Are YOU brave enough? Recreation shows what Nutty Putty cave was like

Over 16 years ago, a 26–year–old caver named John Jones suffered ‘the worst death imaginable’, 27 hours after becoming stuck in the infamous Nutty Putty cave. 

After his death, authorities collapsed the chamber with explosives and sealed the entrance with concrete to ensure no one would enter Nutty Putty ever again.

That is, unless you have nerves of steel and a virtual reality (VR) headset. 

A new game, named Cave Crave, features a terrifying recreation that reveals exactly what it is like inside the tunnels.

Working from official documentation and testimony from rescuers who tried to save Mr Jones, the game developers have mapped the cave in incredible detail.

Players can squeeze their way through all 1,400 feet of claustrophobic tunnels, chutes, and pits from the comfort of their VR headset. 

The developers say the digital restoration ‘gives players a respectful, authentic way to explore a site that can no longer be visited in real life.’

However, gaming fans have been horrified by the concept, with one social media commenter writing: ‘Nope, wouldn’t even do this virtually.’

For 60 years before Mr Jones’ tragic death, the Nutty Putty cave in Utah had been a popular site for thrill–seekers and was widely regarded as a ‘beginner cave’.

Boy Scouts frequently visited its larger chambers while more experienced spelunkers pushed deeper through the narrow passages. 

However, despite its popularity, visitors frequently became stuck and needed to be rescued from the tightest spaces.

Between 1999 and 2004, six people became stuck in the cave and had to be rescued – leading to a three–year closure in 2006 due to police fears of a fatal incident.

In 2009, John Jones, his brother, and nine other friends ventured into the cave on what was supposed to be an easy trip.

However, Mr Jones broke away from the group to venture deeper through a section known as ‘The Birth Canal’ – a long, narrow squeeze that opens up into a large cavern. 

What Mr Jones didn’t know was that he had taken a wrong turn at the entrance to the squeeze and, pushing deeper into the tunnel to try and find a turning point, he eventually found himself in a dead end. 

Wedged in a gap just 10 by 18 inches wide, Mr Jones was trapped upside down for 27 hours before he passed away.

With Nutty Putty now sealed to prevent further accidents, the developers behind Cave Crave say their recreation is the only way for people to truly understand what he went through.

The update, which is being offered for free to avoid profiting from Mr Jones’ death, was made with the help of veteran caver Brandon Kowallis.

Mr Kowallis had explored Nutty Putty several times and was part of the rescue team that tried to pull Mr Jones from the tunnel.

In addition to helping with the design, Mr Kowallis also provides narration that the player will hear as they pass through the cave. 

The maps and surveys Mr Kowallis produced form the basis for the digital reconstruction, making it the most accurate experience possible.

However, the developers have blocked the very end of the tunnel where Mr Jones died to prevent players from recreating Mr Jones’ final position and making light of the incident. 

Writing on the game’s official store page, Mr Kowallis says: ‘It’s been 16 years since I’ve been in the cave and going through this tour helped me remember some of the passages I’ve forgotten.

‘It was fun taking a walk down memory lane and I think it will help those who weren’t involved get a sense of what we were up against.’

However, while the developers say they wanted to avoid ‘gamifying the tragedy’, many social media commenters were sceptical about the appeal of such a morbid topic.

And while some gamers praised the attention to detail, some couldn’t face the idea of entering the cave, even in VR. 

One commenter wrote: ‘This is honestly one of the scariest things I can think of and every time I read that name I feel queasy.’

‘I cannot fathom having a desire to crawl into that,’ another added.

While another wrote: ‘The best part of caving is that I’ll never have to do it.’