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TAG Fall Cave In 2002 - South Pittsburgh Pit Sarah Cervone Photos by James McClean The following is a report from Sarah Cervone on her first pit experience. Bill Walker and Adam Scherer took Sarah and James McClean out here on Sunday. It was the first time for all of them at this pit but it was Sarah's first big pit. This pit is a 165 footer and I'm damn glad it was not my first one but according to Bill, they did great. I believe Bill's exact words were, "I was scared for Sarah on this rappel but she didn't seem scared at all. On the other hand, I just about $#*& myself when I looked over the edge." I know what you mean Bill, I feel that same way every time. - Brian Williams I imagined every possible worse case scenario as I nervously waited for Adam to set up the rope. Would the rope break? Would I freak out? Am I going to remember how to use this gear? It was the last day of the annual TAG Fall Cave-in, and my last chance to do my first rappel into a pit. There was no way I was going to return home after a weekend of caving without doing a vertical cave. Not after all the practice I had done climbing trees back home in Florida. Yet, a 160ft drop into South Pittsburgh made me more than just a little edgy. I made it a point not to look in. No sense in torturing myself. And after nearly an hour of trepidation, the rope was finally ready. The rope bag was tossed in, and a thud echoed from the canyon after a painfully long pause. Now we were set to go. As Adam descended into the pit, followed by James, I repeatedly tightened my carabiners and quicklimks, and lifted up the rack- testing it for life support. After several minutes, James yelled "off rope!" Yet, my mind heard "last chance to back out". I attached the rack to the rope and thought to myself, "Surely the drugs I did in high school were more dangerous than this. The weekly cave dives I've enjoyed for more than two years are definitely more hazardous. Shit, the drive to TAG was more risky than this 160ft. drop " right?" Bill looked over my gear, and then step by step I backed up toward the gaping hole in the ground. I approached the lip and checked my harness one last time. One little mistake, I thought, is all it's going to take. As I relaxed and leaned back, the rope tightened from the load of my weight, the rack lifted, and my brand new harness gave me a reassuring hug around my hips. I spread the bars on the rack and descended a few feet. I was suspended in mid air. As I looked down to acknowledge the incredibly long drop, a cool breeze of cave air welcomed me to middle earth. I gazed at the beautifully sculpted rock as surface water cascaded down the walls. My trepidation was transformed into pure amazement. This is incredible I thought to myself. I descended a few feet, only to stop and gawk at the nature's artistic geology. Adam finally beckoned me to come down. I slowly descended toward my friends and requested they take several pictures as I steadily approached the ground. Although my feet had reached the bottom, I was high as a kite. I detached my rack and yelled "off rope!" to Corey who was next in line. As Adam continued to supervise the rope, my euphoric rush would not allow me stand still for very long. I followed James as we explored the parameters of the bottom of the pit, and at times, clumsily realizing that I was wandering in and out of the rock zone. James and I found the entrance to a cave thirty feet high in the wall. A rope was rigged for entry, and it may as well been a hand waving us in. After James climbed it, I returned to the rope to retrieve the rest of the group. Bill, a seasoned climber who took up the rear of the team, was making his way down. Eventually, the four of us joined James. Adam, James, and Corey poked around in the cave as Bill rappelled back down. I rested at the entrance, concerned that I might tire myself before the 160-foot climb out. Taking notice of the late hour and our good friend Becky who was waiting at the surface, we finally decide it was time to head out. Adam was the first to ascend, and like a marathon runner, he shot to the top. I asked to break sequence and follow him. Since I was in no real rush, I ascended slowly and used a breathing method I learned in yoga class as a means to control my exertion. I had never climbed 160 feet before, and now I really didn't have a choice. Muscles in my forearms that I didn't know I had were starting to burn as I slowly made my way to the surface. Still, I couldn't help but notice that the scene was just as striking going up as it was coming down. What an awesome way to end a weekend I thought. I finally reached the lip, the transformative location where I went from phobiac to fanatic. Negotiating the rim was tricky, but by now I had faith in my gear and it was merely a matter of technique. Once I made it over, I crawled along the rope on my hands and knees. Although it was five in the evening, it still seemed bright and sunny. I detached myself and Adam yelled "off rope!" But my mind heard "she made it!" As I waited on the surface for the remaining members of our team to emerge, I couldn't help but think about what a lucky person I am. Not that I had survived this 160 foot rappel despite my complete disregard to Brian and Sullivan's warning that I should practice vertical techniques on a significantly smaller pit, but that I had found such an awe-inspiring sport, and such cool people to show me what to do. After Bill emerged from the hole, once again taking up the rear of the team, we packed up our gear, trekked to our cars, and said our goodbyes before the eight-hour (well, six if you drive like Bill) trip back to Florida. Needless to stay, I had no problem staying awake throughout the drive. My mind was too busy thinking about when I was returning to TAG, who else could I convince to go, and which pit I was going to visit next.
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