In 2011, the revived ISS returned and extended the South Branch survey a little further upstream, but didn’t reach Atz’s Solo Dome.

Then in 2012, the ISS made a trip up Fantastic Avenue to check a small drain off the Dining Room that had first been checked by George Jaegers in 1968. They surveyed about 250 feet of sleazy low crawlway in water and then explored ahead another 250 feet or so to drop off. The pit appeared to be about 20 feet deep and they could hear a second waterfall coming from the far end of the dome. It is fairly unusual to find domes with two waterfalls. Could they have found Atz’s Solo Dome from the top? When the survey notes were plotted, it was possible.

In early 2013, Rand Heazlitt led another ISS survey team to the passage. They finished the survey to the lip of the pit and Rand found a tenuous rigging point and descended the pit. He could see know sign of previous visitation, but since the cave is flood prone any evidence of Atz being there 13 years might have been gone. Because the rigging point was suspect, Rand decided no one else would descent, but he pushed about 200 feet down the passage he found on the far side of the room and sure enough he intersected a fairly wide low stream passage- possibly the South Branch River.

Next: Rand returns….