About Me

    So who is the person behind the cavers digest anyway?

    Well I am a long time caver (since the eighties) who is currently 35 years old.  I love vertical caving in alpine caves especially, but also enjoy everything from dry flat caves, to cave diving.  What can I say, I get bored easy!

    One year ago, I was laid off of my long term software job at a major computer company, so I decided to take some time for myself, after having dealt with some horrible personal situations to boot, and move up to the mountains.  I built a hydroelectric system for a cabin near the Continental Divide at 10,200 feet, and stayed the full year there.  In the winter, it is a 7 mile snowmobile to the cabin.  Currently, I am also doing some software consulting jobs out of this cabin.  You can see more about the cabin and my off grid living here.

    I enjoy looking for new caves and finding new passage within old ones (who doesn't?).  I help out on all aspects of surveying, but try to leave the book to my more artistically inclined friends.  I have surveyed in Lechuguilla, Carlsbad, as well as the many caves located in my local area (Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming).   I have caved in New York, Mass., New Hampshire, Virginia, West Virginia, New Mexico, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada, Idaho, California, Colorado, and of course Utah.   Once my job allows, I hope to travel a bit further as well.

    Another of my cave related passions is stereo photography.  I have photographed many of the caves of my region, and am continuing to do more as well.   If you ever come to a Rocky Mountain Regional, you will be treated to some of my slides.  This is a new tradition that I started this year.

    I currently am serving as the Chair of the Salt Lake Grotto.  Stop by a meeting sometime (first Tuesday of every month) and say 'Hi'.

    I also am an avid SCUBA diver.  I am a PADI Divemaster , and have dove many of the local areas in Utah.   I enjoy working with students to help them to excel in their own diving abilities.   I further enjoy showing local divers that there are many things to see in the local lakes and reservoirs.

    Further, I have completed my NSS Full Cave Diving certification.   This gave me the opportunity to dive the cave systems of the Yucatan peninsula.   This was some of the most incredible diving I have ever done.  I have now made it back to the Yucatan several times to learn and practice side mount and stage diving.   I have managed to drag my camera along (well, till I drop the stage bottle, anyways) on several of the trips, resulting in the photos you see on my web pages.

    The red rock deserts of Utah also provide a special place for me to escape the normal day to day routine.  The beauty that the desert has to offer compares to little else.  Couple this with the solitude it provides, and you have an absolutely unreal place.  See some of my desert pictures area for examples.

    I also am a member of the Summit County Search and Rescue team in Utah.  I joined in the hopes of bringing my varied expertise into use for the benefit of others.  I also believe that my knowledge will help the cave environments, if a cave rescue does in fact occur in Summit County.  I have already helped out other counties in the state with their cave rescue needs.

    Finally, I also build and fly ultra light airplanes.  In spring of 2000, I built my first powered parachute.  I now fly this in and around Park City, Utah.  If you come to the Olympics, you might see me up in the air!  My hope is to combine this passion for 'low and slow' flight, with my searches for caves.  What better way to scope out an area for new entrances?

    Here are some various pictures of myself doing some of  the activities I enjoy: