What is Caving?
Caving is generally defined as the art of exploring the subterranean world, or caves if you will, in a safe and responsible manner. For more information, check out the NSS Information Brochure Page where you can order several brochures from the NSS on general caving, caving with youth, cave conservation and cave safety FREE!
Caving is the exploration of caves. It may not be the first time a cave has been entered but it might be exploration on a personal level by someone who has not been in that particular cave before. Caving usually involves being part of a group of cavers who often get as much fun out of being together as a group as being in the cave. It might mean helping each other through obstacles, sharing the wonder of a passage’s beauty with others or just having a good sporting trip.
Ian Mckenzie, Alberta Speleological Society Cave exploring, or caving, is the recreational companion of speleology, which is the scientific study of natural caves. Caving enthusiasts call themselves “cavers”, rather than “spelunkers” which is a term often used by noncavers. Although cave exploration in Canada is older than the country, organized exploration began in the 1960s when many of our caving clubs were organized. Today, cavers may be found in every province, and major clubs are found in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. BC and Quebec also have regional associations, but there is no national caving organization although Canadian cavers keep in touch with each other through an independent national publication, The Canadian Caver. Cavers from Canada often work together on major cave explorations, and Canadians have organized or participated in cave explorations throughout the world. Western Canada has the country’s longest and deepest caves, roughly grouped
