| Name | Age | Sex | Injuries | Injured areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pogue, Tom | 18 | Male | Lacerations and bruises | Face, head, arms, shoulders |
On Saturday, 5 February 1972, two parties of cavers, one from the Dogwood City Grotto and the other from the Huntsville Grotto, were exploring Sauta Cave. At one place a 40-foot drop leads to a stream which flows out the lower, wet entrance. It is possible to climb down approximately 10 feet to a sloping ledge overlooking the remaining drop. Tom Pogue (18) had climbed down the 10 feet when he lost his footing on the sloping ledge. He then fell about 25 feet onto a breakdown slope and rolled or bounced into the stream where he came to rest. Pogue received facial lacerations and bruises on his head, arms and shoulders.
Since the Dogwood City group did not have a rope, a caver was sent to find the Huntsville group which was known to have a rope. Pogue remained conscious and reported on the extent of his injuries to the best of his ability without the benefit of light. When the rope arrived, Pogue was hauled up the drop and walked out of the cave with some assistance. He was taken to the Huntsville Hospital where he was treated and released.
Source: Report by Doug Strait and Darwin Moss
Analysis: Tom Pogue was well qualified (2 years experience) and with a strong caving group; however, he should not have climbed to the ledge without a belay line.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.