ABOUT THE MEETING

This is not a conference or a symposium.

The purpose of the meeting is to make friends, share our views and experiences on cave photography in a pure spirit of friendship and cooperation.

Several years ago, a group of avid cavers in France who are also passionate about cave photography wanted to bring people they had met from around the world together for a meeting. They invited other people who shared their dual passions to spend a week's time in their country and some of its caves. Their objective was to enable this diverse (and perhaps unusual) group of people to meet each other, and to share their ideas, experiences, and work. Their vision was realized in 2011, with the first International Meeting of Cave Photographers taking place at the picturesque village of Olargues, France. The idea was very well received, especially considering there have been similar meetings in other countries since then, and not without a bit of competition for the honor of hosting.

We are very pleased to be chosen to host a 2018 meeting in the caving region of the Southwestern United States known by cavers as "The Guads". We have plans to offer caving opportunities for those who attend ranging from simple to pretty hard-core. These are some of the most well-decorated caves in the US, or anywhere in the world, for that matter. While they certainly have been photographed before, we expect our gathering to produce some new and even unique images for many to enjoy. We won't only be caving. There will be plenty of food and drink to enjoy, and both informal and technical talks or presentations.

These meetings are intended to bring people together; at the same place, or in the same cave, at the same time, and hopefully in the same mindset or spirit. We want people to share their best ideas rather than hoard them, and to collaborate rather than compete. If you've involved yourself in the combination of technical concentration with emotional reward that results from doing underground photography, then you may be interested. We always have a lot of fun together.

Google Map of Carlsbad Area

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Some General Advice...

Find out if you will need a VISA to enter the US. See the links below for some guidance.
Usually, if you purchase all your connections for the entire trip in one booking, you can have international baggage allowances apply to your entire trip itinerary. Be sure to read the fine print about baggage to avoid expensive surprises.
If you are booking domestic flights while you are in the US, consider Southwest Airlines. They operate all over the US - especially in the southwest, obviously. Many airlines do that, but Southwest allows 2 checked bags of 50 lbs (23kg) per person on all flights, in addition to a typical carry-on and shoulder bag for under the seat. This is rare, and can have a big effect on total cost when traveling with lots of caving and photo gear.

GETTING TO THE MEETING

By Air (to New Mexico or Texas)

El Paso, Texas

El Paso does not offer much for sightseeing, but it does have the closest large international airport (code ELP). It takes about 2.5 hours to drive north to Carlsbad. Our accommodations site at Camp Washington Ranch is 20-30 minutes closer. There are many connecting flights from all over the country.

It is important to understand that the US Border Patrol has checkpoints on all the roads leading north from the southern US border into the interior of the country. This is because of problems with drug trafficking, and people trying to enter the US illegally from Mexico. You should expect to encounter at least one of these stops on the drive north from El Paso. Have all your papers and travel documents ready for inspection. It is a good idea to have a copy of your registration for the meeting, and the details of your return flight back out of the country. Be sure to have printed copies on paper. Even if you get a cell phone for your stay here, coverage is bad in many places, and batteries can go dead. Your baggage may be inspected, as well.

As long as you are polite and respectful, the personnel should quickly determine that you are not a threat, and not the people they are looking to detain (You are not the Droids they are looking for). The stop should only take a few minutes, but, just like at the airport, if you are chosen for extra questioning or search, then it could be longer.

To get closer, and avoid the border security stops, you can fly into destinations north of Carlsbad. The next 2 options are close enough to Carlsbad that we probably can make some arrangements to get you to and from the airport, as long as your flights do not conflict with important times on the schedule.

Roswell, New Mexico

Roswell has a small airport 1 hour by car from Carlsbad (code ROW). Connections are with American Airlines via Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (code DFW) and Phoenix, Arizona (code PHX).

Roswell is also the claimed location of a UFO crash and the secret facility where the government has the alien bodies and their space ship. You will not be able to escape learning this if you visit here even for a few minutes.

Hobbs, New Mexico

Hobbs is also about a 1-hour drive from Carlsbad. United Airlines has connections to the airport at Hobbs (code HOB) via the international airport in Houston, TX (code IAH).

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque is 5-6 hours from Carlsbad by car. There is a lot to see and do there. The airport code is ABQ. It is possible that we will have a shuttle before or after the meeting from Albuquerque depending on how many people would use it, available drivers, etc...

Getting to Camp Washington Ranch

Public Transport

There are very few options for public transportation to/from Carlsbad, or anywhere else in the area. There is Greyhound bus service, but the options are very limited. As an example, there is one bus going to El Paso each day which takes 3 hours, and one to Albuquerque, taking over 12 hours to get there!

Rental Car

Renting a car is easy at any airport, of course. We may be able to give some rides to and from airports nearby, or coordinate participants to share rides & rentals.

There is only one car rental company in Carlsbad - Enterprise. They have offices at the locations you might be flying into including El Paso, Roswell, Hobbs, and Albuquerque. They allow one-way rentals. So, if you use this company, you could pick up a car where you arrive, drive it to Carlsbad, and return it immediately. The additional cost of a one-way rental is usually low compared to keeping a car for a 10-day period. Obviously, the same idea could be considered for after the meeting.

We expect to have several staff vehicles on site, so it should only be necessary for a few of you to have your own car for the week. However, if you do have a car rented, it might be useful to add another person as a driver to the rental contract, or make other adjustments. If this is the company you use, it would be convenient to do these things. You will need to pay close attention to the times that the offices are open in all locations. The one in Carlsbad is closed on Sundays, and only open for a few hours on Saturday mornings. We can assist you while making the arrangements, or getting a ride from the office to Washington Ranch, etc.

Their website is here:

Carlsbad, NM Car Rental - Enterprise Rent-A-Car

If you are driving to Washington Ranch, here is some specific information to help you.

The address is:
18 Rattlesnake Springs Road
Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA

Washington Ranch is located about 25-30 minutes south of Carlsbad, and about 10 minutes south of White's City.

The turnoff to Washington Ranch is located 5.4 miles south of Whites City on Route (Rte) 62/180. At the Y in the road about two miles down, turn right on the back road into Washington Ranch. You will see the dorms on the left hand side.

Information Links for Foreign Visitors to the USA

Tourist VISA Information

U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- For International Visitors

U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- Documents Required for Foreign Nationals

Electronic System for Travel Authorization -- Application

IMPORTANT BAT WNS INFORMATION

REGISTRATION

Registration for the ICPM-2018 is done via a web based form system that can be found at:

ICPM-2018 Registration Form