Celebrate our Past. Discover our Future.July 16~23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA ~ http://nss2016.caves.org

Celebrate our Past. Discover our Future.July 16~23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA ~ http://nss2016.caves.org

National Speleological Society

July 16-23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA75th AnniversAry Convention

Founded in 1941, the National Speleological Society is the largest organization in the world dedicated to the exploration, preservation and conservation of caves. Our society’s 10,000 members include scientists, cartographers, explorers, and cave enthusiasts from the United States and around the world. This summer, members of the NSS will gather in Ely, Nevada to celebrate the society’s 75th anniversary.

We hope you can join us!

Celebrate our Past. Discover our Future.July 16~23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA ~ http://nss2016.caves.org

Welcome to Ely, Nevada!Spanish conquistadors called it the “Northern Mystery.” Scouts of the Western Expansion called it “the big empty.” But it was John C. Frémont’s expedition of 1843 that finally gave this place its name: The Great Basin.

It doesn’t matter if this is your first-time convention or if you’re a seasoned veteran; when cavers gather in the heart of this western state, the 2016 NSS 75th Anniversary will offer something for everyone!

Much like caving, the spirit of discovery runs deep in Nevada. It is in our DNA. This territory was founded by miners searching for silver and gold, and by settlers searching for freedom and solitude. They are the soul of Nevada. Discovery is part of our history — both above ground and below it — and we’re looking forward to sharing that with our caver family!

Ely, Nevada, started with just a post office and stagecoach station near the old Pony Express trail. The discovery of copper over a century ago turned this region into a destination. The area’s first settlers were attracted by the grassy meadows, water, and towering mountains, as well as the lure of potential fortunes to be made mining precious metals.

Ely’s economy has nearly always been dependent on mining. Although the early prospectors came to the area looking for gold and silver, it was copper that brought this town fame. The nearby mine was once the largest human-made hole on Earth! Caves in the surrounding hills were often used as shelters by the early miners until homes could be built.

The copper mine is still one of the largest employers in the county and we’ll include a tour of it during our geology field trip on Sunday before convention.

The Lehman Caves in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park feature over 300 rare shield formations.

Nevada is the most mountainous state in the United States with approximately 315 named-mountain ranges. Of these, Nevada is home to over forty named peaks exceeding 10,000 feet in elevation and a hundred more un-named ranges. The word “Nevada” comes from Spanish for “snow-capped”.

SessionsArchaeology

BioSpeleologyCave Diving

Cave PhotographyCave Wilderness

Communications & Electronics

ConservationDigging

Future of CavingGeology & Geography

International ExplorationSafety & Techniques

Spelean HistorySurvey & Cartography

U.S. ExplorationVertical Section

SalonsCartographyCave BalladsCrafts and DesignFine ArtsMultimedia ProgramNewsletter Cover ArtPhotoPosters and PamphletsPrintSymbolic EmblemsT-ShirtsVideos

PlusCave Trips!Ghost Town ToursVertical Contests

Sessions & SalonsThis year’s convention offers all the regular sessions and salons you would regularly expect, with a couple additions. One of our special sessions will focus on the next 75 years of caving. Hosted by astrobiologist Penny Boston, this session will speculate on what we might expect cave science to achieve in the coming decades.

Celebrate our Past. Discover our Future.July 16~23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA ~ http://nss2016.caves.org

Getting ThereWithout question, this is not an easy place to get to. The rural town of Ely, Nevada, sits on the edge of what Life Magazine once called the “Loneliest Road in America.” Distances out here aren’t measured in miles; those are meaningless. Most of the west measures distance in travel time.

Yet, for our friends traveling across the Great Basin, your adventures can include stops for caving, gemstone hunting, ghost town exploring, and just about anything else you can imagine. With thousands of square miles of wilderness, Nevada can be as wide open as your imagination.

For cavers wishing to fly into Nevada, the nearest large airport is Las Vegas. Fortunately it’s one of the world’s easiest destinations to visit, but it is still a few hours south of Ely. We have ride-sharing and room-sharing details on our website if you need that service.

If you plan to drive, be sure to check out our site for downloadable travel CDs. Radio stations are few and far between out here!

Staying ThereOnce you get here, things get a lot easier. Ely’s small-town size is a clever disguise for its ability to host destination-worthy events. Although Ely has a total population of about 4,400, the town has an 18-hole golf course, a 700-seat convention center, a new $3-million swimming facility, almost 800 hotel rooms, several 24-hour dining facilities, an art-deco movie theater, multiple casinos, a national park, 3 historical museums, an art gallery and a small airport. And, oh yeah, a world-class copper mine.

The 2016 convention will be providing free shuttle service from the downtown hotel district to the convention sites and campground.

If you plan to stay in a hotel, you’ll want to make reservations early. It’s very possible that we will fill the town! There is an interactive list of hotels on our website. All locations in town are less than 5 miles from each other.

VenuesWe’ve made arrangements with White Pine County to rent a portion of their golf course for our campground. It’s only about 2 miles from the high school where we will be holding sessions.

Cavers may camp on the fairways and park on the adjacent areas between the holes. In most cases, the “walk” to your campsite will only be a few feet. There’s limited shade and no tables, so you’ll need to come prepared. The campground will open on Saturday morning before the convention.

Campfires will be limited to group fires built by the convention staff and only self-contained cooking stoves will be allowed on the fairways. Nevada is a very dry state and the danger of wildfire is always a serious concern here. Water conservation will be a priority in all of our locations. Please plan for no-impact camping.

All salons and sessions will be held at White Pine High School in Ely. Strong WiFi connections are available at the high school, but not at the campground.

Addresses:Sessions & registration: White Pine County High School 1800 Bobcat Drive, Ely, NV 89301 @39.238,-114.875 Registration opens at 9:00 AM on Saturday, July 16.

Camping & social events: White Pine County Golf Course 151 Golf Course Rd, Ely, NV 89301 @39.263,-114.859

Celebrate our Past. Discover our Future.July 16~23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA ~ http://nss2016.caves.org

In the late 1870s, over 15,000 people ventured into the mining camps of White Pine County. That totalled more than half of the entire state’s

population. Today, White Pine County is home to 13 of Nevada’s 28 designated wilderness areas, including the pristine Mount Moriah,

North Schell, Worthington Mountains, and Goshute Wilderness Areas.

ClimateThe region around Ely sits in the heart of the Great Basin Desert — but before that scares you away, let’s talk about deserts... You might be surprised to know that Ely is only 35 miles from the nearest glacier!

Most of northern Nevada is considered a high desert. At 6,437 feet, Ely is almost 700 feet higher in elevation than Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Although it’s called a desert, the environment is defined more by the lack of rainfall than it is by temperature.

Ely’s average daytime high in July is only 87°F. At night, it quickly cools down to about 48°F. The region’s low humidity makes for some very nice summer days, but bring warm clothing for the evenings. You’ll thank us later!

Will it rain? Probably not, but we won’t promise anything!

Steam Ride Through HistoryOver a century ago, Ely’s Nevada Northern Railway connected the largest copper mines in North America to the transcontinental routes to the north.

Today, several of the original steam locomotives that were used on the railroad are still in operation.

Curators of the Smithsonian Institution have called the Nevada Northern Railway, “the most complete, most authentic, and best cared-for” railway museum in the country.

Each day of the 2016 convention, you may take a ride on these historic locomotives up through the nearby mining district. The 90-minute excursion is a “must-see” when you visit Ely!

On Tuesday evening, two special trains will offer an interpretive geology presentation led by a local mining geologist from Nevada. Advance reservations are required to obtain our discount prices on all train trips. The geology trains on Tuesday are expected to sell out, so you’ll want to act quickly to reserve your seat.

Cave Trips & WNS IssuesWhite Nose Syndrome has not reached Nevada! Let’s keep it that way. Full decontamination of all gear is required before you will be allowed on any cave trips.

If you’re coming from a WNS-impacted area, we’d appreciate it if you just left your gear at home and used our loaner supplies for any cave trips. We will have a mobile decon unit on site to clean your gear between trips.

The 2016 convention will feature between 6 and 12 cave trips per day. Most will be led by regional cavers. We’ll also have an occasional off-trail tour of Lehman Cave in Great Basin National Park. A nominal fee will be charged for the commercial cave.

Over half of all the rock art sites in Nevada consist of petroglyphs, which are drawings and symbols carved onto rock by ancient peoples. The meanings behind petroglyphs are thought to represent game hunts and tribal customs within the tribe depicted on stone. Many petroglyph areas are located near caves. All rock art sites are federally protected. Please treat them as you would a cave formation. Look and appreciate, but don’t touch.

International CaversThe NSS International Participant Grant is offering financial support to help foreign cavers attend the convention this summer. If you know of anyone who might qualify, please refer them to our website for additional details.

Celebrate our Past. Discover our Future.July 16~23, 2016 ~ Ely, Nevada USA ~ http://nss2016.caves.org

JSS OperationsThe 2016 convention believes the Junior Speleological Society holds the future leaders of the NSS! Our convention will offer a full JSS program for kids ages 9-17. Activities include gemstone hunting, train rides, cave trips, swimming parties and vertical seminars. If you have time, we could use some extra parent volunteers for this program.

Howdy Party With A Twist!Showing our caver-style of irreverent respect, the 2016 convention will present the first ever “Donner Party Howdy Party” on Monday evening. That ill-fated group of pioneers passed through this area on their way to California.

If you want to go all-in, feel free to come dressed as your favorite wagon master (or other side dish). Zombies, ghosts, cowboys and aliens are, of course, always welcome.

It took the forsaken Donner Party approximately two months to cross the entire state of present-day Nevada in 1846. Virginia Reed, whose

entire family survived the tragedy atop Donner Summit, gave this advice to a 19th century journalist: “Never take no cut-offs and walk as

fast as you can.”

Convention-Special Book OfferIn celebration of the 75th anniversary of the National Speleological Society, the NSS is publishing a hard-bound 291-page historical book covering highlights from our past 75 years. Written by Paul Damon, the book is titled “Diamond Jubilee of the National Speleological Society.” It includes sections on national, regional and grotto events in addition to extensive chapters on science and technology. Large image galleries include 17 subjects from Ms Cave Woman of 1950 to a Cave Diggers Delight at Tory Cave!

Additional profiles include such memorable characters as “Pope Speleos the First,” “Darth Caver” and a Monster-Morphed caver from the 1950s.

The 2016 convention registration form allows NSS members to pre-order this book at the discounted price of $25. Your book will be delivered to you at the Nevada convention.

Caving areas of Nevada. Map provided by ESRI.

Convention-Special Collectors PinThe 2016 convention is offering a free NSS 75th anniversary pin to all cavers who register before Friday, April 22nd. These pins will include the anniversary ribbon logo and will not be available after that date. These are not the same as the regular convention pin. No further anniversary pins will be made after April 22nd. To receive this free collectors item, your registration must be received or postmarked by the cut-off date. Pins may not be ordered seperately. Limit one per person.

2016 NSS Convention Registration

Full-Week Registration

Please mail registration form and your check ormoney order to: NSS 2016 Convention 9032 Black Elk Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89143-1122

The 2016 NSS Convention is an internal committee of the National Speleological Society. Visit us online at nss2016.caves.org

Participant InformationName NSS #

Mailing Address

City State Postal Code

Country Age: o 0-8 o 9-17 o 18-20 o 21+

Daytime Phone Evening Phone

E-mail Address Radio Callsign?

Name as it should appearon registration badge:

Emergency Contact & ConsiderationsContact Name NSS #

Daytime Phone Evening Phone

Are you mobility impaired? o Yes o NoAre you hearing impaired? o Yes o No

Any medical conditions weshould be aware of?

Preferences & Special Requirements

Drink preferences: o Wine o Coffee o Light Beer o Dark beer o Milk/juice o Diet soda o Regular soda

Dietary restrictions or allergies?

Special requirements?

Accommodation & Gear PlansTo help with our planning, where will you be staying:o Camping (tent) o Camping (RV) o Local hotel o Other

Travel plans: o Flying o Driving o Private aircraft

NOTE: All cavers from WNS-impacted areas are encouraged to leave their personal gear at home. Decontamination is required for all trips!ALSO: Ride sharing information is available on our website.

Payment Information

o VISA o MasterCard o Discover o Check/Money OrderAll payments should be made to: NSS 2016 Convention

Name on Card Expiration Date

Billing Address

Billing City State Postal Code

Signature

Card Number CCV Code

Day passes include daytime sessions and evening social functions, but no camping or guidebook. All passes must be shown at the entry gates each day.

Monday, July 18 o or Friday, July 22 o: $58.00

Tuesday o, Wednesday o, Thursday o: $45.00

Please visit our website for details. Most events will be in Ely, NV, but the NNSS tour departs from Las Vegas on the 15th. Fri. Jul. 15: NV National Security Site Tour o: $16.50Sat. Jul. 16: Ely Speleo-Fest o: FreeSun. Jul. 17: Geology Field Trip o: $55.00Tue. Jul. 19, 4:30pm: Geology Steam Train o: $22.50Tue. Jul. 19, 7:30pm: Geology Steam Train o: $22.50Date TBD SpeleoArt Workshop o: $20.00Wed. July 20: Photography Workshop o: $12.00Thu. Jul 21: Vertical Workshop o: $25.00Fri. Jul 22: Speleology for Cavers o: $45.00

Sun-Fri, 9:30am: Steam Train Excursion o: $18.00o Sun, o Mon, o Tue, o Wed, o Thu, o Fri.

Before June 1st: Adult, NSS Member o: $175.00 Youth (9-17) (incl. JSS, no guidebook) o: $120.00 Child (0-8) o: $28.00

June 1st - July 1st: Adult, NSS Member o: $190.00 Youth (9-17) (incl. JSS, no guidebook) o: $130.00 Child (0-8) o: $28.00

Onsite Registration: Adult, NSS Member o: $200.00 Youth (9-17) (incl. JSS, no guidebook) o: $135.00 Child (0-8) o: $32.00

NSS Non-Member Surcharge o: $45.00

Meal Plan (served M-F at the high school) o: $95.00

Day-Pass Registration

Special Events

NSS 2016 Convention T-shirt: o Men’s o Women’s o Small, o Medium, o Large, o X-Large: $12.00 o XX-Large, o XXX-Large: $14.00NSS 75th Anniversary Pin FreeFree for all registrations received by April 22! Until Apr.22 NSS 75th Anniversary Coffee Mug o: $12.00 NSS 75th Anniversary Book o: $25.00 2016 Convention Cloisonné Pin o: $6.00 2016 Convention Patch o: $7.00 Extra Guidebook o: $28.00 Pet Registration (includes free gifts!) o: $24.00Pet’s Name & Species:

Merchandise & Extras

Total Registration:

Would you be interested in RV hook-ups for $25/day? o Yes o No

Please type or print legibly. Use one form per person. All participants must review and sign liability waivers at registration. We reserve the right to remove any persons whose behavior infringes on the safety of our other guests.

Would you like the Nevada Commission on Tourism to send you afree travel guide? o Yes o No

Will you need to borrow cave gear? o Yes o No

Current College Student (must show ID) o: - $25.00 No Guidebook o: - $28.00 Only available for secondary registrations at same address. NSS New Member Coupon o: - $45.00

Discounts

Includes breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday