
The Last Chance Fall VAR 2023
The Last Chance Fall VAR is two things. One, there wasn’t going to be a Fall VAR this year. With literally days left Tri-State Grotto stepped up as the last chance to have The Fall VAR. Second, this will likely be your last chance to camp out this year.
The dates of the VAR are October 20-22, 2023.
We will be staying at the Antietam Creek Campground, Antietam, MD
The campground is located near the mouth of the Antietam creek. Nearby towns are Sharpsburg, MD, and Shepherdstown, WV.
The campground is located between the C&O Canal and the Potomac River. It is a walk-in campground. Canal Road parallels the campground. Parking is on the shoulder of one side of the road. This is the normal campground parking. Some of it is paved and some places it is level dirt. We cannot handle large self-contained units. Pop-ups are sketchy; you only have the shoulder for parking, then it drops off into the canal.
As like all National Parks, no alcohol is allowed.
There will be lead tours to several caves: Molars, Cricket Maze, Jones Quarry, and Donaldson caves.
You can also hike and bike the canal, or put a kayak into the Potomac River and paddle around.
Dinner Saturday night will be pulled pork, green beans, potato salad, and drinks. There will be a vegetarian option. You must request it on the pre-registration form.
Prices:
Pre-registration
Download the registration form and mail in with your payment. There is currently no option for on-line payment.
$35.00 - includes VAR fee, camping, lead trips on Saturday, and a dinner Saturday night. 18 and up.
$30.00 - 17 and younger includes camping, lead trips on Saturday, if capable, and a dinner Saturday night.
Free - 6 and under.
At the door
$40.00 includes VAR fee, camping, lead trips on Saturday.
Note: does NOT include Saturday night dinner.
$30.00 - 17 and younger includes camping, lead trips on Saturday, if capable. Note: does NOT include Saturday night dinner.
Directions to camp
From the South
Take I 81 North to Martinsburg, WV. Exit 12, 45 and 9 East, Winchester Ave. Turn right at the end of the ramp. Follow 9 East toward Charles Town.
Take exit 480 and 1, Kearneysville, Leetown. At end of ramp turn left toward Kearneysville Shepherdstown.
Follow 480 through Shepherdstown and across the Potomac River bridge. After you cross the bridge you will go up hill. At the top of the hill turn right onto Canal Road - It is a hairpin turn. This will take you down to the canal where it is a 90 degree left turn.
Take this a few miles and you will come to Millers Sawmill Road. Turn right here to stay on Canal Rd. This is a one lane road at this point. After a deep dip in the road, where you ford a creek in high water, it turns back into a two lane road and you are almost at the campground. Parking is on the right. Come down to the foot bridge and walk across to registration.
39.42149, -77.74857 Foot bridge in camp. Use this for your GPS.
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From the North
Take I 81 south to I 70 East. Follow I 70 east to Exit 29A 65 South Sharpsburg. Follow this to the stop sign in Sharpsburg. Turn right onto Main St.
At the square in Sharpsburg turn left onto S. Mechanic St. As you leave town this will turn into Harpers Ferry Rd.
You will go over a hump and pass a church on your left and then go down a hill, You will pass a farm on your right with a block building right beside the road. At the end of the fence you will turn right onto Canal Rd. You make a hard right and the campground is on the left. You will have to turn around to park.
39.42149, -77.74857 Foot Bridge to Registration.
39.42149, -77.74857 Foot bridge in camp. Use this for your GPS.
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From DC and Baltimore
From I-70 west. Take Exit 49, 40 ALT Braddock Heights, Middletown. At the end of the ramp, turn left toward Braddock Heights, Middletown. Go through both towns and continue to Boonsboro. Follow to first light in Boonsboro and make a left onto Potomac St. Follow this to Sharpsburg.
At the square in Sharpsburg turn left onto S. Mechanic St. As you leave town, this will turn into Harpers Ferry Rd.
You will go over a hump and pass a church on your left and then go down a hill, You will pass a farm on your right with a block building right beside the road. At the end of the fence you will turn right onto Canal Rd. Make a hard right and the campground is on the left. You will have to turn around to park.
39.42149, -77.74857 Foot Bridge to Registration.
Beginning 9 a.m. (may carry over into Sunday). camping is available Friday and Saturday nights.
Location:
Apple Horse Farm
5921 Hot Springs Road
Hot Springs, VA 24445
Details:
Supplies to bring:
RSVP - Helps with planning!
merecaver at yahoo dot com
janete at shentel dot net
The Fall VAR 2022 is scheduled for October 21-23 at the RASS Field Station, Millboro, VA, hosted by the VPI Cave Club. Details are just starting to become available. Directions and a map were just published on the VARList.
The Field Station is wide open and should be reasonably safe. Doing the squeezebox two at a time, not so much!
Pre-registration is now OPEN until October 15. Download the Registration Form now and mail it in before October 8th to make sure it arrives in time. Pre-registration is only $20, with dinner optional for an additional $15. Dinner is only guaranteed to pre-registrants. On-line Registration is also now open, but the prices are slightly higher ($21.00/$36.50) because of processing fees. Onsite registration will be $40.
The RASS Field Station has 26 acres of open grass for camping, and an outhouse building. Please bring a chair, and everything you will need for the weekend, the site is remote with only a few convenience shops nearby. There will be no on-site recycling. Please plan to carry all your trash and recycling home with you.
Cell service at the site is non-existent to low depending on your carrier. Don't count on it.
Yes, well behaved pets and well behaved owners please.
Allowed ONLY in designated fire rings.
Out here? Are you kidding? Maybe in Staunton
Alcohol
BYOB
Caving
Yes!
Yes! There will be led tours and self led to open caves. See Saturday below for caves. Signup for guided trips starts Friday evening at 9 PM.
Of course! There will be a vertical tower, trails and footpaths around the RASS fieldstation and hikes near by!
TBD
Arrive and mingle!
9:00 PM - Sign up for Saturday's guided cave trips.
There will be builded trips to Butler, Porters, 5 Springs Cave, and Grapevine.
Anyone is free to do a self-guilded tour at Island Ford, Crossroads, or Lowmoor Caves throughout the weekend.
TBD
TBD but we are hoping to have one.
The VAR business meeting will begin at 9:00 AM. Bring a chair.
Who: Cavers of VAR
What: Spring Restoration at Endless Caverns
When: April 23, 2022 at 9 a.m. promptly!
Where: New Market, Virginia (just south of the town at Exit 264 from the North, or 257
from the South off I-81. Take Route 11 to Endless Caverns Road and follow that to the
end)
Why: Maintain caving community ties to local commercial caverns/cave conservancies
and exchange knowledge about good cave conservation techniques
Details About What We’ll Do
Endless Caverns managers are compiling a list of possible chores that may include
algae abatement, trail maintenance/improvement, formation repair, surface sprucing, or
light carpentry. Come prepared to work; bring shovels, rakes, clippers, and work gloves.
Vaccinated and boosted volunteers are preferred.
Camping Info
Free tent camping (bring your own tables and chairs) on April 22-23 (Friday/Saturday)
If you have a camper or RV-type dwelling, there will be a charge.
Based on weather forecasts, consider bringing canopies for meals.
Please let us know if you plan to camp Friday, Saturday, or both nights.
Lunch
VAR will provide a hearty lunch for the participants. Please let Carol
know you are coming so she knows how much food to order. Indicate if you are a
vegetarian. Please us know if you plan to stay for dinner too.
Questions?
Contact Meredith at
The Spring MAR/VAR 2022 is scheduled for May 20-22, 2022 at Grand Caverns, Grottoes, Virginia, hosted by the Seven Valleys and Charlottesville Grottos. All details are subject to change as more information become available. Check back often for updates!
All Grand Caverns staff and visitors are required to wear face masks while indoors (including bath houses) if they are not vaccinated. Please be respectful of the choices made by others and staff while visiting.
The cavern, gift shop, and cavern entrance building all have enhanced cleaning, disinfecting and sanitization protocols to ensure the safety of guests and staff.
FDA approved disinfectants are being used in all areas of cleaning.
Handrails in the cavern, all doorknobs, counter tops, bathrooms, and other high-touch areas are disinfected regularly throughout the day.
Hand sanitizing stations are located in the gift shop and cavern entrance building.
Pre-registration is now CLOSED. Please register on-site. On-site registration is $38 for adults and $30 for children 5-14.
T-Shirts will be available but guaranteed only with pre-registration. Shirts will be light grey 50:50 cotton:polyester with the design shown to the right.
Cost is $15 XS through XL and $17.00 for larger sizes.
Shaded camping is available with ample picnic tables, shelters, and facilities. Smaller campers are welcome, but larger RVs might have a difficult time in that there are no hook-ups. Showers and water will be available.
Well-behaved and leashed dogs are welcome! You MUST clean up after your pets. Pets must be kept on a leash and restrained at all times. No pets (with the exception of service animals) are allowed in the caverns, gift shop, or pool area.
There are a number of hotels and motels in Harrisonburg and Verona VA (~10 miles from Grottoes, VA).
Alcohol
The park is under new management and alcohol is strictly prohibited on park grounds in accordance with Virginia State Law-"consumption or possession of an open alcoholic beverage in public is prohibited, regardless of age."
We expect the local police to make periodic passes. Please leave your alcohol at home this time.
Caving
Don’t want to get down and dirty? Don’t blame you; there is so much to do above-ground!
Mini golf (on site at Grand Caverns) will be offered to participants for $2.
We will open the weekend on Friday at noon for those who want to come for a long weekend. Cave on your own on Friday.
All other caving is on your own.
Time and place TBD
DJ Tommy Carpenter will be on site to entertain, keeping John Fox’s legacy alive.
11:00 a.m. at Pavilion I. Now that you have upgraded your gear, it’s time to spread the joy! Bring your gear to sell or trade!Dinner
All other caving is on your own.
On Saturday, May 21 please join the VAR Conservation team for a collaborative effort between VAR Cavers, DCR Natural Heritage Staff and members of the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias. Together we’ll do conservation work at the Cave Hill Natural Area Preserve which is within walking distance of the MAR/VAR campground! Some of the work we’ll tackle will include:
Wear gloves, closed toe shoes, and clothing to protect from thickets and possible poison ivy etc. Bring water, snacks, bug spray.
DCR has some tools that can be used for the demolition of the structure such as chainsaws, sledge hammers, angle grinder, battery powered drills, and pry bars. It would be helpful if volunteers could bring tools of their own if possible, such as: hammers, pry bars, battery powered circular or reciprocating saws, loppers, pruners, shovels, rakes, weed wrench.
As an added bonus, Lunch will be provided for all participants!
Test your cave survey skills! Location will be in the campground. Details available at event.
Saturday's dinner will be catered by Battarbee's
* Vegetarian option upon request
Carl Pierce will regale us with tales and photos of his Vietnam Caving Expedition!
DJ Tommy Carpenter will be on site to entertain, keeping John Fox’s legacy alive.
Pennsylvania Cave Conservancy (PCC) will offer a fundraising breakfast. Suggested donation: $5/person
** For those who are willing/able, we ask that you bring your own plate and silverware to use for Saturday’s dinner to help reduce the amount of waste generated during the MAR/VAR event. We can all do our part to reduce the amount of trash going into landfills. Thank you!
VAR & PCC meetings beginning at 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. at Pavilion I. Now that you have upgraded your gear, it’s time to spread the joy! Bring your gear to sell or trade!