Movie Night - Friday, 8-11pm - Clubhouse
- Under a Desert Sky (24 min) Matt Bowers
- Hidden Cave (19 min) Matt Bowers
- Mt Hood Clip (3 min) B. McGregor
- Helens/Rainier New Projects (8 min) B. McGregor/ E. Cartaya
- Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood Secret World (29 min) B. McGregor/ E. Cartaya
- Her Father’s Worst Nightmare (17 min) David R. Socky
- Karst Topography: A Unique & Fragile Environment (24) Albert Ogden
Under a Desert Sky: Life in the Great Basin
Running time: 24 minutes Under a Desert Sky explores the vastness and unique character of Nevada's Great Basin and the beauty of Great Basin National Park - a place with life at every elevation. This 24-minute film portrays the rich diversity of the park and its mountains where ancient bristlecones cling to windswept ridges, marmots raise their young on rocky slopes, and remnant cutthroat trout survive in isolated mountain streams. We see the Great Basin through the eyes of those who have always called it home, and those who come to enjoy its open spaces. Above it all is the Great Basin sky - bright blue horizons giving way to dramatic summer storms, and night skies that are some of the darkest to be found in North America. Just beneath the surface of this majestic landscape, a network of limestone caverns contain new species that have yet to be identified. In this film, NSS caver, Jean Krejca, shares her explorations and scientific discoveries in these ancient caves. Filmed in HD with breathtaking aerial footage, Under a Desert Sky is an exceptional visual exploration of a spectacular yet little-known American landscape. This region of the American west will play host to the 75th Anniversary Convention of the National Speleological Society in July of 2016.
Hidden Cave
Running time: 19 minutes Formed under the tumultuous waves of Pleistocene Lake Lahontan, Hidden Cave dates back many thousands of years. For millenia, the entrance was obscured by freshwater coral deposits called tufa. It was first discovered by the indigenous people living in Nevada's Carson Sink region around 3,800 to 3,500 years ago. Then, about 1,000 years ago, a record series of droughts gripped the American west. The Carson Sink region and Hidden Cave were abandoned and the cave lay forgotten. Following its rediscovery in the 20th century, archaeologists from the 1940s, 1950s and late 1970s uncovered a vast collection of artifacts buried within the depths of Hidden Cave. Tools, weaponry, basketry and food caches were some of the items found which provided archaeologists with vital clues about desert lifeways in the Hidden Cave area. Since then, Hidden Cave has become an important cultural site within the Fallon, Nevada community and around the world. Filmed in stunning 4K Ultra HD, this 20-minute film captures the majestic splendor and stunning beauty of this premiere archaeological site. The story is woven together with cultural perspectives from descendants of the original inhabitants and archaeological observations by world-renowned researchers. The State of Nevada will play host to the 75th Anniversary Convention of the National Speleological Society in July of 2016. Trips to Hidden Cave will be offered as pre or post-convention field trips.
Running time: 24 minutes Under a Desert Sky explores the vastness and unique character of Nevada's Great Basin and the beauty of Great Basin National Park - a place with life at every elevation. This 24-minute film portrays the rich diversity of the park and its mountains where ancient bristlecones cling to windswept ridges, marmots raise their young on rocky slopes, and remnant cutthroat trout survive in isolated mountain streams. We see the Great Basin through the eyes of those who have always called it home, and those who come to enjoy its open spaces. Above it all is the Great Basin sky - bright blue horizons giving way to dramatic summer storms, and night skies that are some of the darkest to be found in North America. Just beneath the surface of this majestic landscape, a network of limestone caverns contain new species that have yet to be identified. In this film, NSS caver, Jean Krejca, shares her explorations and scientific discoveries in these ancient caves. Filmed in HD with breathtaking aerial footage, Under a Desert Sky is an exceptional visual exploration of a spectacular yet little-known American landscape. This region of the American west will play host to the 75th Anniversary Convention of the National Speleological Society in July of 2016.
Hidden Cave
Running time: 19 minutes Formed under the tumultuous waves of Pleistocene Lake Lahontan, Hidden Cave dates back many thousands of years. For millenia, the entrance was obscured by freshwater coral deposits called tufa. It was first discovered by the indigenous people living in Nevada's Carson Sink region around 3,800 to 3,500 years ago. Then, about 1,000 years ago, a record series of droughts gripped the American west. The Carson Sink region and Hidden Cave were abandoned and the cave lay forgotten. Following its rediscovery in the 20th century, archaeologists from the 1940s, 1950s and late 1970s uncovered a vast collection of artifacts buried within the depths of Hidden Cave. Tools, weaponry, basketry and food caches were some of the items found which provided archaeologists with vital clues about desert lifeways in the Hidden Cave area. Since then, Hidden Cave has become an important cultural site within the Fallon, Nevada community and around the world. Filmed in stunning 4K Ultra HD, this 20-minute film captures the majestic splendor and stunning beauty of this premiere archaeological site. The story is woven together with cultural perspectives from descendants of the original inhabitants and archaeological observations by world-renowned researchers. The State of Nevada will play host to the 75th Anniversary Convention of the National Speleological Society in July of 2016. Trips to Hidden Cave will be offered as pre or post-convention field trips.
The Magic of the Sandy
Running time: 3 minutes Sit back and enjoy this short clip which portrays the stunning beauty of the Sandy Glacier caves from which over 7,000' of surveyed cave system lie beneath the glacier. In it's 4th year of study, the Sandy Glacier Cave Project is documenting a dying glacier as the caves recede up the glacier.
Introducing the Steam Vent Caves on Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens
Running time: 8 minutes This is a short recap of two new caving projects started this year picking up where caving teams years ago mapped these caves. The changes are great on both projects and need lots of work to complete new up to date survey maps and scientific data. Funding is needed to support logistics of annual trips for both of these fascinating projects.
Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood’s Secret World
Running time: 29 minutes This film, produced by Oregon Public Broadcast, documents the recent discovery, exploration, and documentation of the largest glacier cave system in the Continental US. Cave explorers Eddy Cartaya and Brent McGregor organized teams of scientists, surveyors, and local “Sherpas” to conduct two expeditions on the Sandy Glacier in 2012 and 2013 to gather a baseline of data including over 2.1 km of surveyed glacier cave passage. The documentary explores the unique methods of monitoring glacier recession from inside the glacier as opposed to the use of more traditional surface measurements.
Running time: 3 minutes Sit back and enjoy this short clip which portrays the stunning beauty of the Sandy Glacier caves from which over 7,000' of surveyed cave system lie beneath the glacier. In it's 4th year of study, the Sandy Glacier Cave Project is documenting a dying glacier as the caves recede up the glacier.
Introducing the Steam Vent Caves on Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens
Running time: 8 minutes This is a short recap of two new caving projects started this year picking up where caving teams years ago mapped these caves. The changes are great on both projects and need lots of work to complete new up to date survey maps and scientific data. Funding is needed to support logistics of annual trips for both of these fascinating projects.
Glacier Caves: Mt. Hood’s Secret World
Running time: 29 minutes This film, produced by Oregon Public Broadcast, documents the recent discovery, exploration, and documentation of the largest glacier cave system in the Continental US. Cave explorers Eddy Cartaya and Brent McGregor organized teams of scientists, surveyors, and local “Sherpas” to conduct two expeditions on the Sandy Glacier in 2012 and 2013 to gather a baseline of data including over 2.1 km of surveyed glacier cave passage. The documentary explores the unique methods of monitoring glacier recession from inside the glacier as opposed to the use of more traditional surface measurements.
Her Father’s Worst Nightmare
Running time: 24 minutes Producer: David R. Socky
This humorous look at caver vs. non-caver pre-conceptions tells the story of a young college student named Mandy breaking the news to her dad that she has a new boyfriend who also shares her new hobby—caving!
Many cavers will relate as Mandy struggles to explain caving as both an activity and a lifestyle to her clueless dad, who pictures something totally different while listening to Mandy’s descriptions. Although the video’s appeal to Western cavers may be somewhat weakened by some long scenes of West Virginia’s popular Old Timers Reunion (OTR) and Eastern caver personalities, the many scenes with universal caver appeal and the video’s clever surprise ending will leave most viewers smiling.
Karst Topography: A Unique and Fragile Environment
Running time: 17 minutes Producer: Albert Ogden
2011 NSS Video Salon: Best of Show Medal Winner
Nicely paced, very informative video that answers an important need of both the general public and academic institutions. Benefits from a well-written narration that uses good storytelling technique to inform viewers of the nature, problems and solutions around a crucial, yet hard-to-see and difficult-to-understand, natural resource. Albert Ogden’s abilities as a videographer and producer have grown immensely since his early work as executive producer of this program’s 1970s predecessor, Secrets of Limestone Groundwater.
Programs like this have to strike a balance between being a lecture piece for college hydrology classes and an accessible public information piece for rural residents without formal education. In some places Karst Topography veers a little towards the former in presenting a bit too much information. It also misses the occasional opportunity to use artistry to connect with viewers on an emotional level, as well as an intellectual one. Overall however, this is an extremely well-crafted video for its budget and a beneficial contribution that will definitely see a lot of usage by the NSS, other conservation groups, land use agencies and educators.
Running time: 24 minutes Producer: David R. Socky
This humorous look at caver vs. non-caver pre-conceptions tells the story of a young college student named Mandy breaking the news to her dad that she has a new boyfriend who also shares her new hobby—caving!
Many cavers will relate as Mandy struggles to explain caving as both an activity and a lifestyle to her clueless dad, who pictures something totally different while listening to Mandy’s descriptions. Although the video’s appeal to Western cavers may be somewhat weakened by some long scenes of West Virginia’s popular Old Timers Reunion (OTR) and Eastern caver personalities, the many scenes with universal caver appeal and the video’s clever surprise ending will leave most viewers smiling.
Karst Topography: A Unique and Fragile Environment
Running time: 17 minutes Producer: Albert Ogden
2011 NSS Video Salon: Best of Show Medal Winner
Nicely paced, very informative video that answers an important need of both the general public and academic institutions. Benefits from a well-written narration that uses good storytelling technique to inform viewers of the nature, problems and solutions around a crucial, yet hard-to-see and difficult-to-understand, natural resource. Albert Ogden’s abilities as a videographer and producer have grown immensely since his early work as executive producer of this program’s 1970s predecessor, Secrets of Limestone Groundwater.
Programs like this have to strike a balance between being a lecture piece for college hydrology classes and an accessible public information piece for rural residents without formal education. In some places Karst Topography veers a little towards the former in presenting a bit too much information. It also misses the occasional opportunity to use artistry to connect with viewers on an emotional level, as well as an intellectual one. Overall however, this is an extremely well-crafted video for its budget and a beneficial contribution that will definitely see a lot of usage by the NSS, other conservation groups, land use agencies and educators.