Hell Hole Cave, or IXL Cave, is for the adventurous and not claustrophobic. The area is reportedly difficult to find, and once you're in, navigating it will be very challenging due to the narrow holes.
Why Is Hell Hole Cave Not For Claustrophobics?
Hell Hole Cave is located in Santa Cruz's Wilder Ranch State Park. It is popular due to its claustrophobic tunnels, and one must crawl on his back or belly to enter its narrow holes.
The main attraction of the cave is the Hall of Faces, a clay area where visitors can leave sculptures to mark their success in reaching the area. However, visitors must descend a 90-foot-high (27-meter-high) vertical known as "The Pit" to reach the area. Also, the descent is challenging, especially because the area is so tight that some holes are only a foot wide.
According to Enter the Caves, finding the cave's main entrance is already challenging, and many are having difficulty locating the area. However, a map of the cave has been made available online.
Claustrophobics are discouraged from trying the adventure due to the tight spaces inside the cave. Brandon Gross, who admitted that he is claustrophobic, decided to face his fears when his friend Danielle invited him to the Hell Hole Cave. However, he chose not to travel down to the Hall of Faces and instead climbed up to get some fresh air.
Even those who watched the video found the clip terrifying. One said they aren't claustrophobic, but watching the video gave them "claustrophobia." Another said they had no claustrophobia but would never enter the cave.
A third user said he would never do it even if offered millions because no one could rescue him if he got stuck there. The cave has very small holes you barely fit in to pass through.
The Birthing Canal and The Corkscrew are some areas in the Hell Hole Cave that are challenging to pass through. The Birthing Canal is reportedly the narrowest section. Meanwhile, you will need to wriggle to pass through The Corkscrew. Some consider the latter more difficult to navigate.
Why Don't Some Spelunkers Want to Return to Hell Hole Cave?
Some cavers who had already visited the Hell Hole Cave said they were no longer interested in visiting it again. In a thread on Reddit, one netizen said he had been to the bottom of the Hell Hole Cave and even installed a 100-foot rope in "the pit" area to make it easier for future cavers to navigate the cave. However, the user said they aren't returning to the cave again.
The user said they're an experienced rock climber, but while they may have done dangerous stuff in caving and spelunking, Hell Hole is the only place they aren't going to visit again, even if they're getting paid for it.
The netizen pointed out several reasons they wouldn't want to do it. First, the cave is reportedly very dangerous. One wrong slip and you could die since there are blind corners, and you can drop off at 50 to 60 feet.
Also, it will be difficult to navigate the area when one gets a minor injury like a broken leg or concussion. Also, rescuers will not fit down there, and if you can't bring yourself out of the cave, you will be stuck there forever. The spelunker noted that there are holes that aren't much bigger than a basketball.
Additionally, there's a risk of flooding because the entrance is right next to a river, and the bottom of the cave is 150 feet below ground level. If it rains or a flash flood, it will pour down the hole, and climbing from the bottom takes at least two hours.
The user added that one of the reasons the cave is difficult to find is because those who have been there refuse to share the location for the others' safety.
Reddit user wegsleepregeling said he had been down to the Hall of Faces a few times but would never return. The last time they did it, their flashlights ran out of batteries, and they navigated the cave using intuitions.
It wasn't easy to go through the Corkscrew without lights because one had to either do it with arms forward or arms to the side as the position can't be changed mid-stream due to the narrow hole. Wegsleepregeling said that the only thing that stopped them from losing their mind was the thought that losing it would only make things worse. After the incident, they decided to never return to Hell Hole again.
However, some also seemingly enjoyed the experience like this group. The group also endured several wrong turns and spent at least 15 minutes passing through The Corkscrew, which is reportedly harder to cross when one is from the bottom of the cave.
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