Rescue crews are working to free a man who has been trapped in Utah County's Nutty Putty cave since Tuesday night. The 26 year old was part of a hiking group comprised of eleven people.
The cave is accessible through a hole in the ground atop a hill, and is very narrow. Officials say the man is stuck about 150 feet underground. He has been conscious throughout his ordeal and is now suffering circulation problems. He is said to be stuck in a position with his head below the rest of his body.
Utah County Sheriff's department reports that the rescue is slow-going, with crews inching along using air tools to chip away bits of rock and free the man. He will be flown directly to the hospital once he is out.
The cave is now regulated by hiking group Timpanogos Grotto, who ensures that all hikers entering the cave have made proper preparations. This move was prompted by two separate 2004 incidents that occurred one week apart, in which hikers got stuck in the cave.
The cave is a popular area for caving and hiking enthusiasts, extending 1500 feet inside the mountain.
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