Bat Cave, Oregon County, Missouri

October 2012

Gate Type: CHUTE with BAY WINDOW, FLYOVER

This remains one of my favorite projects of all times. Through a partnership with the Mark Twain National Forest and the Cave Research Foundation, we build two massive gates in two weeks on a very inaccessible cliffside location. This formerly remote cave, home for thousands of Endangered gray bats, was being impacted by visitors from a new, nearby ATV trail. We had to rig a steel cable highline to move equipment and materials up to the cave, using a pulley system and a gasoline-powered winch. This project earned us the U.S. Forest Service’s “Wings across the Americas” award. All photos © Jim Kennedy, except where noted.

The two massive entrances seen through the trees are an obvious attraction to anyone riding by. Photo courtesy of CRF.
Our winching base station was a really sweet setup.
The cable was attached to large steel pins drilled and hammered into the back of the entrance room.
Once in the cave, the materials had to be carried through the passages to the other entrance.
Expanded metal skirting in place, we quickly installed the sill and began placing columns. Photo courtesy of Ken Grusch.
The first gate begins to take shape. Photo courtesy of Ken Grusch.
The chute we had planned would require additional support, so we built a “bay window” into the gate. Photo courtesy of Scott House.
It’s always entertaining to watch the gaters working on the chute.
With the first gate nearing completion, it was time for me to cut out the old, not-very-bat-friendly gate. Photo courtesy of Ken Grusch.
Ta-da! A textbook Chute Gate with Bay Window.
For some reason we were all too busy, and NONE of us took any photos of the beginning of the second gate.
We had to keep the cable up until the very end, of course. But we kept working on the Flyover without interruption.
From the outside you can clearly see the overhanging shield at the top.
The folks below got lots of practice welding stiffeners in the bars. Photo courtesy of Ken Grusch.
The finished gates.
I could not have done this project without all of the detailed planning and support of the guy holding my ladder, Jim Cooley. Photo courtesy of Ken Grusch.
Our award. So proud!