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| Heading into the cave with some sunlight from the entrance |
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| walking in the cave with lights |
Walking through the eight foot high entrance, the first
thing you smell is rodents. They live under the rocks off to the sides in the
cave where daylight penetrates. As the light dims and darkness covers you like throwing
a blanket over your head, the smell of rodent vanishes. Musty air fills your
lungs and you fumble for the switch on your flashlight.
Why would anyone want to go into this cave? It’s large. The
ceiling is 15-20 feet over your head. The walls are a good 40 feet apart. It is
a large cavern with silver spidery lines on the ceiling and walls. The trail
deeper into the cave is uneven and at times littered with rocks. But the reason
people walk the half to three-quarters of a mile (depending on the time of
year) is to see the lake. It is smooth, clear, and around 50 degrees all year round.
If you know me, after my first visit to the cave I had to
research. I discovered the cave was first used by the Paiutes. Some bands
wintered in the controlled climate of the cave. There is also a story that the
Paiutes learned the Bannocks planned to raid them. The Bannocks outnumbered
the Paiutes. Using their knowledge of the cave and its hidden water source, the
Paiutes stored food, bedding, and wood in the cave and then barricaded the front
with rocks. When the Bannocks arrived they couldn’t get to the Paiutes.
Thinking they could wait them out, they soon gave up and went back to their
territory. If you'd like to see some traditional Paiute baskets and cradleboards and learn how they are made check here.
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| kayaking on the lake in the cave |
Because of this rock barricade it was years before a
Whiteman discovered the cave.
Each time we take guest to see the cave, I come back with
another idea for a story. It was my first trip to the cave that inspired a
scene in my new release, Brody: Letters of Fate.
Historical western filled with steamy romance and the
rawness of a growing country.
A letter from a grandfather he’s
never met has Brody Yates escorted across the country to work on a ranch rather
than entering prison. But his arrival in Oregon proves prison may have been the
lesser of two evils. A revenge driven criminal, the high desert, and his
grandfather’s beautiful ward may prove more dangerous than anything he’s faced
on the New York docks.
Lilah Wells is committed to helping
others: the judge who’d taken her in years ago, the neighboring children, and
the ranch residents, which now includes the judge’s handsome wayward grandson.
And it all gets more complicated when her heart starts ruling her actions.
Buy links:
Amazon / Nook / Kobo / Apple / Windtree Press
In case you were wondering about the silver spidery lines in
the ceiling and walls…during my research I discovered it is called cave slime
and is made from the minerals present in the dirt and rocks lining the cave.
Have you ever been in a cave?
Paty Jager is an award-winning
author of 25+ novels and over a dozen novellas and short stories of murder
mystery, western historical romance, and action adventure. She has garnered a
RomCon Reader’s Choice Award for her Action Adventure and received the EPPIE
Award for Best Contemporary Romance. All her work has Western or Native
American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters.
Interesting, but caves give me the hebbie-jebbies. I don't like being underground and don't plan to until my time on earth is up. Would make a good story, though.
ReplyDeletePaty, I think I'd be heading out as soon as I knew it was owned by the Masons. they probably do one of their weirdo ceremonies down there. Creepy!
ReplyDelete