I always try to do “something I will remember” for my birthday, it makes getting one year older more bearable! This year after toying with the idea of going dog sledding or flying on a trapeze, I opted for cave rappelling instead. It was something that I could easily convince my husband to accompany me on (as long as I don’t mention how far of a drive it is).

The 3-hour drive to the cave rappelling location was tedious, but some things are worth the effort. We were going to the Moaning Caverns in Murphys, California where I heard they had a phenomenal rappel into a cave. When we arrived we all were required to watch a cheesy, short video that gave you the dos & don’ts of rappelling, followed by a 2 minute lesson. That’s it! Then, the teeny bopper instructors hooked us into our harnesses and led us to the rope and into the cave. The first portion of the cave rappelling was much like rock climbing backwards, semi-challenging yet not that exciting. The second part was more of a free fall drop (the fun part).

Next time, I would opt for something faster and longer! There was an option to go spelunking once you got into the cave, which would have made for the perfect birthday adventure, but we decided to go wine tasting instead. That works too!

Close by was the quaint, charming town of Murphys, California. The small downtown offered several nice restaurants & 20+ wine tasting rooms. Couldn’t have ended the day any better! We learned that the town was gearing up for the biggest tourist attraction; the yearly frog jumping contest. Participants spent all year choosing and prepping their slimy creatures for the fierce battle. I think I just found one more thing to add to my bucket list.

Have you ever been Cave Rappelling?

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CAVE RAPPELLING RESOURCES
Moaning Caverns, rappel adventure in Calaveras County.
How to Rappel, book

FACTOID
Rappelling is also called abseiling, rapping, roping down, jumping and snapping.