Kartchner Caverns: How Two Cavers Discovered and Saved One of the Wonders of the Natural World | 
| Author: Neil Miller
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 346098
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.9 x 7 x 0.6
ISBN: 0816525161
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.5250922
EAN: 9780816525164
ASIN: 0816525161
Publication Date: March 1, 2008
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Product Description
It was all routine even if hundreds of pounds of earth were pressing down on their heads, even though the ceiling might potentially collapse at any moment, even if they were surrounded by a sea of darkness and had no idea what lay in front of them. Award-winning author Neil Miller soon tells us that what lay in front of amateur spelunkers Randy Tufts and Gary Tenen was anything but routine. These young men had crawled into a virgin cave, a landscape untouched and unseen for hundreds of thousands of years. In cave terminology, this underground oasis was livingwater still seeped down the limestone walls, depositing minerals that slowly built up into stunningly beautiful formations. In a time when countless caves had been destroyed by vandals and looters who had defaced the walls and had broken formations, this pristine discovery was every cavers dream. While duplicating that moment might seem difficult, this fascinating account of the fight to preserve Kartchner Caverns lends us the same sense of awe and urgency. In an arresting tale spanning the twenty-five-year period in which Tufts and Tenen struggled to protect their find, Miller skillfully weaves together personal interviews, biographical information, political maneuvering, and geological facts. Presented in full color with dazzling photographs showcasing the natural wonder of the caverns, this is an invitation to take in the mysterious, stunning beauty of a cave as if discovering it for the first time. The triumph of the conservationists and the opening of Kartchner Caverns as a state park are known to anyone who has visited the caves as a tourist. But this narrative offers a chance to go beyond the guidebooks with its revealing look at this unspoiled natural wonder and the science of cave conservation. With as much depth and colorful detail as the caverns themselves, this page-turning account will captivate anyone interested in caves and the preservation of natural wonders.
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| Customer Reviews:
What a secret! April 30, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is the amazing story of two young cavers who found a pristine cave and, with the help of enlightened landowners, kept it a secret for 14 years until it could be purchased by the state of Arizona. Kartchner Caverns is a wonderful resource, an educational tool and a great example of cooperation by diverse interests who shared a common goal: the protection of the cave. Miller details the process and the personalities. Thanks to his research and writing skill, we can feel the discoverers' excitement, frustration and, finally, satisfaction.
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