No injured cavers recorded.
On November 17, 1979, four cavers from the Baltimore Grotto, Richard Tretter, George Rickles, Mike Lurz, and Steve Jènsen, in the company of four novices visited Whiting's Neck Cave, in the panhandle area of West Virginia. The cave is regarded as easy by cavers.
This group went in the back entrance and proceeded to the 45 foot drop where they rigged a handline, on the left, where the drop is not free. All went down except for Jensen and Rickles.
A that point a second group arrived. This included one "military-type" person who seemed knowledgeable about caving, a rock climber, and 15 people in their late teens, 7 of whom were deaf. To confuse things further, a third group arrived.
The leader of the second group rigged the drop with goldline, right in the middle where it is 10 feet of free drop and 35 feet at an 80 degree angle. The use of the Bluewater handline of the first group was twice offered but refused. People of the second group started body rappelling down the drop.
The inexperience of the members of the second group was obvious so Jensen yelled down to Lurz to get Tretter, who had gone on ahead. In the next few minutes two girls had fallen, one 20 feet and the other 10 feet. Though both were unhurt they became briefly hysterical. Two others who had also gone down became stranded when they tried to ascend.
The first group decided things had gone far enough. The leader of the second group was instructed to leave the cave, and the situation was organized. Those below were gotten up, the two girls hauled up by brute force. Everyone exited the cave.
REFERENCE: Stephen Jensen Personal Communication January 23, 1981.
ANALYSIS: It appears that the 'freedom' of the novice group and its leaders was
violated. But certainly the novices, at least, did not know what they were getting
into and possibly were saved from a serious injury. Such intervention can
sometimes be done merely by suggestion, but direct action may often be the only
way. I believe these Baltimore Grotto cavers lived up to their responsibilities.