General Information

The Southern California Grotto is a local chapter of the National Speleological Society (NSS), under which we are chartered. We endorse the mission statement of the NSS which is "the study, exploration, and conservation of caves." We are committed to the concept of underground wilderness, and observe the motto:

Take Nothing But Pictures
Leave Nothing But Carefully Placed Footprints
Kill Nothing But Time

The Southern California Grotto meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the Beckman Institute Auditorium. Meetings are open to anyone interested in caves or caving. The Grotto Executive Committee meets the second Tuesday of the month in various member's homes. These meetings are open to all Grotto members.

The Grotto publishes a monthly newsletter, The Explorer, which is available as a PDF file to all members. Regular Grotto membership is $20 per year, $10 per year for NSS members. Membership benefits include participation in Grotto trips and training sessions, delivery of the newsletter, access to the Grotto library (including exchange publications), and the rental of Grotto equipment.

The Grotto encourages membership in the NSS and also the Western Region of the NSS. Membership in the Western Region is an additional $10 per year, and includes a subscription to the Western Caver.

The Grotto is especially interested in promoting safety and proper techniques. We also stress conservation practices, both in and out of caves. We conduct climbing practices, instructional sessions on ropes and knots, demonstrations of proper use of caving equipment, and discussions of other caving related topics.

We are one of the oldest Grottos in the NSS, founded by William R. Halliday in 1948. We hope you will enjoy this group of individualistic people sharing the common bond of caving and fellowship.

Welcome to the Grotto, we hope to see you soon at a meeting.

    The Executive Committee
    Southern California Grotto