Teenager Suffers Severe Burns When Foot Sinks Near Yellowstone Geyser

New York Times

4 days ago

A teenager who was visiting Yellowstone National Park was severely burned this week when his foot sank through the thin crust of ground in a popular geyser area, the National Park Service said.
The teenager, a 17-year-old boy, was hiking on Monday in the thermal area near the Lone Star Geyser, which is in the same geyser basin as Old Faithful, when his foot broke through the crust, causing 'significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle area,' the park service said in a statement.
He was taken to a hospital for treatment, the service said.
Park officials, who did not release his name, said that the episode was under investigation.
Geysers are a type of hot spring that erupts with both water and steam. Contact with the scalding water in a geyser can cause severe or even fatal burns, so boardwalks and trails have been constructed in the area to protect visitors as well as the thermal formations.
Officials did not say whether the teenager was in areas deemed appropriate for tourists when he was hurt or had ventured past the boundaries, either intentionally or by accident.
It was the first known thermal injury this year in connection with Yellowstone's famous hot springs, which have been popular but risky tourist attractions for years. They can reach temperatures hotter than 185 degrees Fahrenheit, according to U.S. Geological Survey.
Visitors who have ventured off the boardwalks built around the geysers and broken through ground or come into contact with the hot spray have been scorched, jailed and even killed. Since the park's beginnings in 1872, 22 people have died from burns caused by entering or falling into the hot springs.
Eruptions from the Lone Star Geyser shoot up about every three hours, sometimes rising as high as 45 feet. An asphalt trail leads to the geyser, but the last few hundred feet are unpaved.
It is among about 150 geysers in the Upper Geyser Basin, including Old Faithful, one of the most popular features in the park for its predictable and frequent eruptions.
The Parks Service routinely advises visitors to remain on boardwalks and trails and avoid touching thermal features or runoff. Entering the waters is prohibited. Visitors are also warned that they should leave geyser basins if they feel ill from toxic gases.