Spelunker David Meredith takes a close look at part of a 13 ½ foot long prehistoric elephant trunk recently uncovered in the Inner Space Cavern. Excavation work continues on the huge tusk, which will be left where it was found since it is so fragile. Not quite half of the tusk has been uncovered yet. It is visible to cavern visitors who pass by on the trail below. (Sun Archive)
The Texas Department of Transportation created a 3D model of Inner Space Cavern last winter to establish its exact coordinates and protect it from future transportation projects along the Interstate 35 corridor.
“We don’t do this very often,” said Gina Loftis-Franklin, a land surveyor with the TxDOT Austin District and project lead for the survey. “This is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime survey for us…