Chuck Sutherland

Blowhole Cave is a spectacular cave, thankfully protected by a large safe door. The formations there are still pristine, they are colorful and they are plentiful. Below are some of the photographs I took on my recent trip there.

In my early days as a Tennessean, I was shown a cave. I explored the nearby countryside and discovered more caves, disappearing streams, and reappearing streams. I started putting together the pieces of the puzzle, and at age eleven, I drew a map of the caves, and the streams that flowed under the land of the sinkhole plain. The map hypothesized the connection of what are now John Henry Demps and Sullivan Cave. Fast-forward 22 years, it’s the morning of June 12th, 2013, and my biologist friend, Matt Niemiller is showing up at my house to go explore caves on my cousin’s property. I am to assist Matt in the collection of cave life specimens, as well as assist him locating new caves to sample. I turned in Freddie Dodson Cave and John Henry Demps Cave back in 2008 and have made numerous repeat visits to try and push the low airspace at the back of John Henry Demps Cave with the suspicion that it connects, as my old map shows, to Sullivan Cave. Previous attempts to push...

I first remember going to Virgin Falls on August 12th, 2005. I was supposed to meet a friend to dayhike the trail. He failed to show, and I decided to solo. I was inexperienced, and unprepared for the 9+ mile hike that lay ahead of me. Before the end of the day, I ran out of water, lost the trail, and was running out of daylight. This was a moment that would come to define my life. I oriented myself in the direction I thought my car lay, and walked. Eventually, I found my way back, and not a moment too soon. The sun set minutes before I found my car. I had been beaten. Or almost beaten. I took that personally, and made it a goal to never find myself in that position again. It was a grudge match - me versus Virgin Falls. Over the next 8 years, I would end up hiking that trail partially 9 times, and completely 28 times. I regard it now as an old friend. It's something that I trust; a beauty that I can describe with my eyes closed. In this post I will share with you my favorite p...