A Lava Beds Valentine

Submitted by jersu on February 14, 2006 - 11:53am

It was on this day in 1933 that an explorer found the entrance to an unknown cave in present day Lava Beds National Monument. The explorer named the cave after the day: Valentine Cave. That day, the warm, damp air of the cave condensed as it hit the cold outside air. Ross Musselman, the explorer noticed this water vapor in the air and followed it to the cave entrance. Finding the cave today is much easier. You can now drive your car and park just outside the entrance. Of the more than 300 caves in the park, Valentine Cave is described as being an "easy" cave to explore:

This cave has a remarkable floor. You can easily see where the crust on the surface of the lava flow sagged as the liquid beneath it drained away. Other outstanding features include multiple benches, pools, cascades, falls, and unusual ceiling formations. ... The flow that formed Valentine Cave occurred over 11,000 years ago.
~National Park Service

Happy Valentine's day!