The climb up the cliff side was long and only dangerous to the careless, foolish, or overheated.

The walk was simple; step, plant the walking stick, step, and repeat for kilometers on end. The trail and path was protected by a low rock wall no more than a 1/4 meter tall at best. The guardrail was more of a warning not to step off the trail than a security device. It was not unheard of for a traveler to take the quick trip to the talus, rising broken and dusty below.

Everyone had their skills, and it took a special skill set to perform these deadly tricks. One could take a misstep, hit the mountain cliff, and bounce back over the warning strip. Alternatively, a stumble, a bit of dancing, and a trip to the bottom was in store.

The rock trail was easily half a meter wide, more than enough for most to navigate. Groups could rope up, in the false protection of safety in numbers. It more often became a domino unpeeling from a single awkward team member. Roped teams were carefully constructed; a strong leader, weaker members following, and a solid, stable brake on the end. In case of the worst possible scenario, a simple slice on a stretched, tight perlon rope would alleviate the problems, followed by the usual police inquiry.

Heat was a major concern. There was no water found on the narrow cliff trail. Rain, while welcome, was problematic between fogged-up goggles, wet clothes, and slick rocks. Snow and ice could turn a fun jaunt into a serious climb with ice ax and crampons. None of the weather conditions was as bad as random lightning strikes, especially against a roped, slow-moving metallic enhanced group.

The trail ended on a ledge, half-round with the expected psychological-protecting rock guard rail. The cave entrance was close to a thousand meters above the river coursing through the canyon. The hard climbing was done, and it was all downhill from here, the cave exit only a few meters above the cold clear, green flowing liquid.

After a quick lunch the intrepid explorers took stock of their supplies, time to check the flashlights and pat pockets for extra batteries. The old-school spelunkers ensured the 3-light source option was available and dug out the carbide lights and the spare calcium carbide and reaction water.

Like a skilled free-diver, there was a moment for a deep breath, and a look at the surrounding snow-capped mountain vista, tall fir trees, and steep granite walls. There were a few new cavers in the group and they wanted a memory of the outside world before plunging into the dark, cold mountain core for the next few hours.

Those carrying cell phones took a few last snaps, just a little to fill up their social media feeds. There was barely a bar of cell service on the side of this mountain, and once entering the cave, there was certainly less.

This was not a new cave; the leaders had maps and memory to guide them through the maze. There were no serious drops and rappel pitches were not needed. With a bottom exit and no open pits to traverse, the dreaded cable ladders or jumars were left at base camp.

For the spelunkers traveling through this maze, rock falls, and the rare earthquake was always top of mind, easily enhancing the interesting claustrophobic experience. The mountain and the Earth didn't care about the risks or the risk-takers. The rocks grew, cracked, and reformed as they passed through space and time.

The spelunking team prepared for their journey, securing simple helmets, packing away wastes, closing pack zippers, and cinching up backpacks. For the old school members; water added to calcium carbonate reacted to send acetylene gas through the nozzle in a fine stream, accumulating beneath their palm covering the reflector. A quick movement, spinning the steel wheel, striking the flint, ignited the gas, producing white light with its small flame in their Justrite lamps.

The spelunkers crawled through the entrance, baptizing their overalls in the mixture of mud, granite sand, and micro-worm hitching a ride on the intruders.

The cave was spacious, as cave entrances go, once past the locked gate and sign-in log. The Rangers would check the logs from time to time, comparing the entry and exit lists so they knew the names of any bodies left behind. Rescues were an option, but often waiting at the exit for a bit solved any lost spelunker dilemma.

What can you say about cave travel? The journey was more important than the destination, wet in spots and frequently tight. Without carried lights, it was dark, the dark of nightmares and blackness. The cave stored the collective cold of granite and limestone, stable and buffered by the eons.

The cracks in the planet's surface we call caves are spots where water, dirt, and organisms fall and make new homes. With no photons to activate chlorophyll's transition to new carbon, growth is limited to scavenging for a few accessible molecules. The Earth's universal solvent dropped from clouds, extract chemicals, and built the stalactites and stalagmites so characteristic of this environment.

The travelers took care to leave no waste nor steal any rock formations. Photos were allowed and the biologists in the crew grabbed samples for later laboratory analysis. It was tedious work to identify and characterize the specimens, but dissertations required work, skill and writing, none of which could be done deep within the twisting mountain core.

The vertical distance could be traveled in a few hours. The twisting, cramped, convoluted path in the cave brought the team out deep into the night. It was a clear, moonless night, and the glowing stars and dim galaxies were welcome beacons to the living world. Flashlights and acetylene let the way back to camp for a welcomed rest before leaving for warmer, dryer, and brighter environments. For some of the travelers, this was their first and last expedition to the core. Others were ready for more adventure and darkness to explore.