Crisco helps trapped man slip out of cave

07:31 PM MDT on Thursday, June 17, 2004

Brian Holmes
Idaho's NewsChannel 7

Paul Boehlke-KTVB Early Friday morning rescue crews lifted Steven Alborn to safety.

MOUNTAIN HOME -- It was a long night for Steven Alborn who was trapped in a cave south of Mountain Home for about ten hours.

Alborn and some friends from a church group had been exploring a section of caves known as Smith's Crack, when the 250 pound man got stuck and could not get out.

A friend alerted the Elmore County Sheriff to the problem about 8 p.m. Thursday.

Search and rescue crews made several attempts to get Alborn out of the cave, but were unsuccessful until someone suggested using vegetable shortening to grease him up.

After coating a slick suit with Crisco and sending it down to Alborn to wear, he managed to slip out of his predicament in a matter of minutes.

Paul Boehlke-KTVB Steven Alborn (wearing a cap) shares a moment of welcome relief with friends after spending the night stuck in a cave.

Alborn said he may just climb into a cave again someday, "If I knew that the holes were big enough."