Annual Grotto Meeting 2019

Date/Time
Date(s) - 04/05/2019 - 04/07/2019
All Day

Location
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park

Categories

• Annual Event

Click here to register now!!

There’s lots to be excited for, including:
-Speleolympics with all-new event
-a grotto-wide dinner Saturday evening
-new presentations from across the globe
-THE ULTIMATE CAVER CHALLENGE
-and much much more!!!

Itinerary, Map, Directions, Lodging Info, Business Meeting Agenda, Registration, and Attendance List below.

COST: It’s free to all our members! An active NRMG membership will cover your entire household, and cost $12/year. We renew our memberships every year at this meeting.

WEEKEND ITINERARY (Approximate – Subject to Change)

Friday April 5th:
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm – Volunteer Cave Clean Up – Sign-up when you buy your ticket online, Meet at the lower visitor’s center.
5:00 pm to bat:30 – Fellowship and Tall Tales at the Pavilion. BBQ (grill will be available), BYOB, etc.

Saturday April 6th:

Sunday April 7th:

LODGING (in order of cost from low to high)

–The group use area within the L&CC campground (free for NRMG members) is available for us and has plenty of tent space. Solar

toilets will be open for business, but there is no running water for the campground this time of the year. RV spots are available with and without electric. Every camping spot is free except for the electric RV hookups, which are $20/night (payable to L&CC directly).
–All three cabins ($10 a person/night) are reserved for NRMG members. Cabins are served on a first-come, first served basis, with priority given to those offering presentations. Each cabin has one double bed, two single bunks, and enough floor space for 2 folks and some gear, making 6 total spots in each of the three cabins (18 total spots). Each spot costs $10/night and is paid at registration. Reserve your spot on the registration form at the bottom of the page.
–Cardwell Store and RV Park ($10 a person/night), about 10 minutes west of the caverns, a basic campground with suffecient room. A shower facility and laundromat round out this site.
–Chief Hotel in Whitehall ($59-$79/night), about 17 minutes from the caverns, is a vintage hotel from the 1940’s. Tell them you are with “the caving group meeting at the caverns,” and once 3 rooms are reserved, you’ll receive $10 off each room!
–Roadway Inn in Whitehall ($69-$109/night), about 17 minutes from the caverns, is neither a deluxe nor a budget hotel, and is part of the Choice Hotel franchise.
–Historic Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks ($109-$219/night), 25 minutes from the caverns, a Historic Hotels of America destination, offers over 100 years of practice in Western hospitality. Elegantly refurbished in 2010, you’ll enjoy distinct personal touches, fine dining, and luxury accommodations along with all the comforts of modern amenities.

BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA

Saturday afternoon we will conduct the business of the grotto. New motions are published below, and may also be directly accessed here. If you would like to make a motion please click on the link and add it to the document.

WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS!! When registering, please select whatever you can to help out with
-Registration Table (check-in folks who have already registered. Should be much easier and quicker than last year)
-Cooking (we’ll have salad, chili, and cornbread dinner Sat night. We need folks to organize that)
-Organize several AGM group photos. (going into Lewis and Clark Caverns on Sunday, after the business meeting Saturday morning, etc)
-Organize “speleolypmics” event at campgrounds Saturday night

WHAT TO BRING
– WATER (there’s none at the campground)
– CHAIRS – camp style for overflow seating during presentations – there may not be enough for everyone
– FIREWOOD – Because sitting around an LED lantern just isn’t the same
– Warm clothes and a place to sleep (it is winter in Montana!)
– Breakfast food, dinner for Friday night, snacks, tasty beverages
– Caving helmet (required for off-trail trips), caving pack / backpack, headlamps, gloves, in-cave clothing (cave is ~45 degrees F)

TICKETS

Click here to register now!!

ATTENDANCE LIST