Our Mission

To explore, survey, and study caves and karst in southeastern West Virginia and to assist karst researchers of all interests.

VTC Training

The Vertical Training Commission's Eastern Region is hosting a Level One Training event Nov. 15-17, 2024 at WVACS. Learn safe vertical caving practices and skills, proper ascending and rappelling, crossing obstacles on rope, and more. Meet other cavers and go vertical caving! Only 8 spots are available, so act fast. Registration is now open: https://vtc.regfox.com/level-1-lewisburg-nov-2024

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General Information

      • West Virginia Association for Cave Studies (WVACS) members have contributed to the mapping of at least 350 miles of cave passages in West Virginia. WVACS has teamed up with the West Virginia Speleological Survey (WVASS) to publish several comprehensive bulletins covering the caves and karst of Greenbrier County, W. Va. The most recent publication was Bulletin 24 — The Caves and Karst of Western Greenbrier County in June 2020.

Welcome

      • WVACS welcomes cavers from all corners of the world. A current member serves as a sponsor when staying at the facilities during Project Weekends, which are the second full weekend of each month, or “off weekends.” If someone decides that he or she would like to join, simply ask a current member to sponsor them as a new member. Learn more about becoming a member here.

Research & WVACS

        • As an institution, the West Virginia Association for Cave Studies actively promotes research. The facilities are available to scientists, including graduate students who have lived at the Fieldstation for months at a time, while conducting research. Students can apply for grants too. We encourage and support the collection of important speleological information as well as its dissemination through publications and newsletters. Download the Research Grant Application here.

Our History

      • WVACS was founded by cavers in the 1960s from Charleston, W. Va. who wanted to explore and study the Great Savannah caves of Greenbrier and Monroe counties. The caves explored had large and virgin passages were abundant to  survey. Among the largest of these were The Hole, Culverson, McClung, Benedict, Ludington, Maxwelton, and Organ caves. Read more here.