Jewel Cave National Monument
The Jewel Cave National Monument with the Jewel Cave (German: Jewel Cave) is currently the second largest cave in the world with more than 150 miles ( 241 km) charted courses. It is located about 13 miles west of Custer in Custer County, South Dakota in the Black Hills. It was discovered in 1900 and found in 1908 as a national monument under protection. Parts of the cave are accessible to visitors and it is managed by the National Park Service.
History
Frank and Albert Michaud discovered the cave in 1900, when they discovered a cool breeze from a crevice in a valley. Why no one discovered earlier this rock opening is unclear.
After the cave entrance has been extended with a blast, the Michaud brothers found the cave with calcite crystals on the walls. Hence the name Jewel Cave. The brothers tried to commercialize the cave by widened the entrance way inside docked and tried to attract tourists. Although the project failed, but the client brought the cave to Washington, DC President Theodore Roosevelt was the Jewel Cave on February 7, 1908 as a National Monument. The National Park Service took over the administration in 1933 and from 1939 onwards led cave tours.
Until about 1959 less than two miles of the cave paths were known. Only then did Herb and Jan Conn, two climbers from the area, exploring and were within two years of 24 km (15 miles) Mapping. Some of the new discoveries were, however, outside the boundaries of the national monument, the area of the National Forest. 1965 these parts were then added to the National Monument. The park management has a 100 m deep lift and different ways of metal steps and platforms built to facilitate the visit of the cave.
In August 2000 ² large forest fire damage at the surface of 90 % of the monument is a 340 km. The Visitor Center and several historic buildings were spared.
Exploration
By 1979, Herb and Jan Conn has 100 km roads in the cave explored and named. Today (February 2010) there are over 241 km charted paths in the cave, which makes the Jewel Cave 's second largest cave after the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky 591 km. Evidence gathered investigations of the air currents that the previously discovered parts comprise only a small part of the cave system.
Visit
The Jewel Cave is open all year. The National Park Service offers three tours: the Scenic Tour, which leads 1 hour and 20 minutes via paved paths ( electric light ) and 723 levels; the Lantern Tour, which leads about 1 hour 45 minutes with lanterns in the first part and discovered the spelunking tour, where one advances with helmets and helmet lamps in non -developed parts of the cave.