Patricia Crowther (caver) facts for kids

Patricia ("Pat") P. Crowther (born 1943), later known as Patricia P. Wilcox, is an American cave explorer and surveyor. She was very active in the 1960s and early 1970s. She also worked as a computer programmer.

A Pioneer in Cave Exploration

Patricia Crowther was well-known among cavers in Kentucky. She was admired for her small size and her strong dedication. She weighed about 115 pounds. These traits helped her explore narrow passages that other cavers could not fit into or were unwilling to try.

The Tight Spot

One important discovery was her journey through a narrow passage called "The Tight Spot." This spot was in the Flint Ridge Cave System. It was a key part of the cave system. This "Tight Spot" led to the passages that connected Mammoth Cave and the Flint Ridge Cave System.

Connecting the Caves

Patricia Crowther and her husband at the time, Will Crowther, were both computer programmers. They joined many trips to connect these two huge cave systems. Pat was part of the team on September 9, 1972. This team found and mapped the final connection between the caves. This was a very important moment in cave exploration history.

From Caves to Computers

Patricia Crowther earned a science degree in physics from MIT. This is where she met and married William Crowther. They had two daughters, Sandy and Laura.

The Colossal Cave Adventure

After their marriage ended in 1976, William Crowther created a computer game. It was called Colossal Cave Adventure. This was one of the very first "interactive fiction" games. These games let players make choices that change the story. William based the game on his caving experiences with Pat in the Mammoth Cave system. He made the game to connect with his daughters after the divorce.

Pat first saw the game at a meeting for cave researchers in Boston. This was in 1976 or 1977. The game included made-up things like an underground volcano. But cavers said the game was very accurate to Pat's real maps and descriptions of the caves.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1977, Patricia Crowther married John Wilcox. He had led many of the cave connection trips. They were married for 33 years until his death in 2010.

Crowther wrote a book called The Grand Kentucky Junction. This book tells the story of the trips made to connect the Mammoth and Flint Ridge cave systems.

Patricia Crowther also appeared in a 1997 National Geographic TV show. The documentary was called Mysteries Underground. It talked about how the Flint Ridge Cave System was connected to Mammoth Cave. Her work helped us understand more about these amazing underground worlds.