Cave officials said the closure will last through Monday, Feb. 13.
Two 28-story elevators serve as the primary transportation mode into the cave and all staff and visitors access the cave using this system. The elevators will be offline and will not be available for use during the maintenance work.
The maintenance work will consist of rewiring the elevator hoistway, repairing position indicators and installing waterproof door interlocks, as well as conducting a thorough maintenance check before the upcoming summer season.
"Due to a hectic summer schedule and high visitation, elevator maintenance is best done during the winter months," said cave superintendent Larry Johnson. "With predicted low visitation in early February, we are hopeful that the maintenance can be completed without much visitor impact."
The Visitor Center will continue to be open daily from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Park rangers will also be available to answer questions and provide service for those that wish to visit the facility during the cave closure.
Source: Rapidcityjournal