MAMMOTH CAVE — A 65-foot metal tower that serves as a connector route from the lower historic cave trail to the upper historic cave trail allowing the two-mile, two-hour Historic Cave tour to be a loop route was replaced at Mammoth Cave National Park recently.
The tower was more than 50 years old and had started to deteriorate.
“It was built back in the early days of the park service’s management of the park,” said Vickie Carson, public information specialist for the national park. “It was one of those major improvements in how to get people through the cave.”
Periodic inspections of the tower showed wear and corrosion.
“We would repaint it and protect it as we could, but it was just getting old,” Carson said.
Work to replace the tower began in January, with crews working double shifts of 10 hours each to dismantle the tower and take it out through the top of the Mammoth Dome section of the cave. The job took about four days to complete.
“This was a huge undertaking and a tremendous accomplishment for the park,” said Superintendent Patrick Reed. “We are very pleased with the finished product. It is more than just a stairway; it greatly enhances the visitor’s experience.”
According to a press release, it took 1,350 80-pound bags of concrete, 3,500 stainless steel bolts and 35,000 pounds of structural steel, varying in length from two to 21 feet to replace the tower.
Materials were trucked to the cave entrance, hand carried down 60 steps and loaded onto a custom-made wagon, wheeled through large and small passageways for more than one-quarter mile, then maneuvered through Crevice Pit – the size of standard doorway – and lowered 200 feet to the floor of Mammoth Dome.
“While the tower work was going on, the tours would use what we call the upper levels of the Historic tour, which would be staying in mostly Broadway and Audubon avenues,” Carson said. “They didn’t go down to Bottomless Pit or to Fat Man’s Misery.”
Mike Adams, chief of interpretation at the park, said the Mammoth Dome is an “awesome room.”
“The old tower was merely a conveyance. The new tower provides an amazing view of the cave. It will ‘wow’ our visitors. The larger staircase was designed with safety in mind too. Previously, if we had to carry someone out of the cave, we had to haul a stretcher up the steps with the head or foot extending beyond the handrail. A stretcher will now fit between the rails.”
The project cost $2 million to complete, according to the press release.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Submitted
Discussion
Dome delight
Replacing metal tower required disassembly first
- Local News
-
-
Ambulance board OKs outsource billing
After a thorough discussion during Wednesday’s board meeting, the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Medical Services decided to outsource its billing to AMB-MARS (Medical Accounts Receivable Systems doing business as AMBulance Medical Billing), contingent on AMB-MARS adding a guarantee clause on its work.
-
Teen named local youth of the year
Rayne Triplett has been practicing the speech she will give at the end of the month when she travels to Frankfort to compete for the Boys and Girls Club’s 2012 State Youth of the Year title.
-
Howard lauded for G/T work
Glasgow Superintendent Sean Howard was presented the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education’s Michael Caudill Educator Award on Monday at the annual KAGE conference in Lexington.
-
Teens to be tried as adults
Barren Circuit Court released the names of two juveniles charged in an armed robbery in October, after the court decided to try the teens as youthful offenders in adult circuit court.
-
Payne pleads guilty to lesser charge
A Glasgow man who had been facing a felony charge of custodial interference pleaded guilty Tuesday in Barren Circuit Court to a lesser charge.
-
Rowland will take Comer's seat for now
A Monroe County businessman will fill the unexpired term of former state representative Jamie Comer, according to the results of Tuesday’s special election.
-
County struggles to provide EPA report
Barren County Road Department Head Johnny Kinslow called his bi-monthly report to the fiscal court his “gloom and doom” report Tuesday night. After five years of letters and discussions, the Environmental Protection Agency has informed Kinslow that he must produce a closure report for underground fuel tanks that were removed 13 years ago, or face unnamed consequences.
- MORNING UPDATE: Two juveniles charged as adults in robbery
- MORNING UPDATE: Tebben blogs from New York
-
Chamber names Travis ‘Outstanding Citizen’
Winning the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award Monday night came as a complete surprise to Dr. Bill Travis.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Ambulance board OKs outsource billing
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
