La Sunder Cave

General Information

LaSunder Cave is located on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in Deep Creek Canyon, northwest of Dotsero, Colorado. Following negotiations between the Colorado Cave Survey (CCS) and the BLM, and after extensive inventory studies and assessments of the cave’s sensitivity to visitation, portions of LaSunder Cave are now open to limited recreational visitation. Access to LaSunder is currently being administered by the Colorado Cave Survey under the auspices of a Cooperative Management Agreement with the Bureau of Land Management.

Trip Regulations and Requirements

The following briefly describes trip rule and regulations.  More details can be found in the Access and Visitor Management Plan and other links below.

  1. A total of eight recreational trips are permitted to visit LaSunder each year.
  2. Only two recreational trips per month are allowed in the cave and only one trip per day.
  3. Recreational trip size is restricted to three to six people.
  4. Four of the eight recreational trips each year may visit the “back section” of the cave, beyond the C25 crawlway.
  5. One additional work trip per year of three people is also allowed.
  6. Trip leaders should be familiar with the cave, and should have made at least two previous trips there.
  7. A permit to lead a trip must be requested from the current LaSunder Access Contacts.  The Access Contacts may exercise their judgement to refuse permission to any trip leader they believe is not fully qualified or responsible.
  8. Approved trip leaders will be granted a permit and the key to the cave gate only after returning a completed trip permit request form as well as Hazard and Stipulation forms signed by everyone going on the trip.
  9. After the trip is completed, the trip leader must return to the CCS the key to the cave gate, as well as a completed LaSunder Cave Monitoring Form.  Note that there are now separate monitoring sections for the front and back portions of the cave.
  10. Those interested in conducting research, restoration, or digging trips in LaSunder Cave should contact the CCS and BLM.

Please cave softly! Continued access to this Colorado gem depends on each one of us doing our best to minimize our impact on this irreplaceable resource.

LaSunder Cave Access Contacts

Please contact the following individuals for access to LaSunder Cave:

  • Carl Bern, 303-763-5097, cbern5-at-juno-dot-com,
  • Stuart Marlatt, 720-504-6047, Stuart-underscore-Marlatt-at-comcast-dot-net

Further Links and Forms

LaSunder Cave Access and Visitor Management Plan
LaSunder Cave is administered by the Bureau of Land Management.  The objectives of the BLM management plan, and the goals for balancing the preservation of the cave while providing access to qualified cavers, are contained in the Management Plan. You can download a copy of the LaSunder Cave Access and Visitor Management Plan here: (PDF file).
LaSunder Cave Trip Permit
All trips to LaSunder Cave must file a trip permit.  You can download a copy of the trip permit here: (PDF file).
LaSunder Cave Hazard and Stipulation Acknowledgment Form

The Hazard and Stipulation Acknowledgment Form describes many (but not all) of the hazards which may be present in LaSunder Cave. A signed copy of this form must be completed and returned to the CCS by all visitors to the cave.  Please download the form here: (PDF file).
LaSunder Cave Monitoring Form
The Colorado Cave Survey and the Bureau of Land Management are committed to the long-term preservation of LaSunder Cave.  Continual monitoring of the state of the cave provides a valuable tool to help achieve this goal. To that end, the LaSunder Cave Monitoring Form must be completed and returned by all parties visiting LaSunder Cave.  Please download the form here: (PDF file).

LaSunder Cave Guidelines for Cave Research

Scientific research in LaSunder Cave must be authorized by the Bureau of Land Management. Information on what research may be considered acceptable, and on how to submit a proposal for scientific research, is provided in the LaSunder Cave Guidelines for Cave Research, available here: (PDF file).
LaSunder Cave Guidelines for Digging
While LaSunder Cave may have the potential for additional exploration, the delicate nature of the cave dictates that any exploration must approached with extreme care. Consequently, the LaSunder Cave Management Plan mandates that all exploration and digging projects must be pre-coordinated with, and authorized by, the Bureau of Land Management.  Information on what is acceptable, and on how to submit a proposal for an exploration project, is provided in the LaSunder Cave Guidelines for Cave Digging Projects, available here: (PDF file).