The Whipple Cave Formation was designated by Kellogg (1963) for exposures along the south side of Patterson Pass in Sec. 2, T. 8 N., R. 64 E.

The Whipple Cave Formation is Late Cambrian (Franconian and Trempealeauan) in age. The Whipple Cave Formation conformably overlies the Dunderberg Shale at its type locality in the Egan Range (Kellogg, 1963) and is equivalent to the Windfall Formation and Notch Peak Limestone. It is partially equivalent to the Mendha Formation in the Pioche District (Tschanz and Pampeyan, 1970).

The Whipple Cave Formation in the Egan Range is composed of a basal unit of cherty, gray, algal stromatolite-bearing limestone overlain by a sequence of alternating gray to brown dolomite and limestone (Kellogg, 1963). Intraformational flat pebble conglomerates are also present within the Formation (Cook and Taylor, 1975).

The Whipple Cave Formation is 1,624 to 1,883 feet thick in the southern Egan and Schell Creek Ranges respectively (Kellogg, 1963).

The Whipple Cave Formation is recognized within the southern Egan and Schell Creek Ranges.

The presence of algal stromatolites and flat pebble conglomerates suggest a shoal-water environment of deposition for the Whipple Cave Formation (Cook and Taylor, 1975).