These courses include lodging, meals, use of UAYCEF helmets and headlamps, cave orientation slide show and lecture, and trips to three caves. Maximum number of people 6.

Special Historic Cave Trip: Visit the caves featured in National Geographic "Adventure" Magazine's June/July 2004 edition story of one of UAYCEF's major projects in Ukraine. Limited Spaces & Requires Special Permission.

 Basic Knots Course: Learn one of the oldest known climbing systems; learn to make, and then use your very own "knots" system. This one-day course is linked to another one-day course in which you will get to use your new Knots system to climb in and/or out of a cave that you will explore for the day.

Basic SRT Course: This two-day course is directed by Chris Nicola, a caver with two decades of experience. Learn how to safely and efficiently descend and ascend ropes in vertical cave systems. Day 1 is spent above ground in a comfortable indoor environment. Day 2 is entirely underground. Regular courses are undertaken in the Albany, New York and Lewisburg, West Virginia areas of the US. Maximum number of people is 4. Linked into this course as an additional extra 2 day course is SRT rigging. This course shows you how to correctly fasten ropes to different anchors - natural belays, bolted hangers, etc. Both days will be spent underground with a maximum number of 4 people.

Basic Rappelling - This is a one day course in which you will learn the basics of rappelling, and be introduced to various descending devices such as the standard SMC six bar rack, the Micro rack, and Petzl Stop and Bobbin. Maximum number of 6.

Mechanical Climbing Systems (Level 1) - An Introduction to the use of the following mechanical ascending systems: Rope Walker, Frog, Mitchell, and Frog Hopper. One day course with a Maximum number of 4.

Mechanical Climbing Systems (Level 2) - Focuses on Straight Drop rappels in conjunction with mechanical ascending systems. Participants also learn how to do change-overs (i.e. changing directions) and pass knots. One day course with a Maximum number of 4.

 Rebelay Techniques & Principals - Learn what 70% of the vertical caving community already knows; learns how to do rebelays. In most areas of the world cavers can seldom drop a rope down a pit without it rubbing against rock at more locations than can be addressed by the simple installation of rope pads and/or deviations. Hence the need to resort to rebelays, and to be prepared by taking this course.

Courses range from 2 to 3 days in the upstate New York and Lewisburg, West Virginia areas, to 10 days on annual summer trips to Ukraine's Crimea area. Note that the ideal system for this course is the Frog system.

 Long Drop Rappelling - This course focuses on the special situation where there is significant rope weight, such as in the case of doing deep drop rappels (ex. Mexico's 1056 foot deep Golindrenas pit, West Virginia's 900 foot high New River Gorge Bridge). Although not required to take the course, participants of UAYCEF's Annual Bridge Day Rappel Team are required to know the following skills, all of which are taught in this course: change-overs, passing an unconscious climber, changing rack bars, transferring to a second rope, tandem climbing and passing knots.

Foreign Expeditions - These trips are designed for people who have some experience of SRT who need a different challenge. Expeditions to Ukraine, Mexico, Brazil and Puerto Rico are undertaken on a regular basis. Trips typically include participation in mapping projects, long distance hikes, and overnight camping in and out of caves. The maximum number of people is 8 with a minimum of 4.

 Learn to Cave Abroad - Special 5 to 10 day trips to Ukraine ,Puerto Rico and Brazil are undertaken on a regular basis for the purpose introducing one to the sport of caving in some of the world's most spectacular caves. The maximum number of people is 4.

TRAINING & INSTRUCTION

National Speleological Society's Basic Vertical Course: This two and a half-day course is offered free of charge to NSS and UAYCEF members. Designed to familiarize one with the basic principles of vertical caving, along with those safety practices necessary to ensure an enjoyable time underground by all.

Workshops:  UAYCEF routinely holds workshops, covering the skills taught in all of the above described courses, for experienced cavers. For a listing of all currently scheduled workshops, as well as other events, click here.

While trips are scheduled on a regular basis throughout the year, trips can also be set up upon requests from groups of four or more, and with one month's notice for New York trips, two months for West Virginia, and three months in the case of trips to Ukraine and Puerto Rico.

PLEASE NOTE: As a Non-For-Profit incorporated organization, a portion of all donations are put towards the funding of UAYCEF's student exchange program and to the protection and preservation of various caves around the world.