Carlsbad Caverns Adventures

Since arriving in Carlsbad, we having been wanting to go to the Caverns, but we found out that you can't take a baby stroller down there, so we needed a backpack carrier!! Those things are really expensive, and I questioned how much use past the caverns it may find...Jim insisted that it will get used, so we forked over the money to buy one online and have it shipped....

One of Wesleigh's favorite places to be in the whole world is to be on Jim's shoulders, so we figured he would LOVE the carrier....these first two pictures were taken at the house the day the carrier came in....it was as if Wesleigh knew what kind of adventures were to come...

So, there are a couple of different ways that you can see the Carlsbad Caverns...you can hike down the very steap 1.4 mile journey...it takes you 750 feet deep into the Cavern to the Big Room...or...you can take the elevator down 750 feet and explore the 1.5 mile trail around the Big Room. Well, we decided to walk down into the cave, then tour the big room. So, lets all remember that I am 7 months pregnant and Jim is packing and extra at least 30 pounds with Wesleigh in the backpack carrier...pockets full of water bottles, flash lights, and other necessary accessories to be hiking 750 feet below the earth's surface!!
This was at the very top of the Cavern before we really realized what we had taken on!! Wesleigh was super excited and was just talking to himself and having a blast. As we started to get further into the cave, where the echo started, he started singing...well, before you enter the cave, they ask you to use "library voices" to preserve the natural atmosphere. I told the Park Ranger that Jim and I would do our best, but I could make NO promises what so ever about Wesleigh having a "library voice". I actually told Jim that I figured he was going to discover the echo and get louder and louder...well, aren't mommies always right??? Well, I was...as we got further down, the singing got louder and louder and louder. It was actually really cute!!! Then we noticed that he had gotten really quiet...and this is what we discovered...he was OUT like a light!!! I NEVER expected this from Wesleigh!! He is such a know it all and has to be right in the big middle of EVERYTHING that is going!!

Well, I guess he fell asleep for the same reason that Ethan sleeps nonstop when I am active...the walking motion just lulled him to sleep...and he slept for at least a good hour!! I was amazed. You would think he would have had a major crick in his neck from sleeping like that...but their little muscles are so flexible!!

At one point in our long journey down, the ceiling closed in on us...I could just duck, but seeing as how Wesleigh and the backpack carrier extend about a foot taller than Jim, he had to crawl through the space...it was about 10 feet long and it wasn't an easy feat for Jim!! This was during Wesleigh's nap and while Jim was crawling Wesleigh's sleeping little head was flopping all around! It was kind of sad!! This was called the "Whales Mouth". It was very cool. In my opinion NONE of these pictures do they cave justice!

About three quarters of the way down, I began to wonder what my doctor would say about this little hike...the path was incredibly steep and wet in many places...the potential to fall was actually very great!! I think we will just keep this little adventure to ourselves!! I did use the handrails most of the way down. We rested a few times while we listened to our "handheld tour guide" talk to us at different points of interest along the way!! I was personally a little glad that the billions of bats that usually live in this cave...that we previously watched leave the cave have migrated to Mexico for the winter!! So, no bats didn't hurt my feelings at all!!

The above pictures were taken at the rest area once we reached our 750 foot goal!! Wesleigh was testing his legs after being carried for so long, and Jim was just glad to not be carrying his extra baggage! You don't see me, b/c I am parked on a bench, letting my weary legs rest!!! Oh, and that would be gatorade that Wesleigh spilt all down the front of him!!

So...after we rested a bit, we thought that we were ready to go again. But, you see, we didn't realize that the Big Room was another mile and a half walk...so we ambitiously headed off on the adventure around the Big Room...This area was full of what they call "popcorn".This was called the "Lions Tail". It was a Stalagtite that has popcorn growing on the end of it!!This was in an area called the "Hall of Giants". These were magnificently HUGE columns...which means they went from the floor to the ceiling. They were pretty cool!! There was 3 or 4 of them all together!! We thought this was cool...it is a Stalagtite (hanging from the ceiling) and a Stalagmite (growing up from the floor) that have almost grown together...to make a column! All in all, it was a day of great advenures!! Wesleigh was such a good boy all day long. By the end of the tour of the great room, we were both looking for a wheel chair, b/c we didn't think that our legs could move us another step!!! And let me just tell you... THANK GOD for the elevator!!! I could not imagine having to hike back out of there...I think I would have resigned to being a "cavewoman" for life, as I would not have been able to hike back up the 750 feet!!!

As it was, I think I probably overdid it a bit. We ate dinner on our way through town and once we got home we were totally WORTHLESS!! And today, lets just say that Jim and I are both aware of every muscle in our legs, plus some!! We are having a lazy day, and I'm not sure if we will make it out of the house today!!

It was a great day, but at the end of the day, we determined that if you want to visit the Caverns here, that if you opt to take just the Big Room tour...that you really aren't missing out on anything that you would have seen if you had chosen to hike down the 750 feet. So, opt for the 750 foot elevator ride and see all the beauty of the cave just the same!! Unless you are just looking for the hiking adventure...but if you are just wanting to see the beauty of the cave...go the elevator all the way!!! :-)