Bat Cave

Lauderdale County, Alabama

September 2022

Gate Type: FLYOVER

Bat Cave was a difficult project, situated approximately 2/3 up a 200′ bluff overlooking a lake. All equipment and materials had to be guided down an unclimbable slope by caver employees while on rappel. To complicate matters, the gate needed to have an opening at the top, which meant some removal of rock slabs blocking that part of the entrance. Bat Cave was the former home of over 50,000 federally Endangered gray bats (Myotis grisescens), but human disturbance has caused the majority of those to abandon their roost. Recent counts have shown that the populations have dropped to merely hundreds. All photos © Jim Kennedy.

Bat Cave was a challenging project located on a 200′ bluff overlooking a lake, where over 50,000 federally endangered gray bats (Myotis grisescens) used to call home. The project required caver employees to guide all equipment and materials down an unclimbable slope while on rappel to install a gate with an opening at the top. Due to human disturbance, the bat population has significantly declined to merely hundreds. All photos © Jim Kennedy.

The entrance as we found it. Note the screen and rake used by looters illegally searching for Native American artifacts.
Looking out you can more clearly see the offending rock slabs at the top of the entrance.
In this photo you see the expanded metal grating skirt, on which rests the sill, which supports the two columns (one angled to allow for maximum flight space at the top of the gate). The hangers are welded to the columns and are now ready for the horizontal bars.
Here’s the finished gate with the removeable bar removed for entry. All of the horizontal bars are in place, and strengthened and protected by the vertical torsion bars. You can see the supports and shielding for the expanded metal flyover. The outer edge is much higher (and more dangerous to access) than it looks in this photo. This should keep out all but the most determined trespassers.
Here’s a quick shot showing one of the workers bringing cut pieces of angle iron down to the cave entrance. The total drop was longer than you see in this view. Photo © Jeff Harrod.