Comments about ‘Rescuers committed to free man from cave’

I enjoyed these caves, and yes, there are a few spots where big boned folks could get stuck. I thought they closed them a few years ago???

I've been inside nutty putty many times and am not surprised to hear that someone has become stuck. I've also been in the birth canal and it is a very tight squeeze even for a little guy like me. I hope they get him out.

The birth canal at nutty putty should not be done. I did it once. Never again.

Been there about 7 yrs, and went through the birth canal. Very tight fit, yes.

I too thought I heard they had closed the cave because they had issues and were afraid of people getting hurt.

This kind of thing freaks me out. I am Claustrophobic and would never do something like this ever. I'm hyperventilating just reading the story and comments.

They just re-opened the cave maybe 6 months ago. You have to fill out a bunch of waivers and stuff to get the access code. I hope the waivers work and they don't close the cave for good. It's a fun cave; it would be a pity to close it.

Just hearing this story gets my heart pounding and breaths short--I guess I am claustrophobic too! I can hardly stand the thought of it. I sure hope they can get him out soon and safely.

I would not go through those caves unless I was trying to save someone's life, or preserve my own.

I went through Timp Caves with my baby daughter strapped to my chest, and it was not fun for me or her, due to the few portions of the Timp cave where you have to pretty much crawl for a short distance. But if you aren't caring for little people, it can be pretty fun.

No chance of getting stuck at Timp. Just don't have a heart attack making the hike up.

I was worred about hypothermia, but I read somehwere that it is a thermal cave, so that is good. I like spelunking, but don't like the really tight fits-this development would be my nightmare. Anyone that beleves in it, say a prayer for him that he gets out uninjured.

I was in nutty buudy cave a few times myself and it was all kinds of fun. I went in it about 20 times then I was all done with it and moved on to the next cave.

Jokes at this point are in poor taste. A family has a loved one still stuck in that cave. Being upside down for this long could indeed be fatal. I for one will pray for his SPEEDY recovery.

He's not stuck in the birth canal. He's in a smaller "L-shaped pinch point" past that.

Despite its notoriety, the birth canal is no problem for someone his size (I'm just slightly lighter and shorter and it isn't even a close call for me to make it through with no problem.) It looks smaller than it is due to the angle you see it from. The entrance is near the floor with a slight incline and the rock overhangs the entrance a bit to make it look tiny.

However, once you are inside of the chamber that the birth canal opens up into, there is some tighter stuff you can explore. There is a hole above you that most people probably don't even realize is there. You climb up for 10 or 15 feet and then it connects to a horizontal tube that goes a couple hundred feet. I can see getting stuck turning the corner between the vertical shaft and horizontal tube if you turned wrong. My guess is he's in something similar to that (or maybe even the same spot).

I was one of the people there... I don't know why the news media is saying he is in the birth canal... he is in the bottom of Ed's Push... he got stuck on his way in... the opening to the beginning of the tunnel is plenty big enough but you have to go head first up and over a "L" shaped tunnel with a 45 degree angle on each side... once he was on the other side... he realized to late that it was too tight a fit... he was stuck before he knew to turn back.

I too look forward to a successful rescue and hope it all turns out OK.

That said, caving in Nutty Putty is usually less of a "high risk behavior" than playing a game of soccer, driving a car during rush hour traffic, or putting up the Christmas lights. Sometimes people make mistakes or things go wrong no matter how well they are prepared and no matter what they are doing.

The cave should not be sealed just because of a few isolated instances.

And honestly, I prefer my tax money occasionally going to help people living an active, healthy lifestyle who have an accident like this once in a while than so much of it constantly going toward the medical and social problems resulting from the unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle that so much of the population lives.

I was invited to go there about 11 years ago. I remember someone telling me that there was 'just one kind of tight spot' and then you would get through okay. I didn't go. Later that night I learned that rescue crews were called to the cave because someone got stuck. Maybe they should just widen that part of the cave.

Best of luck to this young man. I do hope they get him out soon!

Is this story being updated during the night? How about this message board? Just wondering. It has been over an hour since the last update or comment. Hoping and praying...

I'm sorry for the loss this man's family will experience. What was to be an adventureous family outing while visiting for the holiday has turned into tragedy.

God Bless this family and wrap them in His love through the difficult times ahead.

I express love, prayers and concern to the John Jones family and friends, for the loss of their father, son, brother, uncle, or friend.

Our daughter used to go with friends to this cave when she was in High School and College. This story makes my skin crawl now that I think of the danger she might have been in.

A big hug of compassion for the Jones family.
Caving requires judgment; I am extremely lucky to survive some of my escapades, but I take complete responsibility for my actions. I am thankful for my 38 years of exploring caves, pursuing the question 'What is around the next corner?'. The mystery, challenge, unexpected beauty, and 'being amazed' fuels my passion for life. As I gawk in amazement at the improbable arrangement of delicate sparkling crystals, the beauty tingles the hairs on my neck... Wow!! Risk is part of life and can't be eliminated; you are far more likely to die driving to the cave than exploring it.
This Thanksgiving, be thankful for the amazing and beautiful world we live in, and share your passion with others!