Friday, February 10, 2012

Jewel Cave tours suspended through Feb. 17

Jewel Cave National Monument's cave tours will remain suspended through Friday, Feb. 17, because elevator maintenance is taking longer than planned.

The work consists of rewiring the elevator hoistway, replacing position indicators and installing waterproof door interlocks. It also includes a thorough maintenance check before the summer season.

"We regret the delay in resuming cave tours," superintendent Larry Johnson said. "By planning this work for the slower winter season, we hope to avoid disappointing large numbers of visitors. We anticipate resuming cave tours on Saturday, Feb. 18, and we appreciate our visitors' patience as we complete the maintenance process."

The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Park rangers are also available to answer questions and provide interpretive and educational services for those that wish to visit.

During the cave tour suspension, free guided nature hikes will take place each day at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The hikes are scheduled for the one-quarter mile Roof Trail and will showcase the surface features of the Monument. Interested hikers should dress for the weather conditions and meet at the Visitor Center.

To learn more about the Monument, call the Visitor Center at 605-673-8300 and select Option 2. Monument information can also be accessed online at www.nps.gov/jeca.

Source: Rapid City Journal

Friday, February 10, 2012

Jewel Cave tours suspended through Feb. 17

Jewel Cave National Monument's cave tours will remain suspended through Friday, Feb. 17, because elevator maintenance is taking longer than planned.

The work consists of rewiring the elevator hoistway, replacing position indicators and installing waterproof door interlocks. It also includes a thorough maintenance check before the summer season.

"We regret the delay in resuming cave tours," superintendent Larry Johnson said. "By planning this work for the slower winter season, we hope to avoid disappointing large numbers of visitors. We anticipate resuming cave tours on Saturday, Feb. 18, and we appreciate our visitors' patience as we complete the maintenance process."

The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Park rangers are also available to answer questions and provide interpretive and educational services for those that wish to visit.

During the cave tour suspension, free guided nature hikes will take place each day at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The hikes are scheduled for the one-quarter mile Roof Trail and will showcase the surface features of the Monument. Interested hikers should dress for the weather conditions and meet at the Visitor Center.

To learn more about the Monument, call the Visitor Center at 605-673-8300 and select Option 2. Monument information can also be accessed online at www.nps.gov/jeca.

Source: Rapid City Journal