Exploring Uncharted Territory Gone WRONG | Wildcat Cave Incident

Summary

In 1965, 16 youths from an orphanage embarked on a caving trip to Wildcat Cave. Morris, eager to lead the group, made a wrong turn into an unexplored passage. Wedging himself into a tight crevice, he tumbled headfirst into a 9-inch crack, pinning his body. What followed was a perilous 25-hour rescue mission. With over 200 workers gathered, rescuers used various innovative strategies to free Morris. After slipping multiple times, the exhausted boy was finally pulled free by an Eagle Scout. The crowd erupted into cheers, though the cave entrance was later sealed. This harrowing tale evokes the 2009 Nutty Putty cave tragedy, where wrong turns proved fatal.

Takeaways

• 😟 Morris Bold, a 16 year old boy, became trapped in a narrow crevice while exploring Wildcat Cave in 1965, triggering a 25 hour rescue mission
• 😲 The cave had never been fully mapped or explored before. Morris made a wrong turn down a tight passage, becoming wedged upside down in a 9 inch crack
• 🤔 Morris was disoriented in the darkness, mistaking the downhill passage for the route to a larger chamber believing he was close to an exit
• 😨 Unable to move and struggling to breathe, Morris called desperately for help. Rescuers faced immense difficulties reaching and freeing him
• 😓 Over 200 emergency workers gathered to save Morris. The story became national news with appeals for rescue ideas from the public
• 👩‍⚕️ Nurse Evelyn Pettit comforted Morris for hours in the tight space. Many other volunteers offered help but couldn't reach him
• 🛠 Rescuers tried various equipment and techniques - pulleys, hooks, ropes, lubricant - but progress pulling Morris out was painfully slow
• 🙏 With time running out, 15 year old Eagle Scout Michael Ritch squeezed in and secured a rope for Morris to grip, enabling the final rescue
• 👏 After over 24 grueling hours stuck upside down, Morris was finally extracted from the crevice to cheers from the huge gathered crowd
• 😥 Tragically demonstrating the dangers of cave exploration, the Wildcat Cave entrance was later dynamited closed, like Nutty Putty Cave

Q & A

What was the name of the cave where Morris got trapped?

Morris got trapped in Wildcat Cave located in the Hinckley Reservation in Whip's Ledges.

How did Morris end up getting trapped in the cave?

Morris made a wrong turn while trying to find his way to a large chamber in the cave. He entered a tight crevice where he became pinned and unable to move.

How long was Morris trapped in the cave before being rescued?

Morris was trapped in the cave for over 25 hours before being successfully rescued.

What made the rescue attempts so challenging?

The narrow passages, sharp bends, and limited visibility inside the cave made it very difficult to access and reach Morris. The rescuers also had to be cautious not to get trapped themselves.

Who was the nurse that comforted Morris while he was trapped?

Evelyn 'Pinky' Pettit, a 85lb nurse from Akron drove to the cave and spent nearly 3 hours comforting Morris while rescuers prepared to pull him out.

What was the final successful rescue method used?

15-year old Eagle Scout Michael Riich was able to get close and throw a rope to Morris. He then poured glycerin solution to lubricate Morris's hips and inserted a support board to reduce friction while pulling.

How similar was Morris's experience to that of John Edward Jones?

Both Morris and John made wrong turns inside unmapped cave systems, became pinned in tight spaces alone, and required complex rescue missions lasting many hours.

What happened to Wildcat Cave after Morris was rescued?

The Park Service dynamited the back of Wildcat Cave hours after Morris was freed, similarly to how the entrance of Nutty Putty Cave was sealed with concrete after John Jones died.

Why was Morris still alive after being trapped for 25+ hours?

The 60 degree angle of the crevice allowed sufficient blood flow and prevented Morris from quickly dying compared to steeper angles.

How did the Morris incident impact cave exploration safety?

The dangers of underground passages were clearly exhibited, etching the need for preparation, caution, and safety measures when cave exploring to prevent future tragedies.

Outlines

00:00

😨 The harrowing tale of Morris trapped in a cave

In 1965, 16 youths went on a field trip to explore Wildcat Cave. Morris eagerly led a group into the cave but took a wrong turn into an uncharted passage. He slid into a narrow crevice, pinning his hips and body. Unable to move, he called for help. Rescuers tried various methods to free him but faced difficulties due to the cave's tight spaces. The rescue mission dragged on as anxiety grew. Nurse Evelyn provided comfort while rescuers prepared new strategies. After over 24 hours trapped, a team rigged a pulley system and poured glycerin to finally pull Morris free.

05:01

😰 A difficult 25-hour rescue mission

As Morris was trapped, he experienced breathing issues from pressure on his chest. In the darkness, fear gripped him as he begged to be saved. Fire chief Paul led emergency responders who provided light and oxygen. However, narrow passages made access challenging. Each maneuver was executed cautiously amid risks of injury. Various ideas were ruled out like drilling or dynamite. As temperatures dropped, over 200 gathered outside, appealing for community help. Experienced caver Terry proposed a pulley but it initially failed to budge Morris. The main concern was Morris losing consciousness, leaving no way to pull him out.

10:01

🥳 Morris rescued after a clever pulley system is deployed

In a last ditch attempt, a team flew in a rescue squad. They sent scout Michael, the only one small enough, into the crevice. He provided comfort and used glycerin and a board to reduce friction. On cue, the team tugged Morris free as cheers erupted. After over 24 anguishing hours, he was finally rescued. Had the crevice been steeper, less time would've been available. Learning its lesson, the cave entrance was later dynamited and sealed, only for history to repeat in 2009 with the harrowing Nutty Putty cave incident.

Keywords

💡Cave

The cave is the main setting where the incident with Morris takes place. It is described as having narrow, unpredictable passages and tight spaces, making navigation and rescue difficult. This highlights the cave's treacherous topology that traps Morris.

💡Trapped

Morris gets trapped deep inside the cave passages after making a wrong turn, unable to move and pinned in a tight space. This shows the danger of cave exploration when proper precautions are not taken.

💡Rescue

An extensive rescue mission spanning 25 hours is launched to save Morris. This involves creative rescue strategies from pulleys to slippery solutions. It highlightsrescue challenges posed by the cave.

💡Darkness

The darkness inside the cave disorients Morris and makes rescue difficult. It emphasizes how caves can quickly turn perilous especially when lighting fails.

💡Obstacles

Numerous obstacles like narrow passages, sharp bends, and limited visibility hinder the rescue. They showcase the unpredictability of cave topology.

💡Fear

Morris experiences gripping fear and panic when trapped. The rescuers are also afraid to get stuck. This captures the emotional trauma of such incidents.

💡Communication

Rescuers keep communicating with Morris to ensure he stays conscious. This highlights that communication was vital during the rescue.

💡Coordination

The elaborate rescue mission requires coordination among firefighters, medics, cave experts and machinery operators. This teamwork is critical.

💡Caution

The rescuers proceed cautiously to avoid worsening Morris's situation or harming themselves. This emphasizes methodical caution needed in rescues.

💡Escape

Morris ultimately escapes the cave through the rescuers' persisted efforts. This shows the possibility of safe outcomes with grit.

Highlights

Morris made a wrong turn in an unmapped cave, getting stuck in a tight crevice in 1965

Morris volunteered eagerly to lead cave exploration due to previous experience, but got overconfident

In the darkness, Morris crawled into a downhill passage, tumbling into a tight 9-inch crack

Unable to move and alone, Morris called for help but his friends didn't initially realize the danger

A teacher tried to pull Morris out with a belt but couldn't reach him without getting stuck too

Over 200 emergency workers gathered to rescue Morris as the story became national news

Rescue attempts faced difficulties like narrow passages, limited visibility, and risk of cave-ins

A nurse comforted Morris for hours in the tight space as rescuers prepared new rescue plans

After 24 hours with little progress, rescuers only had one attempt left before Morris lost consciousness

A scout poured glycerin and wedged a board under Morris to reduce friction for pulling him out

After firm tugging Morris broke free over 24 hours after getting trapped, as crowds cheered

If the crevice was steeper, Morris likely wouldn't have survived long enough to be rescued

The cave entrance was later dynamited shut to prevent future accidents

A similar tragedy occurred in 2009 when Jon Jones died in the Nutty Putty cave rescue attempt

The lessons from Morris's experience failed to prevent the Nutty Putty incident 44 years later

Transcripts

in a recent video we recounted a

harrowing tragedy involving Jon Edward

Jones at nutty putty cave in

2009 Jon's misadventure began when he

took a wrong turn leading him into a

perilous narrow passage where he became

trapped in darkness however what many

don't realize is that Jon wasn't the

first to confront such desperation here

at the faculty of Truth we uncover

another captivating story from 1965

featuring Morris bold whose experience

mirrors John's similar to nutty putty

cave incident Morris made a wrong turn

finding himself wedged in a tight

crevice with no Escape What followed was

a gripping 25-hour Rescue Mission

forever etching the dangers of

underground exploration into

history on a crisp autumn morning in the

vast Park the perfect setting for an

outing 16 youths and three teachers from

the Methodist Children's Home in Berea

embarked on a plan trip on October 5th

1965 to Shon Brun Village in tuscaro

West County however an unfortunate flat

tire incident on the way compelled them

to alter their course quick thinking and

improvisation LED them to the Hinkley

reservation home of Wildcat cave in

Whip's Ledges as the group approached

Wildcat cave a palpable sense of

anticipation and excitement hung in the

air Morris in particular couldn't

contain his enthusias M for exploring

the cave although he and his friends had

visited the cave on previous field trips

this time the experience was destined to

take an unexpected turn the cave had

never been officially mapped or

thoroughly explored so we reconstructed

the internal passages based on the

stories and archival documents available

Wildcat cave nestled in a Sandstone

Cliff boasted an entrance 15 ft wide and

4 ft High resembling a dark Jagged mouth

while the exterior and its surroundings

were popular among locals the interior

harbored a fascinating history over the

years the cave had served as a refuge

for criminals and runaway slaves

cultivating a legend that added to its

Aura of mystery and unease entering the

cave one would encounter a narrow

passage roughly 80 ft long known as the

main tunnel at its Terminus an opening

revealed a large leaning rock that

dominated the space continuing straight

from this point the passage led to a

sizable chamber believed by local

tradition to have been a 19th century

hiding place for escaped slaves on route

to Canada it was easy to confuse this

passage with two others around the

Leaning Rock especially without proper

lighting and previous experience inside

the cave since no one had explored these

passages before they remained Uncharted

the group of three decided to descend

into the cave and explore a welln known

chamber Morris volunteered to lead the

group eager to Showcase his previous

experience navigating the main tunnel

however his confidence soon dwindled as

he realized his past encounters had not

prepared him adequately for what lay

ahead initially walking inside the main

tunnel creates a comfortable environment

with enough space to maneuver after

around 60 ft though the tunnel begins to

shrink requiring explorers to move in a

squatting position upon reaching the

crossing Morris noticed a large Rock and

assumed that the passage to the large

chamber followed its curvature with no

one questioning his decision to proceed

forward he forged ahead as Morris

entered the crevice the room for

maneuvering decreased exponentially

forcing him to crawl on his stomach

claustrophobia gripped him as the cave

enveloped him in darkness but Bates

remained convinced that the opening to

the large chamber lay ahead just a few

few more feet away inch by inch he began

to feel pressure around his torso and

hips what Morris didn't realize in the

darkness of the squeeze tunnel was that

he was crawling downwards the human body

relies on the vestibular apparatus to

determine its balance and position

without enough visual information such

as in darkness balance can be affected

as the eyes gather information about

orientation from the environment pushing

harder and harder Morris found himself

in a situation similar to JN Edward

Jones where the downhill path led to a

sharp angled crevice the 110lb 5'7 boy

slithered into the damp slippery Fisher

and tumbled head first into a 9in crack

pinning his hips and body eager to

escape the confines of the orphanage and

enjoy Carefree moments with his friends

Morris found himself grappling with the

consequences of his choices the cave

once r rumored to be an exciting place

to explore had now become a potential

grave for him as he navigated narrow

passages and turned in tight spaces his

body became covered in cuts and

scratches the critical moment arrived

when Morris realized he was alone in the

depths of the cave he couldn't budge

unable to move he called to his two Pals

for help but it took some time for the

boys to comprehend the dire situation

and understand where the desperate

scream was coming from out of fear they

raced to get a teacher who squeezed into

the cave and tried to use his belt to

lasso the boy's ankle the teacher

couldn't get close enough to Morris

afraid of getting stuck as well once he

reached the safest Zone he threw the

belt onto Morris's feet and started

pulling success seemed to lighten up but

it ended quickly when the belt broke and

Batel wedged deeper into the crevice at

this point Morris started experiencing

difficulty breathing due to the outer

pressure on his chest in the darkness

and cold the teacher could hear fear and

panic into Morris's voice as he begged

him to find someone else to save him the

teacher immediately called for

professional help the first on the scene

was fire chief Paul chodura who led a

squad to Wildcat cave firefighters

installed a portable generator to light

the cave and Cruz piped oxygen to the

boy they decided to use a pulley system

with hooks but the rescue attempts faced

significant challenges the Topography of

the cave presented unpredictable

obstacles with narrow passages and sharp

bends making access difficult Morris was

trapped a considerable distance from the

entrance further complicating efforts to

reach him limited visibility and

claustrophobic conditions inside the

cave added another layer of difficulty

to the rescue each maneuver was executed

with caution considering the con Stant

risk of injury to The Rescuers and the

potential for worsening Morris's

situation combining tactical skill and

impressive Courage The Rescuers explored

various strategies to free Morris from

his precarious position contractors

offered to drill through 36 ft of stone

but geologists feared a cave in Dynamite

was ruled out as well the Dilemma

dragged into the night and anxiety grew

among both The Rescuers and the helpless

onlookers watching the situation from

outside the cave the temperature dipped

into the 30s as more than 200 emergency

workers Spectators relatives and

reporters gathered at the scene the

story of the trapped kid became Front

Page News across the country and the

subject of national television programs

radio broadcasts appealed for help from

the community prompting Evelyn pinky

Pettit a 5'2 85lb nurse from akan to dve

drive to the cave and wriggle into the

passage she could get no closer than 5

ft but spent nearly 3 hours comforting

the boy while Rescuers prepared a new

method to pull Morris out one of the

methods was proposed by experienced cave

Explorer Terry Brown of akan who

suggested rigging an impromptu pulley

instead of hooks with a metal ring

spiked to the roof of the cave Rescuers

pulled and tugged but bold moved only a

few inches only to be pushed backward

once the pulley released the main

concern of The Rescuers was Morris's

Consciousness if the boy passed out

there would be no method to pull him out

without his own effort all these nuances

bring to mind the Nutty putty cave

tragedy rescue mission that ended the

moment Jon Jones passed out pulling the

body from the crevice using different

methods takes only 80% and the remaining

20% must always be filled with the

victim's pushing efforts all night long

Rescuers kept trying to cheer up the boy

they asked if he had a girlfriend they

promised him a steak dinner they made

him count to 25 and Back Again dozens of

individuals offered assistance but many

couldn't get close enough after entering

the cave it's been more than 24 hours

and at this point Rescuers were left

with only one attempt as Morris's

answers became more and more vague and

time was running out in the morning the

US Air Force flew a team from The

National spical Society in Washington DC

machinist Curtis pek and his Uncle Paul

PE devised a plan and to execute it they

sent 15 years old Eagle Scout Michael

riich of North Royalton who squirmed

into the crevice he was able to get

closer to Morris than anyone else had

before Michael threw a rope to Morris

and he was able to pull it over his arms

as rri later told reporters Morris lay

on his right side and could only use one

arm

according to Michael it was pretty tight

and scary in there he was instructed to

use a glycerin Solution by pouring it on

Morris's hips to make them slippery

after which he pushed a narrow support

board under Morris's legs to create less

friction once pulling started with

Michael's command the team started

pulling Bates old slipped a few times

but with firm tugging from above he

broke free hearty cheers arose as the

boy was wrapped in a blanket and lifted

out of the passage more than 24 hours

after the ordeal began hundreds of

Spectators applauded as the kid was

loaded into a waiting ambulance

fortunately the position of the boy was

around 60° which helped him stay alive

for such a long period of time if the

crevice had been steeper Morris wouldn't

have had as much time until Rescuers

figured out the best method to pull him

out the Park Service dynamited the back

of Wildcat cave hours after bite old was

freed similarly with nutty putty cave

the entrance was permanently sealed with

concrete the lesson was learned for the

next 44 years until it all repeated

again but this time with a horrible

ending