A Chinese visitor to Yellowstone National Park has been fined $1,000 after park officials busted him walking off the designated boardwalk at the Mammoth Hot Springs thermal area.
The tourist, who has not been named, was seen walking along terrace formations near hot springs and collecting water from the thermal runoff, National Parks Traveler. reports. He was also seen breaking through the fragile terrace crust of travertine , a sedimentary form of limestone formed as thermal water rises through limestone to deposit calcium carbonate over a long period of time.
The man admitted to collecting hot springs water and said he did not read the safety information provided at the park entrance.
The incident comes just a week after Colin Scott, 23, wandered off the boardwalk at Norris Geyser Basin and fell into a slightly acidic, 199-degree-Fahrenheit hot spring near Porkchop Geyser. Park Rangers were unable to recover any of his remains.
Too hot of a tub.
Why can't people just obey the safety signs? Do they feel invincible? The very last thing I would want to do is walk around boiling hot springs... The last time I was there, I was afraid I would trip and fall off the boardwalk... Did the guy not understand the warnings?
There is a primeval fear of falling into scalding acidic water isn't there? There must be a horror movie about that.
There is to me! The last thing I want to do is be boiled... That's right up there with being eaten by an alligator or a snake!