Cave closed to novices

"It was kind of haphazard because it was unrestricted access to the public," he said.

Bagley said he believes the agreement with the Timpanogos Grotto, which didn't have to get the insurance policy, will allow properly prepared, trained and equipped spelunkers to continue to access the caves while keeping out novice cavers who potentially could put themselves in danger.

"We're hoping that in the long run this will improve (caving) for those people who go in (the Nutty Putty Cave)," he said. "They'll have a better experience, definitely a safer experience."

A high percentage of people who visit the cave are not prepared, Cranney said. "I've been caving for 16 years," he said, "and I don't know how many times I've seen people in Nutty Putty and thought, 'What are they doing? Put the beer can down.' "

Bagley said response to the planned cave restrictions have been mixed. Some say they don't need a baby sitter to go caving, while others see the need for safety measures "I think over time it will work if people give it a chance," he said.

Visit www.caves.org/grotto/timpgrotto.

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