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Sam Penrod ReportingThe days of open access to the Nutty Putty Caves in Utah County will soon be over. New restrictions are about to go into place.
Nutty Putty caves have been popular with scout groups and teenagers for years, but it has been the scene of several rescues lately, that had emergency officials questioning the cave's safety. So, a volunteer group of cave enthusiasts are stepping forward to manage the cave. So the cave will remain, but only at certain times.
We spent the afternoon with a couple of adventure seekers at the cave, to get a better idea of what it is all about.
Leo, from Sandy, and his friend Jose, who's visiting from Miami, are looking for some adventure in the Nutty Putty cave. For years, the cave has been a popular adventure area in the hills west of Utah Lake, but in recent months, people have become stuck in the narrow opening, requiring search and rescue to come out and save them.
In fact, just inside the opening, the cave is so tight we couldn't get through and neither could our news camera.
Those who have explored the cave say, once inside, the view is spectacular. The concern though, is being able to get both in and out.
The cave is on land owned by the state's School Lands Trust. There was discussion of sealing the entrance forever, as a safety measure.
Julio Arrieta: "I think it would be great if they would allow a group, like the scout groups, to come in, basically supervise everybody."
That's basically the agreement that has been reached. The Timpanogos Grotto will manage the cave, restricting access, except when experienced volunteers are there for supervision. It will allow friends like Jose and Leo to keep coming to the cave.
The restrictions will go into effect in the next few weeks. For information on how to get access to the cave, through this organization, follow the link at the top right of this story.
