Man stuck in Nutty Putty Cave 10 years ago recalls ordeal


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NORTH SALT LAKE -- John Jones isn't the only person who's become stuck in the narrow passages of the Nutty Putty Cave -- several have.

Today's rescue at the Nutty Putty Cave brings back memories for a man in North Salt Lake. Ten years ago, he and a friend experienced a similar ordeal, stuck for 15 hours.

"I was just lying on my stomach, head down like that," Chris Morrow said, moments after he was rescued.

His friend,Chris Hales said, "I had my knees up, and I was laying back against some rock, and I had some rocks poking me in the back."

That was back on July 29, 1999. The two friends went inside the cave that morning. Morrow says they were going downhill and got stuck at a tight turn. The passageway, he says, was just big enough to fit their bodies.

"We just came to a dead end, and we couldn't back up and get out of that angle turn, and we found ourselves in that spot," Morrow said.

The two were trapped for 15 long hours, most of that time in the dark, before rescuers managed to pull them to safety. They had only minor cuts and bruises.

Morrow says he was lucky he wasn't alone and had a friend to talk to. He says the experience must have been worse for his family and friends because they didn't know what was happening.

He has a message for the family of the man being rescued tonight: It's just a matter of time before he's out, and he's optimistic the man will be OK.

The experience hasn't kept Morrow from the Nutty Putty Cave. He's been back twice. In fact, he went to the opening of the spot where he got stuck, just to see what feelings he would have. He says his stomach sank.

E-mail: syi@ksl.com

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Sandra Yi

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