Tag: Old Faithful

Woman ignores rules at Yellowstone, gets severely burned

The 60-year-old was walking in a prohibited thermal area of Yellowstone National Park with her husband and dog when the incident occurred.

A woman walking in a prohibited thermal area of Yellowstone National Park sustained severe burns to her lower leg when she broke through the thin crust and into scalding water.

The 60-year-old woman from Windsor, New Hampshire, was walking off-trail with her husband and leashed dog near Mallard Lake Trailhead at Old Faithful when the incident occurred Monday afternoon, the National Park Service reported.

The husband and dog were uninjured, but the woman suffered second- and third-degree burns. She was treated at the park’s medical clinic before being transported via helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for further treatment.

The couple ignored two rules at Yellowstone by going off-trail and taking their dog. Pets are prohibited on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry and in thermal areas. The couple could be cited by Yellowstone law enforcement. The incident is under investigation.

It is the first known thermal injury this year in Yellowstone.

To show how dangerous thermal areas are in Yellowstone, the National Park Service posted images of Crested Pool. One is the normal view, the other an infrared view (yellow=hottest, blue=coolest). The pool is 159 degrees and the outer edge is 107 degrees.

Credit: NPS/Dave Krueger
Credit: NPS/Dave Krueger

Not only is the pool lethally hot, but so are the grounds surrounding the hydrothermal feature.

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“Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations,” the National Park Service states online. “Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.”

From the Post Register in Idaho Falls:

“Deaths from hot springs are more common even than deaths from animal encounters in the park. According to the United States Geological Survey, there have been at least 22 deaths and hundreds of injuries related to hot springs since 1872. In contrast, two people have been killed in bison encounters and eight from bear encounters since 1872.

“Many thermal areas can be above 150 degrees Fahrenheit, some exceeding 185 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the USGS. Even seconds of exposure can cause serious burns.

“Numerous severe injuries have been a result of dogs jumping into hot springs, and their owners trying to save them.”

Yellowstone wolves visit Old Faithful in surreal webcam footage

Members of the Wapiti wolf pack were observed strolling across the boardwalk system that winds around Old Faithful and other thermal features.

Yellowstone National Park fans who tuned into the Old Faithful webcam  Thursday morning were thrilled to see wolves strolling across the iconic thermal region.

“What a view this morning!” Yellowstone Forever exclaimed via X. “The webcam captured some incredible footage of the park’s Wapiti wolf pack making its way through the Upper Geyser Basin.”

The webcam footage – rare footage, indeed – shows several wolves on and near the basin’s sprawling boardwalk system. (See footage below.)

A 10-minute version produced by the National Park Service (posted below) shows more extensive exploration by the wolves near Old Faithful and other geysers as steam floats across the wintry landscape.

At times, the wolves are traveling on boardwalks that are crowded with tourists in spring and summer. One wolf is shown near a geyser’s vent, as if savoring its warmth.

A screen shot from the webcam footage was posted on the Yellowstone Insiders Hub Facebook page by Joe Nagel, who exclaimed: “Wolves right now on the Old Faithful webcam!”

One follower joked: “Get. On. The. Boardwalk,” in reference to a park regulation that applies only to human visitors.

Another remarked, “Well, that probably cleared the elk and bison out of the geyser basin.”

Old Faithful is in the southwest portion of the 2.2-million-acre park, which is situated in Wyoming and small portions of Montana and Idaho.

Although wolf sightings can occur anywhere inside the park, the most likely spotting destinations are across the vast northern range.

–Footage courtesy of the National Park Service

Man arrested in Yellowstone National Park, body found in car

Authorities have launched an investigation after a woman’s body was found inside a vehicle in Yellowstone National Park.

Authorities have launched an investigation after a body was found inside a vehicle in Yellowstone National Park.

The park explained that rangers on Saturday discovered a vehicle that had crashed into a snowbank, and a male standing outside. A deceased female was found inside the vehicle.

“The male was detained and subsequently arrested for drug possession and other traffic-related charges,” the park stated in a news release. “Investigators are determining what led to the female’s death and attempting to complete next-of-kin notifications.”

The vehicle was discovered on Craig Pass south of Old Faithful. Additional information was not disclosed.

The investigation involves the National Park Service, FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Teton County Coroner’s Office.

–Image courtesy of Yellowstone National Park

Watch: Yellowstone bison strolls by Old Faithful with perfect timing

A bison in Yellowstone National Park had impeccable timing Monday when it strolled in front of Old Faithful just as it was erupting.

A bison in Yellowstone National Park had perfect timing Monday when it strolled in front of Old Faithful just as it was erupting, much to the delight of visitors who waited 90 minutes for the iconic geyser to blow.

Chris Fabregas, who captured the moment in video, was among the group of visitors who were treated to what one commenter on Instagram called a “2 for 1 deal!”

“Yellowstone Park and the geysers are an incredible thing to see, the wonders of nature are amazing!” Fabregas wrote on Instagram. “Especially when this bison walked by exactly when Old Faithful erupted!”

Old Faithful erupts every 35 to 120 minutes for 1½ to 5 minutes with maximum heights ranging from 90 to 184 feet.

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And what is the frequency of having a bison walk in front of an Old Faithful eruption?

“C’mon, that can only happen once every 100 years,” one Instagram commenter said.

Whatever the odds, the sight was amazing.

“The crowd was in awe,” Fabregas told Storyful.

Generic photo courtesy of National Park Service.

Man jailed for dangerous stunt at Yellowstone’s Old Faithful

A man who was cited for trespassing at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park last July has been sentenced to 15 days in prison and banned from the park.

A man who was cited for trespassing at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park last July has been sentenced to 15 days in jail and banned from the park.

Aaron E. Merritt, 37, pleaded guilty to trespassing during his arraignment Thursday before Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming.

On July 7, 2020, Merritt, who is from Madison, Maine, repeatedly ran up to the Old Faithful geyser while wearing a raccoon fur hat and carrying the American flag. When a ranger arrived, Merritt was 50 feet beyond the safety of the boardwalk.

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Tourists at the famous geyser, which erupts at predictable intervals, must stay on boardwalks that surround the thermal feature.

Crowd watches Old Faithful. Photo: NPS

Merritt was cited but failed to appear for his July 23, 2020 court appearance. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was arrested in Maine on June 5, 2021, according to a U.S. Department of Justice District of Wyoming news release.

Merritt was sentenced to 15 days imprisonment with credit for four days served. He was fined $200, plus $30 in court costs and a $10 assessment fee.

–Top image showing Old Faithful erupt is courtesy of ©Pete Thomas

Yellowstone tourists get jail time for trespassing at Old Faithful

Two men have been sentenced to 10 days in jail for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.

Two men have been sentenced to 10 days in jail after pleading guilty to trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.

Eric Schefflin, 20, of Lakewood, Colo., and Ryan Goetz, 25, of Woodstock, N.Y., were sentenced on Dec. 5 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Carman at Yellowstone Justice Center in Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyo.

The case had been pending since the men were cited on Sept. 10, 2019, after several witnesses watched them walking toward and onto the out-of-bounds cone of iconic thermal feature.

The men also were banned from Yellowstone National Park for five years and ordered to pay $540 in restitution, according to a news release issued Thursday by the park.

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“Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource, and illegal,” said Chief Ranger Sarah Davis. “Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously.”

Trespassing beyond the safety of boardwalks at Yellowstone’s thermal features is a common problem despite the potential for injury or death.

Late last September a 48-year-old tourist was severely burned after falling into a hot spring near Old Faithful, while walking at night with a flashlight.

In June 2017 a man received moderate burns after he fell into a hot spring at Lower Geyser Basin.

In 2016 a man died after he fell into a hot spring at Norris Geyser Basin, and in August 2000 a man died and two other tourists were severely burned after they fell into a hot spring at Lower Geyser Basin.

A park spokeswoman told ForTheWin Outdoors that thermal trespass violations are misdemeanors and can result in fines of up to $5,000, plus up to six months in jail.

–Images showing Old Faithful and thermal features are courtesy of ©Pete Thomas and Yellowstone National Park