You'll have postcard-worthy views of the river as it cascades over, around and under the huge, moss-covered boulders. As centuries passed, water seeped into cracks within the walls, expanded as it froze and split away massive blocks of granite that tumbled into the gorge, stacking up and hiding the river in places-hence the name “Lost.” But you won't get lost as you explore this heavily wooded setting thanks to a wide loop trail of gravel paths, wooden boardwalks and more stairs than you'd want to count. Thousands of years ago, the water from melting glaciers scoured out this 300-feet-deep gorge. The caves can be explored any time of year if roads are accessible because the temperature is stable underground during the winter and summer, Paul Hansen said.Lost River Gorge & Boulder Caves is at 1712 Lost River Rd. Trips to the Nutty Putty Caves are sometimes organized by Outdoors Unlimited or Hansen Mountaineering. Wearing the right clothes for protection including pants, hiking boots and a helmet is important, Jones said. ![]() “You should bring plenty of lights because you never know when you will lose one,” Jones said. “A lot of people just go in with flashlights in their hands,” Paul said. “They often get by without the equipment, but they are not as safe.” ![]() “Many people do not take all the equipment they need into the cave,” Doug said. Taking the right equipment will also help make a better caving trip. “Before climbing with ropes, rope climbing courses should be passed off to ensure safety to the climber, said Paul Hansen,” manager of Hansen Mountaineering. “If it rains right before going, there can be water in the cave, making it more slick at the entrance,” Christenson said. “People need to watch out for loose rocks that can cause slips and falls,” Doug said. A group of at least three people should cave together to be the safest,” Christenson said. Taking other safety measures will help in making a successful caving trip. “The purpose of the map is so people don’t go down there and get lost,” Doug said. Maps of Nutty Putty Caves, which include information about the cave and instruction on how to cave safely, are sold at Hansen Mountaineering. ![]() If only a small amount of exploring will be done, taking a rope that can be tied to both the spelunker and a place near the entrance helps people from getting lost.If more exploring will be done, having a map to keep from getting lost is important. It’s easy to get lost down there,” Christenson said. “There are lots of twists and turns in the caves. ![]() However, while exploring the caves, care must be taken to not get lost. “The Nutty Putty caves are formed from the tubes of an old geyser so there are many different tunnels,” said Doug Hansen, owner of Hansen Mountaineering in Orem. Part of the fun of spelunking is exploring the many different tunnels within the cave. The left requires ropes, so the right is where most people go. Near the entrance is a small hole called the “birth canal” that you have to go through to “shimmy your way into the cave,” Jones said.Īfter passing through the “birth canal,” the cave has two branches spelunkers can take, Jones said. The entrance to the caves is not well marked and is “just a big hole in the ground,” Jones said. Getting into the caves is the one of the most difficult parts of exploring the Nutty Putty Caves. “The caves are definitely a very bad place to go for anyone who is claustrophobic,” said Mark Christenson, a senior from Sandy, majoring in biochemistry. “Most of the time you’re sliding on your back or your stomach to get through,” said Justin Jones, a senior from Kahuku, Hawaii, majoring in political science.Ī large part of the spelunking is done on the belly, but “there are some places where the caves open up and you can actually stand up,” Jones said. If you’re not afraid of the dark and enjoy crawling on your belly, exploring the Nutty Putty Caves on the other side of Utah Lake may be the recreation for you.
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