The Tragic Story Behind the Virtual Experience
In November 2009, a medical student named John Jones experienced what many describe as one of the worst imaginable deaths when he became trapped upside down in Utah's Nutty Putty Cave. The 26-year-old amateur caver ventured into the popular spelunking site with a group of 11 people, only to find himself irrevocably stuck in a narrow passage known as Bob's Push.
The crevice that trapped Jones measured just 18 inches wide and 10 inches high, forming part of an L-shaped section of the cave approximately 150 feet below ground. For 28 agonising hours, Jones remained suspended with his head positioned below his feet, experiencing the terrifying physiological effects of being inverted for an extended period.
Virtual Reality Brings the Cave to Life
Now, sixteen years after the tragedy, developers at 3R Games have digitally recreated the entire 1,400-foot winding cave system for their virtual reality game, Cave Craver. The recreation was built using official records and rescue testimony, offering players an opportunity to explore the very passage where Jones met his tragic end.
VR content creator Justin Wieb recently shared his experience navigating the virtual Nutty Putty Cave on his YouTube channel. During his exploration, he discovered chalk markings pointing toward what the game describes as the 'final route and resting place' of John Jones. 'Oh my Gosh, it keeps going,' Wieb remarked in his video as his character's heartbeat echoed through the headset.
The publisher emphasises that their recreation avoids 'gamifying the tragedy' and instead provides what they call a 'respectful and authentic' way to explore the infamous cave. Unlike the base game that models real-world spelunking risks, the Nutty Putty VR experience is designed to be safe - players cannot die, and their flashlight batteries never run out.
Mixed Reactions and Lasting Legacy
The gaming community has expressed divided opinions about including the site of such a recent tragedy in a virtual reality experience. One social media user commented: 'Thanks to VR technology, I can now also refuse to go in VR,' while another sarcastically noted the unusual appeal of 'crawling in a dirt hole someone died in.'
The recreation benefited from input by veteran caver Brandon Kowallis, who was the last person to see John Jones alive. Kowallis recalled that when he reached Jones, the medical student was barely conscious and 'talking about seeing angels and demons around him.'
Rescue teams briefly managed to free Jones using a rope-and-pulley system, providing him with food and water. However, when an anchor in the cave roof failed, he fell back into the tight space while still upside down. The situation became increasingly desperate, with rescuers facing the impossible choice of leaving the unconscious man or attempting to widen the tunnel with a jackhammer, which risked causing brain injuries.
John Jones ultimately died from cardiac arrest and asphyxiation after nearly 28 hours hanging inverted. When the human body remains upside down for extended periods, gravity causes blood to pool in the brain, lungs become compressed by heavier organs, and the heart struggles to manage the increased blood flow.
Jones became the first and only known fatality at Nutty Putty Cave. Retrieving his body proved too dangerous, so his remains were left in the cave, which authorities permanently closed shortly after the incident. He was survived by his wife, Emily, who was pregnant at the time of his death. Their child was later named in his honour.
The Nutty Putty Cave experience has been added to Cave Craver as part of a free update, creating both an educational tool and a source of ethical debate within the gaming and caving communities.
