With a surprising approval for leave I managed to find myself down in Nelson for a weekend trip. Motivated to get deep underground I contacted a local friend to organise a quick spelunking adventure. I was promptly introduced to an idea of pushing through large sections of Bulmer Cavern in a single continuous trip. Those versed in the alpine scene may be familiar with long, 24-hour plus, trips where large objectives require an element of perseverance and a large amount of stoke. This was by no means a standard trip into Bulmer as most parties generally stay at one of the established “campsites” in the cave. Our intention was to start at the Owen river carpark, hike to the entrance of Castle Keep, enter the cave and navigate through a series of contacted sections, before exiting at the Eye in the Sky entrance, and finally hiking back down to the car. A trip that we anticipated would take 24-hours, if not longer.
[Read More]bulmer in a day
Sam Fu-Allen talks about a recent marathon trip in Aotearoa’s longest cave, Bulmer Cavern.