About Seminar
The seminar consists of extensive classroom instruction and fieldwork in all phases of cave rescue including the underground environment, search problems, extrication techniques, patient evaluation and care, patient packaging, horizontal and vertical patient movement, rigging, hauling and lowering systems, communication systems, and the organization and management of cave rescue operations. Students typically include cavers, emergency services personnel, and emergency managers. The Seminar is physically demanding and participants must be in good physical health. Students should be prepared to work in difficult situations, both above and below ground.
Seminar Costs
Registration Cost $1168.00
Meal/Facility Only $650.00
Additional Options:
Additional meal/facility use plan $650.00
Manual of US Cave Rescue Techniques 3rd Edition (pick up onsite) $45.00
Event Shirt (XXL +$3.00) $25.00
Cancellation Policies |
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May 10th | 75% | or find a substitute person to take your place |
May 25th | 50% | or find a substitute person to take your place |
June 9th | 10% | or find a substitute person to take your place |
Seminar Scholarships
The NCRC awards scholarships to help provide financial assistance for those students otherwise unable to attend. The exact amount of the scholarship varies from year to year, but does not exceed half the cost of a seminar. To be considered, you must submit a scholarship request that includes completing the scholarship application, a caving resume, two letters of support from NSS members, and a cover letter describing your financial need and how training would benefit the caving community in your area. Letters from Grotto Officers and leaders in the caving community will be given the most weight.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION:apply here
Email [email protected] for details.
Available Courses
Space is limited and registration is first come first served.
LEVEL 1 teaches current cave rescue and emergency management techniques, and provides instruction in the cave environment, medical considerations, basic rope work, litter rigging and transport, and the Incident Command System (ICS). It is specifically designed to meet the various needs of agency personnel with little or no cave-related experience, and cavers with little or no rescue or medical experience. Level 1 prepares students to function as cave rescue task force members.
LEVEL 2 prepares students to function as cave rescue task force leaders. Students are taught more advanced techniques in medical management, vertical and horizontal rescue, team leadership, and incident management. The course is heavily oriented toward vertical rescue in the cave environment.
LEVEL 3 is designed to challenge and fine-tune students’ technical and management skills. Most sessions will be practical field exercises focused on crack and crevice rescue, technical rigging, water problems, and difficult litter handling situations - with an emphasis on small group scenarios and innovation. Throughout the week student teams will be presented with a variety of cave rescue problems and be expected to solve them with the assistance and supervision of the instructors.
OPTIONAL VERTICAL WORKSHOP is an optional opportunity for students to practice personal single rope technique (SRT) skills prior to entry testing, and to prepare for a more productive NCRC experience. Build and adjust a safe, functional climbing system; fit and fine-tune an existing system; work on ascending techniques; and practice changeovers. This optional session is open to all registered students. It will be held on the evening of Friday, July 11th, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Any student not absolutely confident in their personal SRT skills should plan to participate in this workshop.
Course Prerequisites
Seminar Prerequisites apply to all students along with the applicable course-specific prerequisites. Students must review both sets of prerequisites carefully.
Seminar Prerequisites
NSS Membership: All students must be active members of the National Speleological Society (join online at members.caves.org).
If you choose not to register as an NSS Member there is an additional $100 fee.
NCRC Manual: All students are required to have a copy of the Manual of US Cave Rescue Techniques, 3rd Edition (either 2.0 or 2.1).
Liability Waiver All students must complete a liability waiver prior to participating in the Seminar.
Personal Equipment All students must attend with all required personal equipment in safe, usable condition and marked to identify the owner. Equipment deemed unsafe or unacceptable during check-in must be replaced prior to the student’s continued participation in the course. (More details are available in the Student Preparation Guide under the course-specific prerequisites.)
Age Restriction: Any prospective student must be 18 years old by July 11th 2025 to participate
Level 1 Prerequisites
Student Preparation Guide: The Level 1 Student Preparation Guide contains comprehensive information on the requirements for personal equipment, vertical systems, knots, and SRT. The guide also contains the testing/scoring criteria used in the entrance exams and is a must-read resource.
Knots and Hitches: Level 1 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in the following basic knots and hitches commonly used in cave rescue:
Figure Eight on a Bight | Figure Eight Follow-Through | Double Figure Eight |
Bowline with safety | Munter Hitch | Butterfly Knot |
Clove Hitch with safety | Trucker's Hitch | Ring Bend (water knot) |
Double Overhand Bend | Prusik Hitch (3 wrap) | Square Knot |
SRT Skills: Level 1 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in using single rope techniques to ascend and descend rope:
Ascend 10 meters
Change over to rappel
Descend roughly 7 meters
Demonstrate a hard lock-off
Changeover to ascending
Downclimb to the ground
Retesting: Level 1 students who fail entry skills testing will be offered retraining and are allowed repeated tests per skill within the timeframe allotted to entry testing.
Level 2 Prerequisites
Eligibility: Students must have successfully completed Level 1 within the last four years to be eligible to register for Level 2.
Student Preparation Guide: The Level 2 Student Preparation Guide contains comprehensive information on the requirements for personal equipment, vertical systems, knots, SRT, and rigging. The guide also contains the testing/scoring criteria used in the entrance exams and is a must-read resource.
Knots and Hitches: Level 2 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in the following basic knots and hitches commonly used in cave rescue:
Figure Eight on a Bight | Figure Eight Follow-Through | Double Figure Eight |
Bowline with safety | Munter Hitch | Butterfly Knot |
Clove Hitch with safety | Trucker's Hitch | Ring Bend (water knot) |
Double Overhand Bend | Prusik Hitch (3 wrap) | Square Knot |
SRT Skills: Level 2 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in using single rope techniques to ascend and descend rope:
Ascend 10 meters passing a knot
Downclimb 2 meters
Changeover to rappel
Demonstrate a hard lock-off
Descend to the ground, passing a knot
Rigging Skills: Level 2 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in rigging skills:
1:1 with progress capture
2:1 with progress capture on a separate rope
3:1 with internal progress capture
Retesting: Level 2 students who fail entry skills testing will be offered retraining and are allowed two additional tests per skill (three attempts maximum per skill) within the timeframe allotted to entry testing.
Level 3 Prerequisites
Eligibility: Students must have successfully completed Level 2 or TOFE within the last four years to be eligible to register for Level 3.
Student Preparation Guide: The Level 3 Student Preparation Guide contains comprehensive information on the requirements for personal equipment, vertical systems, knots, SRT, and rigging. The guide also contains the testing/scoring criteria used in the entrance exams and is a must-read resource.
Knots and Hitches: Level 3 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in the following basic knots and hitches commonly used in cave rescue:
Figure Eight on a Bight | Figure Eight Follow-Through | Double Figure Eight |
Bowline with safety | Munter Hitch | Butterfly Knot |
Clove Hitch with safety | Trucker's Hitch | Ring Bend (water knot) |
Double Overhand Bend | Prusik Hitch (3 wrap) | Square Knot |
SRT Skills: Level 3 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in using single rope techniques to ascend and descend rope while passing a knot:
Ascend 10 meters passing a knot
Downclimb 2 meters
Changeover to rappel
Demonstrate a hard lock-off
Descend to the ground, passing a knot
Rigging Skills: Level 3 students must pass an entrance exam which includes demonstrating proficiency in rigging skills:
1:1 with progress capture
2:1 with progress capture on a separate rope
3:1 with internal progress capture
4:1 compound with progress capture on a separate rope
Retesting: Level 3 students who fail entry skills testing will not be offered retraining and are allowed only one knot, one srt, and one rigging station retest.
Course Certifications
NCRC certification is provided for students passing the written and skills tests for Levels 1, 2 and 3. NCRC certification is in accordance with NIMS Cave Search and Rescue Technician training requirements.
NIMS Typing: |
Cave SAR Technician, Type 3 | NCRC Level 1 |
Cave SAR Technician, Type 2 | NCRC Level 2 |
Cave SAR Technician, Type 1 | NCRC Level 3 |
Seminar Location
The seminar is being held at Mountain Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge, Virginia, located at 1000 College Dr, Clifton Forge, VA 24422. The college is located 3.5h from Washington, D.C., 2.5h from Richmond, VA, 1.5h from Charlottesville, VA, and 1h from Roanoke, VA.
In July, Clifton Forge, VA experiences warm, summer weather with average highs around 85°F (29°C) and lows near 65°F (18°C). Humidity levels can be moderately high, making it feel warmer at times. Rain is fairly common, with occasional afternoon thunderstorms adding to the region's humid conditions. Be prepared to hike to caves and above-ground training sites through vegetated areas with poison-ivy, ticks and mosquitoes. Long pants, short-sleeved shirts, hats, sunscreen, bug repellent, sturdy boots, and plenty of water are recommended for comfort and safety. The average cave temperature is approximately 54–58F with streams and muddy conditions.
Meals and Lodging
Meals are included in the seminar registration and are provided from Saturday morning breakfast on July 12th through Saturday morning breakfast on July 19th. For those with specific dietary preferences, special meal plans include: Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten Free (when medically necessary). Additional medically necessitated requests, such as food allergies, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and accommodated if possible. They can be submitted during registration or confirmed in advance by contacting [email protected]
Bunkhouse tent lodging is available. These sleeping spaces in airconditioned tents will be on a first come first serve basis. There will be a limited number of cots and sleeping bags available. We anticipate being able to accommodate a good number of students with spots inside the tents.
Small campers can be brought on-site. Most folks will bring a tent and their sleep system.
White Nose Policy
Virginia is a WNS-positive region and all caves are contaminated with WNS. Decontamination is not required before or during the seminar, but decontamination stations may be available at the end of the seminar for those traveling outside the region. Gear used in caves during the seminar should not be used in any areas outside the WNS endemic area, even after decontamination. Decontamination will be pursuant to the National Protocol: National White-Nose Syndrome Decontamination Protocol - Version 09.13.2018
Arrival and Check-in
Students must arrive and register prior to the start of the seminar which is at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 12th 2025. On-site registration will be open on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Camping is available starting Friday evening to facilitate arrival, check-in, the vertical workshop, and a full night sleep before the Seminar begins.
Nearby Resources
There is a Walmart located in the neighboring town of Covington, about a 15min drive. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is only 1.5h away. Shenandoah National Park is only 1.5h away. There are tons of historic towns, battlefields, and museums all around! If you’re feeling wild, the ocean is 4.5h away!
Transportation:
3.5h from Washington, D.C. (Dulles International Airport, Regan National Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport).
AMTRAK has a train from Washington D.C. to Clifton Forge (Return July 20th)
2.5h from Richmond, VA (Richmond International Airport)
AMTRAK has mixed bus and train service from Richmond to Clifton Forge
1.5h from Charlottesville, VA (Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport)
AMTRAK has a train from Charlottesville, VA to Clifton Forge (Return July 20th)
1h from Roanoke, VA (Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport)
AMTRAK has a train from Roanoke to Clifton Forge (it’s a 6:15am departure fyi)
Resources:
Walmart - 313 Thacker Ave, Covington, VA 24426
Dollar General - 820 Main St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
ACE Hardware - 432 E Ridgeway St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422
Food:
Jack Mason’s Tavern - 400 E Ridgeway St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422