I began caving in 2016 at the age of 16. I got into caving simply because I needed a summer job. My older brother was working a place called Rushmore Cave in Keystone, South Dakota, and I thought I might apply for a job too. I initially applied to be a maintenance worker, however, I was too young to be on the company insurance for vehicles. The managers decided to offer me a job as a cave tour guide, and I reluctantly agreed.

It was at least a month until I was invited by coworker, a now good friend of mine, on a “wild caving trip” after work. After about 10 feet of crawling on my hands and knees … I never looked back. I worked as a tour guide at Rushmore Cave until I graduated High School. My favorite memories were taking friends and co-workers on mapping and dig trips as we attempted to push the boundaries of the Rushmore-Mystic Cave System.

After my first year as an undergrad, I was looking at returning to Rushmore Cave for another year. I started thinking about what the cave really needed and I landed on a conservationist. I approached the General Manager and Owner about this position and after some discussion we decided to implement it. I worked as a conservationist for two seasons at Rushmore Cave. During my time as a conservationist, we expanded the conservation knowledge of staff and visitors, implemented procedures and protocols for conservation and restoration work, and wrote a manual on conservation techniques (see below for link). Working as the conservationist for Rushmore Cave remains one of my proudest accomplishments and fondest memories. (Read more about conservation at Rushmore Cave in the article linked below).

While working as a “professional” caver, I was working to go caving as much as possible. I joined the Paha Sapa Grotto in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto of Montana and The National Speleological Society. To date, I have gone on survey and scientific trips in South Dakota and Montana, I also joined the NSS Conservation Division as the Show Cave Conservation Program Coordinator, joined the NSS Education Division and helped create educational materials for staffs of show caves in conjunction with the National Cave Association and Cave Preservation Network.

If one thing is certain in my life, I plan to cave until I can’t anymore.