About this episode

The episode explores the sacred caves of the Black Hills, featuring indigenous perspectives and hands-on spelunking experiences.

The Black Hills are home to more than 100 known caves - including the world's third-longest cave system at Jewel Cave National Monument with it's miles of unmapped passageways, and the complex caves systems at Wind Cave National Park, which are not merely a geological wonder they also make up a sacred site for the Lakota people. We join pioneer explorer Chris Pelczarski for some hands-on spelunking in seriously narrow caves (that are sometimes home to mountain lions). Then we meet indigenous park ranger Sina Bear Eagle and learn about the Lakota emergence story and its deep spiritual meaning. -Brian Thacker, presenter Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode: Chris Pelczarski and Adam Weaver from the Black Hills Cave and Nature Conservancy Sina Bear Eagle from Wind Cave National Park Recorded on location, this audio adventure is designed to do more than just let you hear what it's like to be there. It's designed to let you feel what it's like for real. Find out more at Travel South Dakota.com where you'll find lots of inspiration, ideas and everything else you need to know to plan your great South Dakota adventure. CONNECT WITH US Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠…

People in this episode

Host: Brian Thacker

Guests: Chris Pelczarski, Sina Bear Eagle

Topics covered

• caves
• Lakota culture
• spelunking
• Black Hills
• indigenous stories
• geological wonders

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Black Hills Cave and Nature Conservancy, Wind Cave National Park

Books & works: Armchair Explorer

Places: Black Hills, South Dakota

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