Arnold Lava Tube System
Encyclopedia
The Arnold Lava Tube System (or Arnold system) is series of lava tubes within Deschutes County
, Oregon
, of the United States
. It is located several miles southeast of the city of Bend
. The system starts within the Deschutes National Forest
on the northern flank of Newberry Volcano
, heads northeast onto BLM
land before finally terminating on private property
near Horse Ridge. The system acted as a conduit for the lavas from Lava Top Butte that later fed the Badlands
rootless shield. The lava flow that created the Arnold system is also referred to as the basalt of Lava Top Butte and is related to the Horse Cave lobe which is a lava flow that created the Horse Lava Tube System
. The lava flows of Lava Top Butte, the Badlands, the Horse system, and the Arnold system all have a geologic age around 80,000 years old.
of NASA
who named it during his study of lava tubes for the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
. He based it on one of the first discoveries in the system: Arnold Ice Cave. The cave was discovered by Americans
as early as 1889 and referred to as the Crook County
Ice Caves. Arnold Ice Cave was also the site of an early ice mining operation. The ice was sold to the city of Bend and relieved the ice market which was cornered by one of the early saloon keepers. At one time, a trench was chopped into the ice by Jim Anderson and Phil Coyner in the 1950s. They gained access to about a half mile of passage. Years later, after the ice mining had ceased, the cave filled back up with ice, and the inner passages within the cave proved to be inaccessible to exploration attempts. Many years later, in the early 1970s, Ronald Greeley, during his research on lava tubes, named one of the caves in the system. Deg Cave was named after the initials of Donald E. Gault, the Branch Chief for Planetology at NASA Ames Research Center
.
Though Americans lay claim to the discovery of the caves, they had been known long before to native Americans
and as early as 1370 AD. This was determined from carbon dating
nearby Charcoal Cave no. 1.
al usage. Unfortunately, a major sector of the public remains uneducated and the caves repeatedly suffer from vandalism
and human-induced degradation
. The Central Oregon Conservation Task Force (COCTF), under the guidance of Larry King and Garry Petrie, documented the abuse of the caves. Rock climbing
in and around the caves marred the natural beauty with that of climbing bolts and chalk residue. Reports of native American
rock art
being ignored by rock climbers were commonplace. Rock climbers used climbing chalk in and around the sensitive rock art despite posted notice signs. In addition to this, sign defacement, illegal fire pits, and vegetation destruction also occurred. The 1997 year alone resulted in an estimated damage report of $71,000. Eventually, the COCTF removed the climbing bolts from several of the caves in an effort to partially restore the caves to their original state.
In the times past, other kinds of destructive behaviors affected the cave system. Bat
s were seen as target practice by those who entered the caves with guns. Sometimes bats were killed and their bodies left behind. The caves once used to be large bat habitats, especially for the nationally listed sensitive species, the Townsend's big-eared bat
. The caves have been so severely impacted that bat populations in the majority of these caves have dwindled to very small amounts or being nonexistent.
In addition to the endangerment of the native bat species, defacement of the caves is also ubiquitous. One report by a mineral
and gem
collector notes the removal of rare lava stalagmites from inside Wind Cave in a chamber believed to have been previously unexplored. This same collector also made a habit of removing ancient artifacts
from caves in the area. Artifacts from which mankind could have learned about its ancient past.
Today, many people still enjoy the lava tubes and respect their beauty and the creatures that make it their home. Yet, reports still persist of vandalism to the caves. Cave gates have been broken and made useless by those persisting to enter caves during seasonal bat closures. Parties continue to be a problem when individuals enter the caves and litter the ground with garbage, broken glass, and human feces.
Conservation and restoration
efforts are ongoing. The United States Forest Service
and the Bureau of Land Management
, in collaboration with the Oregon High Desert Grotto
, maintain the cave system. The goal is to preserve the natural state of caves for bat use and for safe recreational use. The Oregon High Desert Grotto is an affiliate of the National Speleological Society
which shares the values of preserving these unique resources. Resources of geological, biological, archaeological, and ecological value.
period of the bats. The closure dates for hibernation is between the periods of November 1 to April 15. Access to the caves ceases on November 1 and resumes on April 15. Recently, gates have been installed on many of the caves in an effort to restore the bat habitats.
Bat maternity colonies also exist in a few of the caves, though to what extent they still flourish is indeterminate. Closures for those caves with maternity colonies is between April 16 and September 30. Maternity colonies have been noted in the past in Wind Cave, Bat Cave, Deg Cave, and Charlie-the-Cave.
Deschutes County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Deschutes National Forest * Newberry National Volcanic Monument-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,367 people, 45,595 households, and 31,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 54,583...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located several miles southeast of the city of Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
. The system starts within the Deschutes National Forest
Deschutes National Forest
The Deschutes National Forest is a United States National Forest located in parts of Deschutes, Klamath, Lake, and Jefferson counties in central Oregon. It comprises 1.8 million acres along the east side of the Cascade mountains. In 1908, the Deschutes National Forest was established from parts...
on the northern flank of Newberry Volcano
Newberry Volcano
Newberry Volcano is a large potentially active shield volcano located east of the Cascade Range and about southeast of Bend, Oregon. It is not a typical shield volcano. In addition to erupting basaltic lavas, it also has erupted andesitic and even rhyolitic lava.The volcano is in diameter and...
, heads northeast onto BLM
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
land before finally terminating on private property
Private property
Private property is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Private property is distinguishable from public property, which refers to assets owned by a state, community or government rather than by...
near Horse Ridge. The system acted as a conduit for the lavas from Lava Top Butte that later fed the Badlands
Oregon Badlands Wilderness
Oregon Badlands Wilderness is a wilderness area located east of Bend in Deschutes and Crook counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was created by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009.The wilderness is situated on...
rootless shield. The lava flow that created the Arnold system is also referred to as the basalt of Lava Top Butte and is related to the Horse Cave lobe which is a lava flow that created the Horse Lava Tube System
Horse Lava Tube System
The Horse Lava Tube System is a series of lava tubes within Deschutes County, Oregon, of the United States. The system starts within the Deschutes National Forest on the northern flank of Newberry Volcano and heads north into and near the city of Bend...
. The lava flows of Lava Top Butte, the Badlands, the Horse system, and the Arnold system all have a geologic age around 80,000 years old.
History
The system got its name from Ronald GreeleyRonald Greeley
Ronald Greeley was a Regents’ Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University , the Director of the NASA-ASU Regional Planetary Image Facility , and Principal Investigator of the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory at NASA-Ames Research Center...
of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
who named it during his study of lava tubes for the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries is the agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for collecting, maintaining and disseminating geologic information, and regulation of industries which exploit the state's geological resources, including gas, oil, and...
. He based it on one of the first discoveries in the system: Arnold Ice Cave. The cave was discovered by Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as early as 1889 and referred to as the Crook County
Crook County, Oregon
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,182 people, 7,354 households, and 5,427 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 8,264 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...
Ice Caves. Arnold Ice Cave was also the site of an early ice mining operation. The ice was sold to the city of Bend and relieved the ice market which was cornered by one of the early saloon keepers. At one time, a trench was chopped into the ice by Jim Anderson and Phil Coyner in the 1950s. They gained access to about a half mile of passage. Years later, after the ice mining had ceased, the cave filled back up with ice, and the inner passages within the cave proved to be inaccessible to exploration attempts. Many years later, in the early 1970s, Ronald Greeley, during his research on lava tubes, named one of the caves in the system. Deg Cave was named after the initials of Donald E. Gault, the Branch Chief for Planetology at NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Ames Research Center
The Ames Research Center , is one of the United States of America's National Aeronautics and Space Administration 10 major field centers.The centre is located in Moffett Field in California's Silicon Valley, near the high-tech companies, entrepreneurial ventures, universities, and other...
.
Though Americans lay claim to the discovery of the caves, they had been known long before to native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
and as early as 1370 AD. This was determined from carbon dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
nearby Charcoal Cave no. 1.
Conservation
The lava tubes of the Arnold system have long been used by locals for varying purposes including recreationRecreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
al usage. Unfortunately, a major sector of the public remains uneducated and the caves repeatedly suffer from vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
and human-induced degradation
Environmental degradation
Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife...
. The Central Oregon Conservation Task Force (COCTF), under the guidance of Larry King and Garry Petrie, documented the abuse of the caves. Rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
in and around the caves marred the natural beauty with that of climbing bolts and chalk residue. Reports of native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
being ignored by rock climbers were commonplace. Rock climbers used climbing chalk in and around the sensitive rock art despite posted notice signs. In addition to this, sign defacement, illegal fire pits, and vegetation destruction also occurred. The 1997 year alone resulted in an estimated damage report of $71,000. Eventually, the COCTF removed the climbing bolts from several of the caves in an effort to partially restore the caves to their original state.
In the times past, other kinds of destructive behaviors affected the cave system. Bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s were seen as target practice by those who entered the caves with guns. Sometimes bats were killed and their bodies left behind. The caves once used to be large bat habitats, especially for the nationally listed sensitive species, the Townsend's big-eared bat
Townsend's big-eared bat
Townsend's Big-Eared Bat is a species of vesper bat in the Vespertilionidae family.- Description :The Townsend's Big-Eared Bat is a medium-sized bat with extremely long, flexible ears and small yet noticeable lumps on each side of the snout. Its upperparts are similar to dark brown on the back,...
. The caves have been so severely impacted that bat populations in the majority of these caves have dwindled to very small amounts or being nonexistent.
In addition to the endangerment of the native bat species, defacement of the caves is also ubiquitous. One report by a mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
and gem
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
collector notes the removal of rare lava stalagmites from inside Wind Cave in a chamber believed to have been previously unexplored. This same collector also made a habit of removing ancient artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
from caves in the area. Artifacts from which mankind could have learned about its ancient past.
Today, many people still enjoy the lava tubes and respect their beauty and the creatures that make it their home. Yet, reports still persist of vandalism to the caves. Cave gates have been broken and made useless by those persisting to enter caves during seasonal bat closures. Parties continue to be a problem when individuals enter the caves and litter the ground with garbage, broken glass, and human feces.
Conservation and restoration
Restoration ecology
-Definition:Restoration ecology is the scientific study and practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action, within a short time frame...
efforts are ongoing. The United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, in collaboration with the Oregon High Desert Grotto
Oregon High Desert Grotto
The Oregon High Desert Grotto is a caving club, known as a Grotto.OHDG is involved with caving and conservation efforts in central Oregon and beyond, including the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Lava Beds National Monument in northern California, and caves in western Idaho...
, maintain the cave system. The goal is to preserve the natural state of caves for bat use and for safe recreational use. The Oregon High Desert Grotto is an affiliate of the National Speleological Society
National Speleological Society
The National Speleological Society is an organization formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study, and understanding of caves in the United States. Originally located in Washington D.C., its current offices are in Huntsville, Alabama...
which shares the values of preserving these unique resources. Resources of geological, biological, archaeological, and ecological value.
Bat Closures
The caves of the Arnold system are closed during the hibernationHibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
period of the bats. The closure dates for hibernation is between the periods of November 1 to April 15. Access to the caves ceases on November 1 and resumes on April 15. Recently, gates have been installed on many of the caves in an effort to restore the bat habitats.
Bat maternity colonies also exist in a few of the caves, though to what extent they still flourish is indeterminate. Closures for those caves with maternity colonies is between April 16 and September 30. Maternity colonies have been noted in the past in Wind Cave, Bat Cave, Deg Cave, and Charlie-the-Cave.
Caves of the Arnold Lava Tube System
There are 19 caves in the Arnold system. Out of those 19, only 8 are longer than two to three hundred feet.Lava Tube Caves
The major caves of the Arnold system are in this category. Wind Cave is the longest and most difficult to traverse at 3,839 feet in slope length.Miscellaneous Caves
A few other caves exist in the system. They are mostly very small talus caves along the collapse trench walls. One other, Woolhiser Cave, appears to be a rather large surface tube and is offset from the main lava tubes.External links
- Arnold Lava Tube System Access Dates at Oregon High Desert GrottoOregon High Desert GrottoThe Oregon High Desert Grotto is a caving club, known as a Grotto.OHDG is involved with caving and conservation efforts in central Oregon and beyond, including the Oregon Caves National Monument, the Lava Beds National Monument in northern California, and caves in western Idaho...
- http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/segments/view/1162?q=cave Oregon Field GuideOregon Field GuideOregon Field Guide is a weekly television program produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting focusing on recreation, the outdoors, and environmental issues in the state of Oregon. Part of the Oregon zeitgeist, it is produced and hosted by Steve Amen...
video (at 2:10 Arnold Ice Cave)