When taking someone new to Pettyjohn Cave in north Georgia, I enjoy taking them on the Loop

tour. It is great because the only part of the cave that the route crosse twice is about !"# feet of
cave near the entrance. $he roun trip will take about four hours an involve tight s%uee&es,
moerate climbs an some mu, but not the real mu. If the group really wants a challenge, a
in the 'lat (oom an the )*bens. +ie trips can also be mae to the ,ver -. /ner (oom or the
0cho (oom for an even longer trip.
$he Loop route consists of the Pancake +%uee&e or )*1ens, choose one or split the group up
with half going through each. 2+maller cavers take the )*1ens3. .e4t is the (accoon room, $he
'reeway, an then the 1rige (oom. Leaving the 1rige (oom, crawl into the 5ason * 6i4on
Passage an onto the 7olcano (oom, then back to the 5ain 0ntrance (oom.
8s one slies own into the entrance of Pettyjohn, you cannot help but notice the smooth
weathere rock slie that thousans of cavers have sli own before. If it is raining or wet
muy cavers e4ite just before your party oes, the last few feet of the cave can be %uite
challenging an it will re%uire most of your climbing skills just to e4it the cave. 8 %uick turn to
the left an own then back to the right an the cave opens up into a huge cavern. /ntil your
eyes ajust to the ark take care climbing own into the large 0ntrance (oom. $he floor may be
slippery, so while your eyes ajust, try to take in the large formations on each sie of the room.
$he room is about 9# feet high an !# feet wie. 8bout !## feet into the cave is the first junction
room an a climb.
6own through the floor in the first junction room is the route to the +ignature (oom, a goo trip
for first time cavers, with plenty of goo sticky mu. $he well*worn path up the rock to the left is
ifficult to climb, but easy to come own on the way out. $here is a sloping rock in the center of
the passage that will have a istinct crack for a foot step followe by another sloping rock with
one small worn formation in the center that provies another foot step to the top of the climb. 8
few more steps an you are looking own a steep climb own with a large overhanging bouler
on the right an the vertical wall on the left.
+lowly work your way own along the right sie uner the overhang to the bottom of the secon
junction room. $his is where we start the Loop route an it is also the most travele route to the
large water fall at the lower level. $here will be two holes at the bottom of the secon junction
room. $he most obvious one is a rop that I woul not recommen. 8fter checking it out turn
back away from the left wall an climb own through the breakown, feet first, until you are
uner the hole. :ou can then see that there are no foot or han hols to use if you came through
the first hole.
Continue to climb own uner the left wall of the 0ntrance (oom, the cave will open up sloping
steeply away from the 5ain 0ntrance (oom. $his is maybe the most confusing area on our tour.
,n a recent trip I spent almost an hour here trying to fin the way on. I keep forgetting that there
is another level to escen before climbing up again into a short water passage that leas to the
Pancake +%uee&e. Climb own to the right over a steep lege until you can go no eeper. $hen
turn back to the left an look up for hien passage over a small lege. If the group chooses to
take the )*1ens, then stay low an continue in the same general irection but more to the right.
$hrough a low wie room calle the 'lat (oom. .ear the en of this room look for a vertical
crack to s%uee&e into an follow it until it opens up. $his is the )*1ens, the taller you are the
harer it will be to get through.
'or the group that went up over the lege take the first sie passage through water about ; inches
eep to the en. 6uck uner the lege on the right an crawl into the Pancake +%uee&e. $he
Pancake +%uee&e is tricky, try an look ahea for the highest part an stay sightly to the left. If
the s%uee&e starts to get tight try moving more to the left. :ou may have to remove your har hat
in orer to get through. $here is plenty of room on each sie, so crawling is not a problem. When
you rop off the Pancake an into staning room you shoul come into contact with the group
that took the )*1ens. 5ake sure that everyone is back together before continuing.
$he ne4t challenge will be a short rop of about < feet. If you are tall, you can just slie over feet
first to the rock floor below. 8 better route is along the left sie between a stalactite an the left
wall, where you can hol on to the stalactite an lower yourself own to the floor. Continue
along the right wall for another "# feet an the left sie will start to fall away. +tay high along
the right sie of the passage. If you climb own through a muy hole on the left wall to the
stream level, you will be on the tourist route to the water fall. 8bove this hole high on the right is
the (accoon (oom. $his is a angerous climb an there may be a han line there, but o not put
your trust in it as it has been there for years. Climb up an over the lege to the right.
Cross the (accoon (oom on the right sie to the back of the room. 8voi the ea en crawl an
stay to the right crawling over several mu walls until you reach a canyon junction. $he large
walking passage to the right will ea en after several turns. 8t the junction there will be a nice
stalactite with water ripping into a pool with rim stone ams aroun the ege of the pool.
'ollow the canyon to the left an climb up into $he 'reeway. $he 'reeway is easy stoop walking
passage with mu banks along each sie. Cross through three rooms about =" feet each until
reaching the 1rige (oom.
$he 1rige (oom is a goo place to take a break, hang your legs over the ege an listen for the
stream about ;# feet below. :ou coul climb own here an go to the water fall. 1y crossing
over the brige, which is a narrow muy arch over the canyon, an continuing through a long
trunk passage access can be ha to the back sections of Pettyjohn Cave. $o continue the Loop, o
not cross the brige, but follow the narrow mu path along the right wall of the large canyon an
stay at the same level near the ceiling.
8t the en of the 1rige (oom look for a small hole near the ceiling, this is the tight crawl into
the 5ason * 6i4on Passage. If you climb own at this point an uck uner a lege, you can
follow the lower stream passage to the sump at the lowest part of the cave, !9" feet below the
entrance. $ake off all your gear an shove it into the hole ahea of you, then s%uee&e through.
8fter about !# feet it will start to open an you can slie up into the passage on the left. $his
passage will start out about > foot high an then later open up into walking with one more tight
crawl about half way through.
8fter about "## feet there will be a large junction room. $o the left is the Worm $ube leaing to
the 0cho (oom, the largest room in the cave. $he Worm $ube is !## feet of very tight passage
an the climb up into the 0cho (oom is very tough. 1ut it is well worth the effort to see the large
room. $o the right in the junction room an over a rock lege an through a hori&ontal crack is a
small room on the way to the 7olcano (oom. ,ne more hori&ontal crack an then climb out an
onto the ege of the 7olcano (oom.
$he 7olcano (oom is shape like a large funnel with steep sies an it leas own to the stream
passage an the sump. 'or years the only way out was to climb up a vertical wall to a small
winow above the 7olcano (oom. We usually use a cable laer when coming the other
irection. I have free climbe the wall, but it is very e4pose. In the late ;#-s someone ug a
bypass crawl uner an aroun the vertical climb up to the winow. $o enter this crawl from the
7olcano (oom sie enter hea first, pushing you gear. :ou work your way upwars twisting as
you go. $ry to stay on your back because you will have to ben up at the en an if you are not
on your back you will not be able to ben up or turn over. If you are going the other way, you
will want to go feet first an on your back. Going own hill is a little easer.
When getting out of the crawl an waiting for the others, it is worth the view to go up to the
winow an look out over the 7olcano (oom. $here is not much room in the small vertical
passage at the winow so before it fills climb into the larger room above. Climb up into another
room with walking passage to the left an a climb up on the right. $he left passage ea ens.
$he climb up along a narrow lege, first right then back to the left an up into a large formation
room. 8t the far sie of this room an over a lip is another room going own. +tay to the left an
enter a crawl way before the room. $he crawl way will have a very sharp turn to the right. $he
corner of the rock at the turn has been broken off to enable the e4traction of a poor caver who
fell from the winow over the 7olcano (oom an broke a leg.
$he easy crawl continues upwar over a large breakown to a short rop into a small room.
When you are in this passage, you can talk to anyone who may be in the 8utograph (oom above.
If they are at the bottom of the 8utograph (oom, they must be only a few feet from this passage.
1ut no visual contact coul be mae. 8s you climb own into the small room, turn to the right
an slie feet first into another small opening before going completely into the small room.
Continue own this small vertical ry an usty crack until it levels out.
If you continue to the en of this passage, there is a har climb up that long legs are neee to
reach the foot hols. 1efore you reach the en an shortly after it levels out there is a hole going
up that leas to the passage above. $he upper passage is about > foot high an wie. It will lea
to the rop off at the en of the passage below. Continue up the passage, through a small winow
an to what looks like a ea en. It is possible to climb up through the breakown an into the
5ain 0ntrance (oom above but it is very tight an vertical. 8t the apparent ea en, lay own
on your sie an slie uner the wall, it is about ?! inches high, but opens up. Crawl over a rock
an into another small junction room.
$o the left is a passage to the east stream passage an Crowell 6omes. /p an to the right is a !#
foot climb up into the 5ain 0ntrance (oom. ,ne irection is the 8utograph (oom an the other
irection is the secon junction room where we climbe own. Climb own to the bottom of the
room an then back up the left sie. 8t the top stay to the right an slie own along the right
wall into the first junction room. 'rom here it is an easy walk to the entrance an a slippery
climb out of the cave.