I am saddened to learn...

that Jewel Cave pioneer Herb Conn has died.

I met Herb and Jan (his wife) in the early 1990s when I was working at Jewel Cave National Monument doing a mineral inventory during three summer field seasons.  They even autographed a copy of their book for me that describes the early years of exploration where they mapped the first 50 miles of the now more than 150 mile-long cavern system.

Hat tip:  The Bu parents.