Meetings

Our meetings are held twice a year at various locations
NRO Events

Semi-annual festivals and more!
Region Events

Member Grottos and related events happening around our region
NRO-sponsored Events

Upcoming...

Spring NRO 2011
The Northern New Jersey Grotto is proud to host this years Spring NRO. Full details can be found here


Looking Back...

Fall NRO 2010
The Central Connecticut Grotto is proud to host this years Fall NRO. It is set for September 11-13th, and will be held at Camp St. Michael's in Pittsfield. This site has Massachusetts's supposedly longest cave right on the property and we have worked out access to it (It has previously been closed for many years). 
 
Please see the NRO 2010 webpage at /region/nro/fall2010/index.html
Spring NRO 2009

Dear Northeastern Cavers and friends,
 
The Vermont Cavers Association is proud to host this years Spring NRO; May 15, 16 & 17, 2009. Located in Leicester, Vermont. At Country Village Campground (3 miles North of Brandon on US Route 7).
 

43*50’41.07 N - 73*06’22.14 W telephone 802-247-3333

  • Registration will open 3PM Friday May 15

              Pets are discouraged, however there is a designated pet walking area at the campground.

              Camping $5.00 per night per person (children 6-12 $2.50)
              Add $10 extra for RV camping per weekend
              NRO base attendance fee $3.00
              Cash or check only; payable to the VCA
              * meal pricing to be determined after buying the food
 
  • Saturday Breakfast 7AM by Steve Janesky.  ($6-$7 *)
  • Speleobooks openings for business
  • Led trips begin at 9AM.
  • Saturday dinner at 6:30 by NNJG. ($8-$9 *)
  • Auction f.b.o. NCC 8PM Auctioneer Nice Bob Addis

Please bring items for the auction

  • Bonfire
  • Sunday Breakfast 7AM by NNJG ($6-$7 *)
  • NRO meeting and election of officers 9AM.
  • NSS 2010 Convention planning meeting at conclusion of NRO meeting.
  • Campground closes at 11 AM Sunday 

Activities available Saturday. Suggested trips most within a 5 mile radius, but not limited to: 

Caving:

Caving in itself will be limited due to WNS. I will not offer caves known to be infected including the Dorset/Danby area.

Weybridge Cave (2 led trips), Bristol Caves, and a road trip including Rimmond Cave, Piper Crossing Cave, & Ann Story Cave. Rappelling into the Pittsford ice cave with the ice?  Cave Digs……………..????

 

Vertical rope work:

At the Falls of Lana. Maybe a zip line across the falls? Bring your own gear and a rope to be sure we have enough.

Hiking:

The area offers many trails to hike. A suggested vista is to the top of Mt. Moosalamoo overlooking Lake Dunnome. Bring your camera and binoculars.

Canoeing / Kayaking:

A section of the Otter Creek with many road crossings so you choose how long you want to river paddle. There is also many places to flat-water paddling. IE: Fern Lake, Richville Pond, Lake Dunmore, Goshen Dam, or if you really want the challenge; a 2 mile kayak carry to Silver lake (no cars or motor boats).

Mountain Biking:

Offered trip from campground. I know of a wonderful old road from Rte 73 at the Churchill House Inn that ends up at silver lake and back down to lake Dunmore.

If you do not have your own kayak or bike you can rent in Rutland either at

Eastern MT Sports ph# 802-773-9782  or  Great Outdoors Trading Co.  ph# 802-775-9989

Road trip or bike: In Brandon Village center of town stop at the waterfall and old dam. Take Route 73 East to Forest Dale iron furnace. Continue up to Brandon Gap and long trail crossing. Hike to the top of Mt. Horrid for the vista. Continue on Rte 73 to Rte 100. Go North to Rochester relax on the green and have lunch. Continue North on Rte 100 to Route 125. Go west up Middlebury Gap, visit Texas Falls and nature trail, then stop at the Middlebury Snow Bowl “Bailey waterfall”. Continue to East Middlebury. Take Upper Plains road on the Left (south) back to Rte 53, Lake Dunmore and finish at the Falls of Lana.

 

Any of these activities can be all day or half day, depending on group needs and number of guides/leaders available.

Don’t forget May in Vermont can be black fly season so bring plenty of bug spray

 

Rick Pingree / Vermont Cavers Association




Spring NRO 2008
Spring NRO 2008 will be held in Rosendale, NY. May 16-18, 2008
Spring 2008 NRO


Fall NRO 2007 - Sept 14-16, 2007

The NRO is held at Privacy Campground in Hancock, MA Contact is Steve Millett, email: Fall2007NRO <the at sign> ctcavers.org Please see Fall 2007 NRO


Spring NRO 2007 - May  18-20, 2007

The NRO returns to the premier caving area of New York - the Schoharie/Cobleskill region. Lots of caving opportunities for beginners, armchair cavers and even some new excursions into recent discoveries. NYC's Met Grotto is hosting, and we'll be serving a Monster Pasta Feed dinner on Saturday, with daily breakfasts prepared on-site as well. The site is the newly revamped Hide-a-Way campground in Central Bridge (www.hide-a-waycampsites.com ). For more info go to  http://www.metgrotto.com/2007_Spring_NRO/index.htm Contact is Scott Sala (chair@metgrotto.com).


Fall NRO 2006 - September 15-17, 2006

The NRO returns to the Oakland Valley Campground in Cuddebackville, New York, for a Fall NRO co-hosted by SCAG and NNJG. This is very closep;to Surprise (a.k.a. Mystery) Cave, one of the most visited caves in the Northeast. A Mexican dinner on Saturday, Saturday breakfast and Sunday breakfast will all be prepared on-site. Saturday night activities include a gear auction, with all proceed donated to the Northeastern Cave Conservancy - so bring gear and other items to auction off! www.oaklandvalleycampground.com Contact Sean Ryan (201-533-0854) for further details and volunteer opportunities.

Spring NRO 2006 - May 19-21, 2006
Spring NRO to be held at the Natural Stone Bridge and Caves, Pottersville, NY, hosted by the VCA. Adirondack caving - old favorites and new. Camping at NSB&C, as well as nearby motels. A Saturday evening BBQ dinner is planned - other meals and activities TBA. Watch this site for news of pre-registration and other information over the winter. Grottos are asked to volunteer to put on the Saturday and Sunday breakfasts.
Dinner Menu:
  • Pulled BBQ pork
  • Fresh brocolli salad
  • Eva's famous Potato/Corn Chowder (vegetarian choice)
  • Tossed green salad w/assorted dressings
  • Rolls
  • Chips
  • Apple Crisp

    • Schedule: NRO Spring 2006 Schedule
    Pre-Registration: NRO Pre-Registration Form
    T-Shirt design: NRO Spring 2006 T-Shirt
    Natural Stone Bridge and Caves website: http://www.stonebridgeandcaves.com
    Contact Ken Moore via email or at (802-635-9369) to volunteer or for further information.
    Fall NRO 2005 - September 16-18, 2005
    Larry Botto and the Southern New hampshire Grotto are hosting the Fall NRO at the Privacy Campgrounds in Hancock, Mass. For more information please call Alan Traino at 973-427-2020.

    Spring NRO 2005 - May 20-22, 2005
    TThe Central Connecticut Grotto will host this Spring 2005 NRO at Oakland Valley Campground, in the Surprise Cave Area on May 20-22, 2005. For details go to http://www.ctcavers.org/Activities/nro_spring2005.html
    See http://www.oaklandvalleycampground.com/index.html for details on how to get there.
    The local cave is Surprise Cave.
    Other trip possibilities are Pompey's Cave, Shingle Gully hike (with lots of deep cracks and Ice Caves), Kingston area hiking-mine trip, Salamander Cave, Dead Cat Cave, Rosendale area Century House Historical Society with museum and Widow Jane mine. Hot meals will be provided Saturday morning, Saturday night, and Sunday morning by Steve Janesky. The NRO will sponsor an auction and a two part NRO meeting, Saturday night and Sunday morning.

    Fall NRO 2004 - September 17-19, 2004
    The Fall NRO was hosted by the Helderberg-Hudson Grotto /grotto/hhg/ and was held at Natural Stone Bridge and Caves http://www.stonebridgeandcaves.com/, Pottersville, NY. Thanks to Hurricane Ivan we had a lot of rain on Friday night but that did not stop the 82 cavers that showed up and they were rewarded with beautiful Adirondack fall weather for Saturday and Sunday. Several trips went out to Browns Cave, Eagle Cave, Lost Pond Cave, Crain Mountain and a geology tour of Natural Stone Bridge. Thanks to all the trip leaders! Friday nights activity were Funky Flicks featuring "What Waits Below" (amazing how they could see so well in that cave without a light source) followed by "Gargoyles". Saturday breakfast was host by Steve Janesky-profits donated to the NRO. The Saturday night festivities started off with tasty Mexican Fiesta Dinner hosted by CCG- profit donated to NCC for Clarksville. The NCC hosted an auction and it was done in style with "Yooperman" as the auctioneer. The Saturday flicks started with some educational videos: Art Palmers 1991 NSS Convention Talk and then a NOVA special - "Decent Into The Ice" after that it was a free-for-all on the videos that were available. Both nights the movie time was started with the "Tokyo Shock Boys" about 7 minutes worth of "Don't try this at home" stunts. There was a campfire both nights which was much appreciated as the temperature dropped. Sunday started off with a hot breakfast served by VCA followed by the NRO meeting. After that there were a couple more cave trips. Speleobooks was the vendor and I think they might have sold out of the fleece items they brought. It was a great time and a beautiful area, not just for caving but there are some great hiking/mountain bike trails on the property. The Becklers, owners of Natural Stone Bridge and Caves, are wonderful people and gracious hosts. If you did not make it up there stop by some time and see the area and say hi. Or wait until spring when we will help them with a spring cleanup of the area -details to follow.
    Spring NRO 2004 - May 14-16, 2004
    Hosted by the Vermont Cavers Association grotto, at the Camping on the Battenkill campground. Arlington, VT.

    Fall NRO 2003 - Sept 5-7, 2003
    September 5-7, 2003 - Northeastern Regional Organization meeting of the NSS hosted by the Boston Grotto. To be held at the Barton Cove Campground - Gill, Massachusetts. Area Map. Event includes a cavers guidebook, camping, guided caving trips to local tectonic and talus caves, guided trips to solutional caves in Lanesboro MA and southern VT, canoeing and kayaking through the French King Gorge, an evening talk on the GVK project, a cave ballad sing-along, an auction to benefit the NCC, hiking and rockclimbing near the campground, and more. For details visit the site at Fall 2003 NRO or contact the Boston Grotto at fall2003nro@bostongrotto.org.

    Spring NRO 2003 - May 16-18, 2003
    Hosted by the Northeastern Cave Conservancy at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds, Cobleskill, NY. Weather was great, and lots of money was earned to support the NCC.

    Fall NRO 2002
    Hosted by New York City's MET Grotto at the Historic Snyder Estate in Rosendale, NY. Trips included many lesser-known caves and mines in the area. Saturday night feast followed by the Cinema Spectacular inside the Widow Jane Mine: King Kong was the featured film.

    Spring NRO 2002
    Hosted by Central Connecticut Grotto (CCG). Spring? How about winter blizzard in the middle of Friday night virtually halting most trips and turning Twin Oaks Campground into a GIANT MUD PIT! We still had fun, with live band Orogeny from CT and huddling next to bonfires.

    Fall NRO 2001
    Hosted by Vermont Caver's Association (VCA). Arlington, VT. Campground to be announced, many cave trips ranging from beginners to the advance will be guided. NRO will consist of and not limited to tee shirts, raffle, DJ or band Saturday night, bonfire, breakfast and Saturday dinner (sponsored by NRO grotto’s), slide show on Fisher Ridge system and Vermont Caves, and a tour of the Imperial Marble Mine, the worlds largest underground marble mine. Contact Rick Pingree 773-8767 caverrick@yahoo.com. Official website.

    Spring NRO 2001 in Cobleskill, NY
    Niagara Frontier Grotto hosted this event May 11-13 to celebrate their 30th anniversary! Official website.
    Fall NRO 2000 in Oakland Valley
    NNJG hosted this event for the second consecutive time. Hotsy kept cavers seemingly warm while the evenings were quite chilly. CCG ran a great "limited seating" Saturday morning breakfast. Saturday night featured NNJG's Chucky dishing out a grand feast.

    Speleobooks ran the sole vendor booth...thanks. And a big thanks to the Oakland valley Campground for the accommodations!

    One cautionary note: Surprise Cave had a small rock collapse in the entrance bypass when the final party exited late sutarday night. This centered around the painted-orange rock that is normally squeezed by. Cavers entering when the cave reopens next spring must use extreme caution if they plan to utilize this route. A wiser choice would be to rig the drop and wait until a team can assess the extent of potential danger.
    Spring NRO 2000 A Tremendous Success
    At last count 230 attended the Spring NRO held at the Cobleskill Fairgrounds in Cobleskill, NY on May 12-14/2000. The success of this year's event can be attributed to the joint efforts of many in the Caving Community; all graciously acknowledged by the new NRO Chair, Mark Stover (click here to see Mark's thank you letter).

    There were cave trips gallore on both Saturday and Sunday, to such places as Bensons, Clarksville, Knox, etc. Unfortunately high water keep most out of McFails. However, some new passage was discovered in Knox, and the Gun Barrel bypass was widened enough to allow cavers to now pass through its entire length.

    There were also vendors gallore, including Inner Mountain Outfitters, Speleobooks, and Bob and Bob, and Guadalupe Mountain Lampworks.

    Breakfast was served on both Saturday and Sunday mornings by MET Grotto and Central Connecticut Grotto, respectively.

    Attendees spent Saturday night enjoying a fantastic Mexican dinner served by NNJG, followed by two slide shows; (1) a special preview of the upcoming 2002 Maine NSS Convention presented by Kevin Harris, and (2) the main show, "New Mexico Caving" presented by Peter Jones.

    Sunday the board meeting was held. Check out the meetings page for more information.