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Discover the Oregon Caves
Big Cave, Bear Bones and Bigfoot
By Peggy Vincent
Elijah Davidson, 24, went bear hunting one day in 1874 with his dog, Bruno, and they stepped into darkness and history. Elijah was following Bruno, who was following a good-sized black bear. When the bear disappeared into the side of the mountain, old Bruno followed. Davidson checked his pockets, found three matches, and understandably hesitated. But Bruno's yelp of pain propelled Elijah into the mountain – and into total darkness.
Calling to his dog and worrying about the bear, Elijah quickly used up his matches and became, not exactly lost, but most definitely bewildered for a while. With a lot of luck, Davidson and his dog eventually followed an ice-cold underground stream back to the opening, requiring four hours to feel their way through just 12 feet of inky blackness.
While Elijah never found the bear, he had discovered the Oregon Caves, which began forming 220 million years ago when continent and ocean rock sideswiped, tearing open an ocean basin. The remains of sea creatures formed the limestone and silica-rich muck that solidified as chert. Over millennia, the limestone "fried" into marble. The molten mass broke and pushed rock aside along fault lines, slowly lifting marble into mountains above dense ocean rock.
Another collision tore the mountains apart and spun them east and west. Water created a crazy mix of tilted rooms and twisting passages. About 10,000 years ago, erosion opened a cave entrance. Then, 125 years ago, along came Elijah and Bruno, and the rest is history.
Our visit to the national monument was nearly as unexpected as theirs. Heading toward Galice, Ore., to begin a five-day white-water rafting trip down the Rogue River, we found ourselves with time to spare and followed signs for the caves. Pulling fleece jackets out of the trunk, we hurried to join a 75-minute tour.