C. Descent, descent, and more descent
One of the reasons the descent seems to last forever is because of the steepness of the trail, the limited distance to which the trail can be seen, and the lights seemingly very far below, giving the imagination free reign. Looking back and up gives some clues as to the vertical distance one has come since the last plateau on the trail:
Looking down gives no real clue, but simply amazes:
That view deserves a second look, using a larger photo:
The point is made again whenever one carefully looks at what one is standing next to while scanning up and down: the journey is the destination, the destination is the journey. 'Now' is when you live, not in the future, nor in the past, is a close and valuable corollary. Nevertheless, let's go down!
I can't get enough of these ceiling, now very high above us:
I also don't seem to be able to get them in very good focus.
Just as we pass by the top of Iceberg Rock, a chunk that fell from the ceiling, we see something different below, far below to the right, a small deep place with much light:
As we start down another steep descent, a little further down those deep bright lights come into view (sorry about large picture):
Where we seem to be going is clearly a room with many formations (large photo again, sorry):
Of course as we look up we see we are now below the flat top of Iceberg Rock:
Descending just a bit further gives us a better look into that deep and well-lit room:
The trail has now actually dropped us below Iceberg Rock:
Now we see into that lower room with much light: it is the Green Lake Room. We will look at it on the next page.
The virtual cave visit continues:
F. Coming into the main cavern: the Big Room
G. Some of my favorite Big Room formations
Go back to Introduction to Carlsbad Caverns in 2011
A. Go back to the 'natural' entrance and first dark
B. Go back to the Devil's Spring and next room
GO TO THE "WALKING INTO CARLSBAD CAVERNS" MOVIE, WITH MUSIC BY AMETHYSTIUM
To see the previous pages about Carlsbad Caverns, and about caverns in general, go here:
Carlsbad Caverns, the Big Room and the lower caverns
Carlsbad Caverns, the "movie" -using photos from the above link
Mitchell (California), Coronado and Colossal caverns (Arizona)
Rock shelters: Spirit and Hidden Caves (Nevada)
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