March 13 Carlsbad Caverns

 Carlsbad Caverns

 Carlsbad Cavern includes a large limestone chamber, named simply the Big Room, which is almost 4,000 ft (1,220 m) long, 625 ft (191 m) wide, and 255 ft (78 m) high at its highest point. The Big Room is the largest chamber in North America and the 32nd largest in the world

In 1898, a teenager named Jim White explored the cavern with a homemade wire ladder. He named many of the rooms, including the Big Room, New Mexico Room, Kings Palace, Queens Chamber, Papoose Room, and Green Lake Room. He also named many of the cave's more prominent formations, such as the Totem Pole, Witch's Finger, Giant Dome, Bottomless Pit, Fairyland, Iceberg Rock, Temple of the Sun, and Rock of Ages.

Until 1932, visitors to the cavern had to walk down a switchback ramp that took them 750 feet (230 m) below the surface. The walk back up was tiring for some. In 1932 the national park opened up a large visitor center building that contained two elevators that would take visitors in and out of the caverns below. The new center included a cafeteria, waiting room, museum and first aid area

The main trails include the Natural Entrance Trail (1.25 miles, descending 750 feet) and the Big Room Trail (1.25 miles, flat)

We walked the 1.25 miles down and the 1.25 miles around the big room but we took the elevator up.

The pictures really do not do justice to the real scene that I was trying to capture, but they ive you an idea. (I just don't have your skill Kevin)

The opening to the cave. This is the start of the 1.25 mile walk
 that takes you down 750 feet below the surface

The descent is quite steep but on paved pathways that curves
 back and forth toreduce the angle of descent 

I assume the green is copper as there are copper mines in this area

The green dot  in the picture is a person , the rails are along
the walkway. This will give you an idea of the size of this room.

The people in this picture will give you an idea of the size