September 23 - September 28, 2012

Lodge at DeadwoodDeadwood, South Dakota

NATIONAL CAVES ASSOCIATION 2012 Convention

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionBlack Hills, South Dakota

Dear NCA Members & Guests,

It’s going to be great to see great faces at this year’s NCA Conference located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Our host site is the beautifully appointed Lodge of Deadwood in Deadwood, SD. For our first time ever in South Dakota, we have a fabulous agenda planned for you! The NCA Association Conference Committee has been planning for this event all year and we are all proud to be your hosts for the 2012 NCA Conference.

Education is our focus. We have a special guest on Tuesday including Jim Hagan, Secretary of Tourism for the State of South Dakota. We have speakers presenting on new topics such as social media and recreation-al liability. Of course, we will have our very informative Roundtable and Cracker-barrel discussion. And, don’t forget about the Vendor Show!

A Conference would not be complete without getting a flavor for what the area has to offer. We have some interesting day trips lined up for you. Our Opening Reception will be held in Kevin Costner’s Midnight Star and Jake’s Restaurant! On Tuesday, we will travel to Rushmore Cave and Black Hills Caverns. There will be treated to their unique caves and their other attractions while on property. That evening, we will have dinner with the Presidents at Mt. Rushmore National Monument. A tour, dinner and a lighting ceremony will fill our evening. On Wednesday, we will explore a full day of many Southern Hills attrac-tions such as Crazy Horse Monument. Here we will go to the base of this wonderful tribute to the NativeAmerican Indian. This will be followed by a breathtaking drive through Custer State Park, where we will be treated to an old fashioned chuck wagon hayride lunch. You can’t forget a cave on this day…..we will enjoy a tour of Wind Cave National Park where we will have the option of taking a standard tour or our very own customized lighting educational tour. We will then head to Ft. Hays, the place where Major Dun-bar in the movie Dances with Wolves received his orders to a frontier post. Here we will be able to tour the grounds, enjoy dinner and see an amazing western show.

We know there will not be enough time for you to experience all there is to do here during this brief visit, so we invite you, your families, friends and clients to take part in several post and pre-convention activities on your own. Please note that on Thursday you will have time after the morning session to explore the area in your own special way. Whether you see other caves in the area, tour historic Deadwood or the Homestake Mine; or take a bike ride on the Michelson Trail you will sure to be delighted by the beauty and serenity of the Black Hills.

If you have any questions about travel arrangements, please let us know and we will assist you as best as possible. The enclosed brochure should assist you with your planning needs. Thank you for your support of NCA throughout the year. In return, we sincerely hope that you will continue to take advantage of, and contribute to, the very best that NCA has to offer.

Great Faces….Great Places…..Here’s to a great Conference!

Susan BerdeauxSusan BerdeauxConference Committee CoordinatorNational Caves Association

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionPre and Post Activities

Wonderland CaveSixty million year old underground cavern. Guided tours leave every 15 minutes. Largest cavern in theMidwest. Location: Near Sturgis and Deadwood. Take exit 32 off I-90.

The Golf Club at Red RockASSoc SDGA, USGA, Ranked by Golfweek as the #1 public course in South Dakota, the course is designed to provide an exceptional golf experience for both casual golfers and the more demanding player. Routed through the Black Hills terrain, the course features lush fairways surrounded by native grasses, tall ponderosa pines, dramatic elevation changes, links-style bunkers and a minimum of four tee placements per hole. Practice facility includes target greens, short game practice area, and large undulated practice green and full service driving range. Pro shop, bar & grill, uplink GPS system on carts. Opened in 2003. Architect: Ron Farris. Some of the rankings The Golf Club at Red Rock have received include: America’s Best 2005 Top 40 Best New Courses - by Golfweek Magazine, Best in State - by Golf Digest, America’s Best Courses You Can Play - by Golfweek Magazine.

George S. Mickelson TrailThe George S. Mickelson Trail, in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills, was completed in September of 1998. Its gentle slopes and easy access allow people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the beauty of the Black Hills. Much of the trail passes through National Forest Land, but there are parts of the trail that pass through privately owned land, where trail use is restricted to the trail only.The trail is 109 miles long and contains more than 100 converted railroad bridges and 4 rock tunnels. The trail surface is primarily crushed limestone and gravel. There are 15 trailheads, all of which offer parking, self-sale trail pass stations, vault toilets, and tables.

A majority of the trail does not exceed a 4% grade, but parts of the trail are considered strenuous. Dumont is the highest point and the 19 mile stretch from Deadwood to Dumont is the longest incline. Note: Poor to non-existent cell phone coverage on the trail, Mickelson Trail Pass*: $3 daily or $15 annual pass * Passes are available at self-service stations along the trail

Jewel CaveJewel Cave National Monument is not only the second-longest cave in the world (currently 150 miles and counting!), it is also one of its most structurally complex. Located just over an hour southwest of Rapid City, Jewel Cave is a regional gem tucked in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Exploration is ongoing in this pristine underground labyrinth, now the world’s second longest cave. Visit chambers decorated with calcite, nailhead and dogtooth spar crystals and other speleothems such as draperies, flowstone and stalactites.

The monument’s surface trails and facilities are open free of charge. A fee is required for cave tours. All cave programs are ranger-guided. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Visitor Center or by phone. Cave Tours do sell out in advance; therefore waiting times could be up to hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead for tour availability and to reserve tickets. Visit www.nps.gov/jeca for more information.

One-half mile, 1 hour and 20 minute loop tour begins at the Jewel Cave Visitor Center with an elevator ride into the cave. You will follow a paved lighted path and climb up and down 723 stairs on a moderately strenuous cave tour.

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionPre and Post Activities

Mammoth Site The world’s largest mammoth research facility located in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The site is a working paleontological site/museum that contains the largest concentration of Columbian and Woolly mammoths ever found in their primary context (where they died) in the world. The Mammoth Site was featured on Discovery Channel’s “Raising the Mammoth” and “Land of the Mammoth”. Smithsonian Magazine recently featured the Mammoth Site in an article “ALL-AMERICAN MONSTERS” detailing the history of mammoths. A new 12,000 square foot addition in 2001 includes 4,000 square feet of additional exhibit space and viewing laboratory where visitors can visit with staff and volunteers as they work on preserving the fossils removed from the sinkhole.

Buffalo RoundupCuster State Park in the beautiful Black Hills is full of lush forests, quiet and serene meadows and majestic mountains. This 71,000-acre park is also home to one of the world’s largest publicly-owned bison herds, nearly 1,300 strong. The ground rumbles and the dust flies as cowboys, cowgirls and park crews saddle up to bring in the thundering herd. The annual roundup, held on Monday, September 24, is open to the public.

Badlands National ParkThe Badlands National Park area, “mako sica” to the Lakota people, is a place of mystery, spirituality and natural beauty. Jagged buttes and gently-sloped valleys hold their majesty with brilliant colors and a firm resistance to the wind, rain and lightning storms common to the area. Once home to ancient marine life, early mammals and now bison, bighorn sheep and ferrets, Badlands National Park is a must-see stop filled with painted canyons and photo opportunities.

One million visitors are attracted to the park’s 244,000 acres each year, which are divided between three units for hiking and exploring. The Stronghold and Palmer Creek Units to the south are also part of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. An entrance fee is required to enter Badlands National Park, and is valid for 7 days.

Devils Tower National Monument Devils Tower rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River, just across the Wyoming border. American Indian legend has it that the rock sprang out of the earth and into the air, just in time to save two boys from a bear. The bear below pawed at the rock, resulting in the tower’s fluted appearance.

Sitting Bull Crystal CavernThe visitor’s center and cave entrance is located just off Highway 16 about 10 minutes south of Rapid City on the way to Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Visitors will be completely surrounded by the world’s largest Dogtooth Spur Crystals-some as monstrous as T-Rex teeth. Experience the feeling of walking through “a giant geode”. Owned and operated by Duhamel family for over 70 years.

The tour is considered strenuous and takes about 45 minutes! Tour consists of 185 (370 steps round trip) - narrow steps down-same stairway coming out. GUEST MUST SUPPLY CARRIERS/BACKPACKS FOR CHILDREN 3 AND UNDER Should not be attempted by people in poor physical condition, afraid of heights or claustrophobic.

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionAgenda

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - ContinuedNoon Busses depart for Mt. Rushmore area activities*1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Tour Rushmore Cave (Sponsored by Soaring Eagle and Rushmore Cave) Tour Black Hills Caverns (Sponsored by Black Hills Caverns)5:00 pm Board Busses to Mt. Rushmore National Monument5:15 pm - 6:00 pm Tour Mt. Rushmore Monument and Museum Cocktail Reception6:00 pm - 7:15 pm Dinner & Interpretive Talk7:30 pm Lighting Ceremony of Mt. Rushmore Busses will depart for Deadwood immediately after.9:30 pm - 11:00 pm Cracker-Barrel - Pine Crest A (Sponsored by Reflective Images)

Wednesday, September 26, 20127:00 am - 8:15 am Breakfast - Pine Crest B & C (Sponsored by Squire Boone Village) Retail Committee Meets - Reserved Table8:15 am Busses Depart for Southern Black Hills Activities*9:00 am - 10:30 am Tour Crazy Horse Monument10:30 am Board Busses for trip to Custer State Park11:30am - 2:00 pm Old Fashioned Hayride and Chuck Wagon Cook-out Lunch2:00 pm Board Busses to Wind Cave3:15 pm - 4:30 pm Wind Cave Tours ( Regular Tour or Special LED Lighting Demo Tour) (Sponsored by Rod Horrocks and The National Park Service)4:30 pm Board Busses to Ft. Hays5:30 pm - 8:15 pm Ft Hays Tour, Dinner and Show8:30 pm Busses Depart for Deadwood*Days Activites Sponsored by Keith Dobrolinsky & Assurance

Thursday, September 27, 20127:00 am - 8:15 am Breakfast - Pine Crest B&C (Sponsored by Western Woods) Past Presidents Breakfast - Reserved Table8:30 am - 9:00 am Announcements; 2013 Convention Presentation8:45 am - 9:30 am NCA Insurance Program Announcements Pro Insurance Services, Inc./ Assurance9:30 am - 10:45 am Roundtable10:45 am - 11:00 am Break (Sponsored by Prairie Mountain)11:00 am - 12:30 pm Roundtable Conclusion12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch - Pine Crest B & C1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Activities - On Your Own6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Cocktails & Dinner at Lodge of Deadwood (Sponsored by Markel Insurance Company & Pro Insurance Services, Inc.)

Friday, September 28, 20127:00 am - 8:15 am Breakfast - Pine Crest B & C8:30 am - 10:30 am Business Meeting Part 2, Convention Wrap-up, Surveys Pine Crest A

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionAgenda

Saturday, September 22, 2012Pre-convention Activities

Sunday, September 23, 20129:00 am - 5:00 pm Board of Directors Meeting - Roosevelt Room3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Registration Table Opens - Covention Center Foyer3:00 pm - 7:00 pm Vendor Show Set-up - Pine Crest B & C Dinner On Your Own

Monday, September 24, 20128:00 am - 5:00 pm Committee Meetings (All meetings in the Roosevelt Room, unless noted) 8:30 am - 9:25 am Interpretation/Education 9:00 am - 11:00 am Finance - see Diane 9:30 am - 10:25 am Electronics 10:30 am - 11:00 am WNS 11:00 am - 11:30 am Business Innovations 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm Convention - see Susan 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm Air Quality 3:00 pm - 4:45 pm Insurance8:00 am - 12:00 pm Vendor Show Setup Continues10:00 am - 6:00 pm Registration Table Opens - Convention Center Foyer12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Vendor Show - Pine Crest B & C Lunch On Your Own6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Opening Reception at Jake’s Restaurant - Midnight Star Casino (Sponsored by Sandy Creek Mining Company) Dinner On Your Own9:00 pm - 10:30 pm Cracker-Barrel - Pine Crest A (Sponsored by Zara Environmental)

Tuesday, September 25, 20127:00 am - 8:15 am Breakfast - Pine Crest B& C (Sponsored by IGES/SSS) Retail Committee Meets - Reserved Table8:30 am - 8:45 am Welcome and Opening Remarks All Business Sessions Held in Pine Crest A8:45 am - 9:00 am Presentation Jim Hagan, Secretary of Tourism for the State of South Dakota9:00 am - 9:30 am Business Meeting (Financials, Meeting Minutes, etc.)9:30 am - 10:15 am Social Media Presentation Micah Aberson & Robin Temple, Lawrence and Schiller10:15 am - 10:30 am Break (Sponsored by SS Handcrafted Art LLC)10:30 am - 11:15 am “Liability Issues for Cave Owners and Tour Operators” James H. Moss, Recreation Law, LLC. (Sponsored by Pro Insurance, Inc.)11:30 pm - 12:00 pm Pick-up boxed lunches, board busses* * All busses will depart from Convention Center Foyer

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionBlack Hills, South Dakota

Registration FormSeptember 23-28, 2012

Please complete one form for each cave/business/honorary. Thank you!

Please check appropriate category:

CAVE NAME/ BUSINESS NAME (if applicable): ___________________________________________

Mailing Address: _____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: Office: __________________________ Cell: ________________________________

Other: ___________________________ FAX;________________________________

Email Address: _____________________________________________________________________

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionBlack Hills, South Dakota

Registration FormSeptember 23-28, 2012

Member Cave Affiliate Member Honorary Member Non-Member

ARRIVAL DATE (if known): ___________________ DEPARTURE DATE (if known): ____________________

ARRIVING AIRPORT: ________________________ DEPARTING AIRPORT: __________________________

Have you made lodging reservations with the Lodge of Deadwood:

Flights are available into the Rapid City Regional Airport. Most major rental car companies have kiosks located near the baggage area. Reserve now!

Shuttles are available to Deadwood - see rapidshuttle.com for details.

Yes No Staying elsewhere: __________________________________

Tuesday - Black Hills Caverns, Rushmore Cave and Mt. Rushmore Tour & Dinner

TOTAL:

List Attendees HerePlease print your name as you would like it to appear on your name badge.

Will you ride the bus to the attractions? Yes No

Yes No Yes No

Wednesday - Full Day Tour of Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Wind Cave & Fort Hays

TOTAL:

Tuesday Box Lunch

Vegetarian

Wednesday Box LunchDinner Options

Tues, Wed, Thurs

MeatTurkeyBeefHam

Veggie VeggieItalian Sub

CaesarSalad

List Attendees Here

Attractions

Meal Options

National Caves Association 2012 ConventionBlack Hills, South Dakota

Registration FeesFor NCA Cave and Affiliate Members Only:________ No. Attendees @ $400.00 = $ _________

For NCA Cave and Affiliate Members AFTER September 2 or NON-MEMBERS registering at anytime:________ No. Attendees @ $450.00 = $ _________

________ No. Honorary Members @ $ _________

Total Enclosed: $ _________

Make checks payable to: National Caves Association

Mail completed registration form to:

NCA Conventionc/o Diane M. Thompson92 Hidden DriveCamdenton, MO 65020diane@caverns.com

Convention Questions:

Susan BerdeauxDiamond Caves, LLC. 270.749.2233susan@diamondcaverns.com