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Welcome to the Grotto

The Underground Texas Grotto (UTG) is an Austin-based non-profit that explores caves in Central Texas and beyond, keeping alive traditions from 1951. We are the oldest caving organization in Texas and have served as the nexus for cave exploration all over Texas and Mexico for more than fifty years. Members range from total beginners to international expedition cavers. Any central Texan interested in caves is welcome. Learn about our meetings below.

  • UTG Meeting Minutes — May 6, 2026

    Location: UT Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Room 104.

    Officers in Attendance:   Enzo Monfre (President), Aaron de la Garza (Secretary), Holly Klein Perrine (Treasurer), Joel Haus (Webmaster)

    Presiding officer Enzo Monfre called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm

    Official Announcements

    • No official announcements.

    Unofficial Announcements

    • Dane Smith announced that he was planning to set up workdays at the Texas Speleological Center through the Texas Speleological Association. Dane also announced an intended online store for TSA merchandise.
    • Joel Haus had pads for sale.
    • Grace Borengasser gave away a set of flippers and booties, which were gratefully accepted by Dane Smith.
    • Drew Thompson reminded attendees of the upcoming NSS convention, which will be held in Indiana from July 6-10, 2026.
    • Jim Kennedy reminded attendees that Texas will be hosting the 2027 NSS convention in Del Rio, and spoke of promotional activities to be conducted at the 2026 NSS convention.

    Upcoming Trips

    • Peter Sprouse is leading a June 20, 2026 dig trip to Menard, Texas to work on the very promising Shotgun Cave. Contact Peter for more information. Peter mentioned that 8-10 cavers are needed to help with the bucket line.
    • Joel Haus announced that there will likely be a vertical training night at the Thicket of Moderate Discontent at 6:30pm on Thursday May 14, 2026; details will be posted on Facebook and via the email list.
    • Enzo Monfre provided a reminder of the regular Whirlpool beginner trips.
    • Ethan Perrine announced that the next Tuesday Night Dig will be on May 12, 2026 at 6:30pm and that details will be posted on Facebook and through the email list.

    Reports on Recent Caving

    Aaron de la Garza described his trip to a cave in Circle C.

    New Attendees

    The several new persons in attendance were warmly welcomed.

    Formal Presentation

    Zach Englebert spoke remotely on the development of his CaveFinder.app, in a presentation entitled “Finding Caves with LiDAR: Now Anyone Can Do It.” Zach demonstrated the use of the CaveFinder app and a related survey practice app, provided a 3-day free trial code to members in attendance, and answered member questions.

    The meeting concluded at approximately 8:30pm. The after-meeting meetup was held at a location that the Secretary did not catch.

    The UTG’s next meeting will take place at 7:30 pm on May 20, 2026 in room 104 of the UT Brackenridge Field Laboratory. This will be a trip report meeting, where members are encouraged to give a short presentation on recent (or long past) caving adventures and caving-related topics. Photos or complete presentation may be sent to Vice President London Darce at vicepresident@utgrotto.org, or members may bring their presentation on a USB drive or their own laptop.

Calendar

Meetings

Photo of a UTG Meeting

We meet twice monthly on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays. The first meeting of the month is a formal meeting. Details are available on our email list, calendar, and Facebook page. Formal meetings feature presentations by guest speakers, trip reports of recent caving, announcements about upcoming trips and practices, and a chance to mingle afterward. Third-Wednesday meetings are more informal and include a series of short presentations on recent caving trips. Both meetings are held in-person at a rotation of venues.