Photos: Graffiti clean-up in historic Peppersauce Cave in the Catalinas
Volunteers joined for a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the north side of the Santa Catalina Mountains on April 14, 2018, near Oracle, Ariz. Crews used biodegradable solvents, brushes and sandblasting to remove the estimated 1,500 graffiti tags throughout the 7,300 feet of cave passageways. They also installed highly-reflective arrows indicating cave exits. CAG's project is primarily funded through private donations and they hope to have all tags removed by October.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
From left, Devra Heyer, Sarah Truebe and Nicole Davis use brushes to scraps away graffiti tags that have been treated with biodegradable solvent as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Devra Heyer brushes away solvent and mud from a graffiti tag as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Peter Kane uses a wire brush bit on a power drill to rid a graffiti tag that has been treated with biodegradable solvent as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Krishnan Scott, a student from Arizona State, uses a wire brush on a graffiti tag that has been treated with biodegradable solvent as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Volunteers use wire brushes to scrape graffiti tags as they help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Ray Keeler, president of Central Arizona Grotto, beneath one of the new reflective directional "out" arrows in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Stephen Tooley, right, 9, and sister Tabbytha, 11, use brushes on graffiti tags as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Nicole Davis uses a wire brush on a graffiti tag deep in a side cavern as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Peter Kane uses a wire brush bit on a power drill to rid a graffiti tag that has been treated with biodegradable solvent as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
While Peter Kane holds the ladder steady at right, Devra Heyer uses a wire brush bit on a power drill to rid a graffiti tag that has been treated with biodegradable solvent as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Graffiti clean-up at Peppersauce Cave
Ben Adams, a student from Arizona State, uses a sandblaster on a graffiti tag as volunteers help with a multi-year, multi-phase graffiti removal project led by Central Arizona Grotto in Peppersauce Cave on the northside of the Santa Catalina mountains on April 14, 2018, in Oracle, Ariz.
Peppersauce Cave
Volunteers remove graffiti in Peppersauce Cave inside Mt. Lemmon near Oracle, Ariz. on Feb. 10, 2018.
Peppersauce Cave
This is how one area of Peppersauce Cave looked before a restoration team got to work on Feb. 10.
Workers have removed hundreds of graffiti tags from the walls of Peppersauce Cave this year, officials said.