is plenty of climbing and crawling.

Unfortunately, it is a popular cave that gets a lot of traffic from both organized cavers and partying spelunkers. Because of that it does have a fair amount of trash and graffiti.

the BRCA campers spent 2 hours exploring different parts of the cave. But it's so big they did not get to see all the rooms and passages. Hopefully, these campers will back again and see more of the cave.

If you would like more information about Brandywine Red Clay Alliance, or it's summer camp program, visit them at http://www.brandywineredclay.org/.

Questions?

If you want more information about taking youth groups caving, or you're just curious about what's involved with getting kids underground, visit the National Speleological Society - Youth Group Liaison Committee at www.caves.org/youth. Or you can email me directly at allenmaddox@youcave.org.

Thanks,
Allen

"Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but well placed footprint, kill nothing but time." - cavers' creed.