Utah Man dies in cave upside down.. (St. George Area)

[landpoke]

This scenario is one of my worst nightmares. I've been in caves a few times, I hated it every time.

[BlueHair]

I just don't understand the allure of recreational activities that have relatively high mortality risks (spelunking, parachuting, bungee jumping, etc.)

What a horrible and needless tragedy. I feel for his poor wife, child and unborn child.

I've done both skydiving and bungee jumping and the latter is the scarier of the two. I would never consider going into a cave, though.

[Fiyero]

Officials cannot get his body out, so they are permanently closing the cave with his corpse inside.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13879115

Coach, it was the "Bob's Push" area of the cave.

[RC Vikings]

For someone like me, who has a bit of claustrophobia, that seems like pure hell. I went on a Scout trip a few years ago where we went through some caves (with a guide) that required some squirming and crawling in a few places. It was not my favorite scout trip.

It's a terrible thing for the family.

I hear you there. For me I can't think of a worse way to go.

[Shaka]

Yeah that would be a horrible way to die.

I'm torn about not recovering the body and closing the cave. I've never liked the thought that one accident should ruin something for hundreds of others who have enjoyed it.

With that said the body would probably have to be cut out of where it is which would be unpleasant for anyone attempting to recover it. I wonder if they couldn't somehow enlarge the opening and recover the body.

[wuapinmon]

Yeah that would be a horrible way to die.

I'm torn about not recovering the body and closing the cave. I've never liked the thought that one accident should ruin something for hundreds of others who have enjoyed it.

With that said the body would probably have to be cut out of where it is which would be unpleasant for anyone attempting to recover it. I wonder if they couldn't somehow enlarge the opening and recover the body.

In a couple of months, they can just pull it out. I'd reckon that at least one fellow CUFfer knows how to extract a dead body from a tight squeeze.

[Coach McGuirk]

Officials cannot get his body out, so they are permanently closing the cave with his corpse inside.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13879115

Coach, it was the "Bob's Push" area of the cave.

Still not buying it. Bob's Push is the lesser known name for The Birth Canal. If he died in The Birth Canal, which is only about 20-30 feet long(The picture I posted above shows you could begin breaking the rock to extract him), then they should have busted that hole as wide as needed to pull him out. I have to assume he was past the uterus and in farther. If not, I am sad that they didn't crack that thing wide open to get him out. I will search and see if I can't find a rescuer to pinpoint his location.

[Coach McGuirk]

Found it. I knew it could not have been Bob's Push.

Sgt. Spencer Jones with the Utah County Sheriff's Office said Jones' body was stuck in an unnamed passageway about approximately 100 feet down and 400 feet from the entrance of the cave. They initially said he was stuck in an area known as Bob's Push, which turned out to be incorrect.

[venkman]

I've done both skydiving and bungee jumping and the latter is the scarier of the two. I would never consider going into a cave, though.

Same here. Going to the Nutty Putty caves were a pretty big thing for Y students when I was attending.

I went once with a group; I was thinking you just sort of walk into this cave and check things out. When they told me I had to shimmy 20-30 feet and me belly I was like "**** that" and sat outside freezing my butt off for a couple of hours waiting for everyone to get back. No thank you!

[venkman]

I feel for this family but officials are saying closing the whole cave is "the only decision" that can be made.

I don't agree with that at all. Just close off that particular section. Here's what the man who discovered Nutty Putty Cave has to say:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=8824435

When John Jones died after getting stuck late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, Green knew some people would want it closed. However, he says only that one section should be closed -- not the whole cave.

"That's the only dangerous place in the whole cave," says Green. "I think they can do something to just try and prevent people from getting into that section. I'm really not for sealing the whole thing."

Green knows how dangerous that one section is. He got stuck there once, too.

"I got down enough so my feet weren't quite sticking up the hole and I realized I couldn't back out of this. There was no way to push and I couldn't get a grip with my feet. I was slanted upside down and started to get a little worried," says Green.

He had to yell for a friend to get him out. "He kept pulling and pulling and finally I just popped out," says Green. "I never went back to that section again."

[Colly Wolly]

This story has been dormant for a while now, but the Trib ran a detailed story today on what went down in the cave. It's a two-part story.

I was in the Nutty Putty caves a few years ago on a young men trip with my old ward. I remember going in and being really cautious and tentative about my abilities in there. We got to a point where a bunch of the youth and other leaders were going into the "birth canal" and "worm hole". I decided to hold back and just wait for them in a larger area.

Anyways, this isn't really a pleasant read, but I found it to be mostly well-written and very captivating. Gut-wrenching stuff imagining what this guy, his family, and the rescuers went through.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50...-josh.html.csp

[LA Ute]

As a slightly claustrophobic guy, I find this unreadable. It's the stuff of nightmares for me. I really feel for the family.

[scottie]

As a slightly claustrophobic guy, I find this unreadable. It's the stuff of nightmares for me. I really feel for the family.

I'm not even going to open the link.

[creekster]

I'm not even going to open the link.

I read th earticel and it is pretty horrible, from my POV. I have no idea what would induce someone to try to go into a passage like that, but the story of his unsuccessful resuce is very saddening.

[filsdepac]

Still not buying it. Bob's Push is the lesser known name for The Birth Canal. If he died in The Birth Canal, which is only about 20-30 feet long(The picture I posted above shows you could begin breaking the rock to extract him), then they should have busted that hole as wide as needed to pull him out. I have to assume he was past the uterus and in farther. If not, I am sad that they didn't crack that thing wide open to get him out. I will search and see if I can't find a rescuer to pinpoint his location.

I thought I had done the birth canal, but I remember it being like 10 feet long, then opening up (not unlike a uterus) and then having more tunnels after that (fallopian tubes?). I've been down twice and can't figure out for the life of me why I did it. I remember someone saying "let's go to some caves!" and thinking we'd just walk on through. When we got there and descended to the first part, I looked into the 20 inch wide sliver that is the start and felt a little faint. I started in, only to see a boy scout coming out. My biggest nightmare is climbing through a pipe, with people behind me, and then meeting someone coming the other way.

Anyway, we finally got through that first part and then it really opens up. After that I thought it was pretty cool and harmless, but I know there are a lot of side caves that are more dangerous. I heard about this story after it first happened and couldn't imagine a worse way to die. I would never go back, just that first part scares me.