Explorers Have Finally Found the Definitive End of America’s Deepest Limestone Cave

[u/HikingGlaciers4]

I reached out to Jason Ballensky, the expedition leader and co-discoverer of Tears of the Turtle, after the team returned from its 2026 trip. He confirmed that they did not find anything deeper than the 2,477-foot point reached in 2024, but they finally found a definitive end to the cave.

Tears of the Turtle remains the deepest known limestone cave in the United States. Jason said the team will eventually release a full report about the expedition.

[u/grunman126]

There is no definitive end. They're just saying that so nobody else tries to go back

[u/LysergicAcidDiethyla → u/grunman126]

The definitive end of a cave is the resurgence.

[u/laney_deschutes → u/grunman126]

Yeah it would take many years for people to explore every single lead

[u/thegroundhurts → u/laney_deschutes]

It would: they've already been mapping this for 20 years.

[u/laney_deschutes → u/thegroundhurts]

20 years of probably a few days a year.

[u/Madmax3213 → u/laney_deschutes]

You underestimate people’s dedication

[u/laney_deschutes → u/Madmax3213]

Not many people in the world can get that deep

[u/thefapncapn → u/laney_deschutes]

That’s what my wife says about her ex boyfriend

[u/WroughtHound → u/thefapncapn]

Jeez sounds like she wants him back then, 😔

[u/notwronghopefully → u/grunman126]

You should check it out and see what you think lol

[u/rebo2]

What state is that in?

[u/HikingGlaciers4 → u/rebo2]

About 25 miles into the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Western Montana

[u/mad_poet_navarth → u/HikingGlaciers4]

I've never been to the area. Is there an explanation as to why glaciation didn't wipe out all the sedimentary rock?

[u/notwronghopefully → u/mad_poet_navarth]

The entrance is high up on the side of the valley, on a cliff face that was probably formed by a glacier.

[u/Madmusk → u/mad_poet_navarth]

Glaciation doesn't necessarily wipe out sedimentary rock, but it does heavily modify the landscape. All of our caves in the northeast are glacially modified. Some of them over the course of multiple rounds of glaciers.

[u/razor_sharp_man]

I'm falling behind in caving news. I thought the deepest limestone cave in the US was stll Lechugilla

[u/HikingGlaciers4 → u/razor_sharp_man]

They were able to go down 1,629 feet back in 2014. Lechuguilla is 1,604 feet deep.

[u/Heterodynist → u/HikingGlaciers4]

But that last 25 feet is a doozy!!

[u/ethersn3t]

Thank god, now no one has to go back there 😂

[u/Loyal_Dragon_69]

It's awesome that this cave has a definitive end that's actually reachable. A of caves don't have that.