After Lava Butte, Heather, Vera, Zach, and I went to visit the Lava River Caves. The caves were formed by a underground river of lava during the last major eruption in the area. I have been coming to the Lava River Caves since I was a small boy. After all of these years, the caves are still as fun as the first time. And after all these years, the Forest Service is still allowing gas lanterns into the caves.
Unless you know where the cave is, you could walk right by it. A skylight (collapsed portion of roof) allows entrance to the main cave. The yawning chasm awaits.
Proceeding down into the depths.
Ice near the cave entrance. In the winter, water drips into the cave and freezes. The temperature in the cave is cold enough to keep the ice much longer than if it were outside the cave. Eventually it will melt away only to reform next year.
Ice at the entrance.
Checking out the ice on a raised metal bridge near the mouth of the cave.
Deep in the cave, far from the light. Zach’s camera was able to take photos in the low light.
Passing around rockfall in the cave.
Breath illuminated by our lights next to a sand garden.
Deeper in the cave. The ribs on the wall show where different depths of lava flowed through the cave going downhill. The cave is about a mile long and passes under the highway. I look forward to the next time that I get to explore the cave.