Veteran’s Salute to Woman Caver Lynn Wayshner Ott

Lynn joined the Army in 1976, where she trained as a Military Police Officer trainig a military police dog. She was sent to Germany where she reconnected with Phil Winkler and his family, though she got started caving much earlier. She began caving in her second year of college while at Montgomery College, Rockville, MD via Geology class where she was introduced to caving on trips led by Jim McCloud and Patrick Connor. Here she became secretary of the MC Geology Club and Sligo Grotto and she coordinated trips almost every weekend.

“My first caving trip was Sinnett-Thorn at OTR in 1972. Jim got me to crawl into tight wet spots and soak up all the water!!!! All were total suck-ins!” she said with a smile.

She became a member of the NSS in 1973.  In the early 1980's due to a physical injury, this inspired her to get involved with Cave Rescue with the Eastern Region NCRC where she took various basic and national level courses and later became involved with with setting standards for Search and Rescue (as requested by Chuck Hempel, ER-NCRC Coordinator, for cavers to be on several ASTM Committees).

Lynn became a NSS Fellow in 1996 after a long career in caving. In fact, her caving resume is almost five pages long! She has held various positions and has been a member of numerous organizations including Montgomery College Geology Club, Sligo Grotto, Colorado State University Outing Club, The Robertson Association, Old Timer’s Reunion, Virginia Area Region (VAR), Cricket Maze Cave Association (CMCA), Bat Conservation International (BCI), National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) for Search and Rescue (SAR), National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), US Forest Service Dixie National Forest Cedar City, UT, Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), Color Country Grotto (UT), Central Arizona Grotto (CAG), Arizona Regional Association (ARA), Central Arizona Mountain Rescue Association (CAMRA), and Northern Arizona Grotto (NAG).

Today she works as a full time caregiver for her mother, who has dementia. She knows that this will slow down her caving, but she doesn’t plan on quitting any time soon.

She said “I have traveled around the country and points beyond. I still connect with cavers whenever possible. Cavers are such a unique and innovative group of people.”

We are glad to have you Lynn. Thank you for being an extraordinary woman caver and especially for your service. Happy Veteran’s Day! #ewls #womencavers #WLeaders #speleology

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