| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miller, Greg | 37 | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Miller, June | 35 | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Miller, Judy | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded | Not recorded |
At 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 26, four cavers entered Swego Pit in West Virginia. They had ropes and gear for the four drops to reach the Carpenter System as well as photo equipment. Heavy rains the previous day had made water flow high so they wore wool clothes under coveralls and used trash bags to keep water off. After 8 hours of caving through the Dry Gallery and the extension they decided to go out. Hauling the now wet packs and rope through a 1200 foot stoop-walk passage Greg Miller (37) tore a lower back muscle and strained other muscles. The 2nd drop was thus made very slow and difficult with Miller using his arms for most of the work of ascending, June Miller (wife, 35) was next up. It was decided that she would go for dry clothes while the others sought help from cavers at nearby caves. The dry clothes arrived at 2 a.m. but communication down the 70 foot entrance pit was impossible due to water noise, so June Miller descended. At 3:40 a.m. the first rescuer descended while others set up a hauling system. Another descended with a hot drink and hauling system instructions. The two victims were hauled up by 4:40 a.m. Judy Miller having become cold during the wait.
It was 7 weeks after the incident before Miller's muscles had healed. In youth he had suffered polio, but this situation is not different from anyone who overextends and becomes exhausted. In this case the wet gear was a burden they had not expected-their previous experience was mostly in the dry caves of the Guadalupes. We must all do our best to learn our limits and see the situations we encounter in the light of these limits. In this case, the trip through the stoopway perhaps should have been declined.
Injury sustained from overexertion during a cave exit with heavy, wet gear.