Nutty Putty Cave closed to novices

[caverspencer]

Nutty Putty is the only cave that me and my friends have gone into. We all have helmets, lights, and we are all over 21. However, it doesn't sound like any of us would qualify for the two leaders positions necessary for entering the caves. We are all perfectly capable of overcoming the obstacles in the cave and know how to respect this resource. Is there any way that we can get permission to enter this cave now?
Also, since every other cave in this state is gated or kept secret, how exactly would one gain leadership experience in caving? Is it now impossible for the general public to gain access because they haven't been able to explore the rest of Utah's caves?

All you ahve to do is fill out the request from that can be downloaded from the timp grotto website www.caves.org/grotto/timpgrotto If you have been there multiple times and agree to the rules you should be fine. To find out about all the toher cool caves just go to a grotto meeting, they dont bite. They dont charge you anything just to go to meetings either. They have lots of fun projects going on. If you get serious you can have the honor of exploring some very cool "virgin" caves and help map some of the deepest caves in the US. We ahve two caves over 1000' deep in utah. Two KNOWN caves that is.

[Iceaxe]

Spencer, thanks for the inside info on what went on between SILTA, Timp Grotto, UVSC, BSA, etc, and the gating of Nutty Putty Cave. I found your insight entertaining, interesting and helpful in understanding what was involved.

[rock_ski_cowboy]

My prediction: The nutty putty cave will go from several thousand visitors a year to less than a hundred.

If it was a better cave, that might be different. The only reason it was popular before was because it was the ONLY known cave around that you could go in without a guide or a key and that was pretty dang cool.

Real cavers that are used to getting keys and kissing butt and jumping through hoops have much much better options available than this "mickey mouse" endeavor so they won't be going there, except for maybe as a hazing for newbie initiates ("OK. Now crawl through the birth canal naked and we'll show the next handshake!" )

Non-cavers (ie 99% of those that visited before) have much better non-cave options available for a saturday afternoon than this and for most of them, once they realize its gated, they won't even know that NP is an option, whether it is for them or not. Now that it joins the ranks of gated or guided caves, no matter how easy it is to get a key or qualify as a guide, its still a pretty big hassle and takes the spontaneity/convenience out if it that made it worthwhile before.

I for one have been there many times. In scouts, late at night with friends, on dates, I even went there with my date before prom. Its one of those places where you have to do something stupid for it to be significantly dangerous, in my opinion. Its also a place that isn't very pretty, and to me, wouldn't be worth the extra effort to get a permit to. We'd go before because it was a quick activity that was always amusing and could be done spur-of-the-moment, and was fun to show new people. Realistically, I'll likely never go back, unless maybe I become a varsity leader and i'm really stretched for idears, or if someone is really begging me to guide them through.

Sad day.

[Scott P]

If it was a better cave, that might be different.

True, Nutty Putty was never a great cave, nor even a good one. Not very pretty.

The only reason it was popular before was because it was the ONLY known cave around that you could go in without a guide or a key and that was pretty dang cool.

False. There are many caves in the Wasatch, Oquirrhs, Lake Mountains, Standburys, and West Mountain.

[caverspencer]

False. There are many caves in the Wasatch, Oquirrhs, Lake Mountains, Standburys, and West Mountain.

And that is to just a name a few of the places they can be found in Utah.....

[Scott P]

And that is to just a name a few of the places they can be found in Utah.....

Yes, I was just listing the closest ones.

Here's a few more locations in Utah with caves that I didn't list above:

Bear River Mountains
Uinta Mountains
Sheeprock Mountains
House Range
Fish Springs Range
Cedar Mountains
Confusion Range
Deep Creek Range
Pavant Valley
Canyon Range
Pavant Range
Snow Canyon
Maragunt Plateau
Dinosaur National Monument

Should be enough to keep one busy for a lifetime. The above are only a few locations that I actually know about. I am positive there are many more that I don't. Why anyone would even want to visit Nutty Putty more than a few times, in light of the fact that there are so many higher quality better caves around, is beyond me.

[Udink]

If these places you mention were well known, or even moderately known, then closing Nutty Putty wouldn't even be an issue. Fact is, hardly anybody knows where these caves are that you've mentioned, or else some a**hole like me would have a website giving details about them.

[Scott P]

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[rock_ski_cowboy]

Thanks for the info, Scott and Spencer.

I would point out that while the caves you listed may be known, none are "well known" (yeah I know its semantics) to the general public, and none are so close or convenient to us Wasatch Fronters as Nutty Putty was. I may be wrong, but its not something you can get together and do with your friends on a Friday evening like NP was, and that was what made NP popular. NP was different than other real caves in that it was so close and convenient and that information was so readily and easily available on it. Chances are in a random group of 8 people in UT County, someone knows the cave and could take you there and show you around a bit. The people that go there grow exponentially, and a few rescues are bound to be required.

[Scott P]

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[rock_ski_cowboy]

none are so close or convenient to us Wasatch Fronters as Nutty Putty was

How about Green Eyed Monster? Very well known, and Ophir isn't that far away, and seems as close as Nutty Putty. Since it has been vandalized, I don't think it would hurt to give it away.

Unfortunately, the smaller formations are now gone, but the big flowstone is still there. It's still way better than Nutty Putty. If you email me, I can give the location, but I still wouldn't post it on the net.

Also, there are farily well known caves in Rock Canyon and around Ogden (Jumpoff Canyon), which are close to the Wasatch Front, but I won't share these. Try joining the Grotto and you may be able to join a trip.

Thanks for offering info on Green Eyed Monster. Never heard of it. I may take you up on the offer and email you some time when I feel like going to a cave. That isn't very often, consdidering the amount of canyoneering, and kayaking (my new hobbie) there is to be done out there... Same reason for not joining the grotto. I'm not worthy, and not enthusiastic or interested enough about caves to join their club.


Vandals suck. Big time.

[jumar]

GEM has been on my to do list for a long time! But I have too many hobbies too, so I haven't gotten to it!

[Scott P]

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[caverspencer]

Sorry guys I havent been following this board much. Green Eyed Monster cave is actually on Private property and getting permission to access the cave is next to impossible. if you do go visit the cave without permission expect to return to your vehicle with a nice note or a ticket on the window.

We have been trying to come up witha solution to make the entrance to the mine more stable so that we can save the cave. Teh owner wants to through a stick of dnamite in the entrance and you can bet if he has to deal with people going out their on his land without permission he will do just that.

On the other hand if you be interested in hauling a culvert up the hill and figuring out a way to SAFELY dig out the entrance enough to get the culvert in we could save the cave.

Also if you would the landowers contact info to attempt to get permission to enter the cave let me know. but good luck getting permission.

[Sombeech]

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