The rescue operation is now a legendary case study in extreme rescue failure. Over 100 rescuers tried for 27 hours to extract him. They drilled anchors, set up rope systems, and even tried a "slide-board" technique.
In this article, we will dissect the history of the map, explain its key features (including the infamous "Birth Canal" and "The Maze"), analyze how the map contributed to the 2009 tragedy of John Edward Jones, and discuss why the cave was permanently sealed with concrete. Nutty Putty Cave was discovered in 1960 by a group of geologists from Brigham Young University (BYU). Unlike the massive vertical pits or crystal cathedrals found in other caving systems, Nutty Putty was discovered to be a hypogenic cave—formed not by surface water erosion, but by hot, acidic hydrothermal fluids rising from deep within the earth. nutty putty cave map
Because the map does not clearly label this chimney as a distinct, separate, and vertical passage (it looks like a slight bulge on the line), Jones mistook a 10-inch-wide vertical tube for a 45-degree sloping slide. He entered head-first. On November 24, 2009, John Jones squeezed into the narrow fissure. He was 400 feet from the entrance. Because he thought the passage widened out, he kept moving forward until he reached a tight "S-curve" in the rock. Unable to turn around, he attempted to go head-first through the curve. The rescue operation is now a legendary case
Here is where the map became a weapon of ironic tragedy. In 2009, (a 26-year-old medical student and experienced hiker, though not a technical caver) was exploring with his brother Josh. They were using a laminated copy of the map. In this article, we will dissect the history
The map legend indicated that "The Big Slide" was a large, open (though steep) decline that eventually led to a large room. Jones believed he was in "The Big Slide." In reality, due to a navigational error in the dark, he had entered the unnamed vertical chimney leading to "Ed's Push."