Chad McCain holds a safety briefing prior tp the start of the New Mertz-Crevice connection attempt.

Transporting gear down to the cave entrance.

Plenty of chances to get wet in this system.

Starting the chain up, over, and thru the breakdown area.

Approaching the Keyhole area.

Bobcat getting ready to sling gear thru a low spot.

Edmund Tucker and his heavy duty raft. Good job.

Ralph Sawyer hands off tanks to the stream passage below.

Getting the raft inflated for the upstream journey to the sump areas.

Working the loaded raft upstream.

There were several portages that the 2 rafts had to go over in this system.

The portage in the Blood Room was a sizable obstacle. Anyone seen Don Bittle?

Eric and Ralph have the large raft under control.

One last portage before the sump area.

Shannon and Dirk prepare to dive the lefthand sump. Visibility was a grim 6" here and it was literally touch and go.

Dirk and Shannon setting up for the righthand sump area.

Shannon reporting back that the sump pinched down to 12" shortly upstream.

Don Bittle "congratulating" Paul Hauck on a well spent Saturday caving adventure.