A week after a young man died after he wandered far off a boardwalk in Yellowstone National Park's Norris Geyser Basin and fell into a hot spring, a Chinese visitor has been fined $1,000 for walking off a boardwalk in the park's Mammoth Hot Springs thermal area.
Park officials said the unnamed visitor was spotted walking on the terrace formantions near the Liberty Cap formation and collecting water from the thermal runoff. He also was seen breaking througth the fragile travertine crust, according to a park release.
A park ranger took the witness’ statement, photos, and location of the violation.
The subsequent law enforcement investigation identified the individual, who stated that he did not read the safety information given to him at the park entrance. He also admitted to collecting hot springs water. A federal violation notice requiring a mandatory appearance in the Yellowstone Justice Center Court was issued for off-boardwalk travel in a thermal area.
A week ago Colin Nathaniel Scott, 23, of Portland, Oregon, died when he and his sister wandered nearly 700 feet off a Norris Geyser Basin boardwalk and either slipped or fell into a hot spring near Porkchop Geyser. Rangers were unable to recover any of the man's remains from the hot spring, which was slightly acidic and had a temperature of around 199 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the most recent case, park rangers expressed their appreciation for the willingness of the witness to document and report the violation.
Park employees call on all visitors to protect their park and protect themselves. Regulations to stay on designated trails and boardwalks in thermal areas are for visitor safety and the safety of the exceptional park natural resources. Without visitor cooperation, park natural wonders will continue to be damaged and more individuals may be injured or killed. It is a violation of federal regulations to collect any park resources.
Comments
YES!!! It's very ridiculous that it's come to that, but since so many people visit national parks and since too many these days think rules are just suggestions to be ignored, WHERE VERY IMPORTANT, like this case is, RULES NEED to be ENFORCED STRICTLY!!! It will be cost prohibitive to have enough park rangers to man this but retired people could be given room and board during busy seasons and trained to petrol areas where these types of crazy things keep happening. They could easily do the patrolling and passing out tickets, if necessary. Hopefully large signs and seeing people in a uniform present would deter, just as police present on highway do.
its about time! I repeated caution visitors, foreign and domestic about the safety issues they are breaking. I do report violators. If everyone looked out for the park's well being, we wouldn't have so many stupid tourist incidents.
Prople, please protect the parks and human beings who are too stupid to take care of themselves.
He should be fined, he's describing the park, and putting himself as well as his potential rescuers in danger.
Kudos to the visitor that was able to get enough evidence for the park service to find the violator. With modern obsession of people using smart phones to take selfies, and photos of the wonders of the park, it's hopeful a few conscientious people would also take photos of those violating these critical rules and tattle on them. Maybe, if enough do so, word will get around that they may not get away with it, and have to pay a hefty fine, as well, and at least some visitors will let it be a deterrent. Of course, there are those who are going to break the rules, simply because, in their arrogance, they can break the rules.
I have spoken to Asian visitors who had food and drink on boardwalks clearly marked that they are prohibited. I think that if these people are on a tour, you also ought to fine the guide and/or tour company. Too many guides turn a blind eye to violations because they want a good tip at the end and don't care about what their tours do at each stop.
in my five years working at Yellowstone, I witnessed visitors doing may dangerous things. The biggest one is violating the rule of staying back away from the animals. Bears, Bison, Elk, Pronghorn,etc are wild animals. You are visiting their home. I think that if an employee says " Please stay back," guests need to listen because we know. We live there. We have been taught. I think fines need to be Enforced! Too many stupid thing this year and we are only in the second month of summer. I feel bad for the man who fell into the hot spring family, but if he was where he should have been and not where he and his sister were this accident would not have happened. A lot of things that happen in the park, many are avoided if people read the signs and newspaper. I hope that people start doing the things right instead of breaking the rules.
Is this the year of exceptional idiots visiting Yellowstone?
$1000 fine is not enough.
Damage from clowns like this take 10's to 100's of years to recover.
Make the fine $100,000 and 30-days community service.
Advertise the stupid and selfish people mug shots on social media.
PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEHAVING LIKE THE RULES DON'T APPLY TO THEM.