Cave History - Oregon Grotto of the NSS

Arnold Ice cave, DESCHUTES. Arnold ice cave has been so known for a number of years and the name is apparently established. However, the late Robert B. Gould of Bend said that the name of Arnold came to be applied to the cave as a result of the misreading of a country road sign, which bore directions for Arnold (ranch) and the ice cave. Visitors combined the two names on the signboard, with the results Arnold Ice cave is now well known by that name. For additional information about the naming of this cave, see editorial in Bend Bulletin, April 18, 1927. More info in Larson book "Central Oregon Caves" For sale in cave store. Click for photo.

Barney's cave, Mt.St. Helens. This cave was found by Charlie and Bob Baker and named after their dog who with them at the time.

Bat cave, Mt. St. Helens. This complex lava cave was discovered in 1958 by Boy Scout Troop 348, led by Harry Reese. The cave was given its name due to bats in the cave. The Reese brothers found the upper passage on 11-5-1960.

Beaver Cave was named after the skeleton of a mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa) found in the cave, by the Reese boys in the early 1960s. First Oregon Grotto member known to have visited it was Jim Wilcox in 1965.

It was first mapped by Ronald Greeley and the moon-shot crew in 1969

Butter cave, Trout Lake. This cave was used for storage of butter around 1909. There may be still some remnants of a door at entrance and old skid rails.

Cheese cave, Trout Lake. In pioneer day potatoes was stored in this cold cave. Later on Roquefort cheese was stored in the cave and racks where built for storing. Now as of 2003 most of the rack are pretty rotten and fallen down. This cave has up to 60-foot ceilings and very wide passages.

Joseph Arnie discovered this cave in the winter of 1894. He found it by a vapor plume coming out of the cave. He and group return later and Peter Smith was lowered 45 feet into the cave. Cave was also know as Plume cave.Picture 1. picture 2.

Christmas Canyon cave, Mt. St. Helens. Jim Nieland found this erosional cave in 1979. During heavy storms of rain and or snow water has been know to flow through the cave. You can hear water flowing through cracks and tree molds above the cave. The cave averages two feet high with a number of tree molds and skylights with over 2000 feet of passage.

The Canyon was named from a large debris slide from Christmas canyon on Christmas day 1933, destroying a bridge and isolating a CCC camp. More info in Speleograph 1996 Vol. 32 # 5.

Chubby Bunny cave, Trout Lake. This cave was discovered on 9-13-93 by Chris Lee, Al Lollar, Jason Lollar, Libby & Jim Nieland. Entrance was mostly covered with several large carred slabs and pieces of log left over from slash burn.A rock slab had to moved aside to allow acess from entrance room, into the main passage expposing a 10 foot vertical drop to the passage floor below. Rabbit bones were found on the passage floor few hundred feet from entrance.

Edison Ice cave, DESCHUTES. On June 6^th 1910, a large fire blazed some 30 miles from Bend. One of the Firefighters was Jack Edison, who when returning to camp with George Vandevert, discovered a cool opening in the earth, entered, and found an ice cave. Not only was Edison’s name given the cave but also the fire. Edison Butte nearby is named for the same man, apparently a member of a transient crew. Edison Ice cave is about four miles west of Wanoga Butte.

Guler Ice cave, Skamania. Cave has been known since about 1869 and served as a ice suppy for the Dalles and Hood River in pioneer days. Picture.

Lavacicle cave, Deschutes. From an article in the Oregonian 6-25-1987 Lavacicle cave is the only lava cave that has lava formations in the world. A forest service crew working on a fire discovered the cave in August 1959. A current of fresh air rising through the smoke gave away the entrance.(After this article numerous caves have been discovered with lots of lavacicles and other formations). Click for photo.

Lava River cave, DESCHUTES. Article in the Oregonian, 12-9-1925 and USGS bulletin 252. Also book by Charlie Larson “Lava River cave.”

Pillars of Hercules, Mount Saint Helens. This cave found around 1987. Cavers, Dennis Glasby, Bill Holmes, Kim Luper and others found the cave of a day of crawling in small holes. The first person went in and we expected him to come right back. The next person crawl in and he didn't come back. So one at a time we all went into this amazing cave full of pillars and more.

Skeleton cave, DESCHUTES. This cave was named for its fossils and modern bones found in cave entrance sink. Article can be found in the Oregonian 1-1-1956.

String Cave, Mt. St. Helens. This cave found by Halliday on 11-5-1960. A rotten string was found in the cave. Entrance is about 8 feet wide and 4 feet high. About 60 feet of stoop way and crawlway. 25 feet into cave is a chimney to the surface 10 feet overhead.

Trillium cave, (Ice cave, Meat cave) Trout Lake. This cave was used for storing meat in pioneer days. The cave is not far from Cheese cave.

Under The Lake cave. Sheridan Mt. This lava cave found in the late 1980's by Kim Luper, Dennis Glasby and others. The cave has four parallel passages going down hill. One leads to a Lake. Another passages seems to go under the Lake back to entrance. After mapping the cave it was found to be parallel passage.