In the words of Benny Wilson, “when the cameras come out, IQ’s drop… or mine about goes up.” That fact was witnessed first hand this past summer when an adventure film crew, who refer to themselves as “High on Life,” thought it’d be a good idea to walk across the environmentally sensitive and extremely dangerous Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park– filming the entire thing.
Related: Trespassers Take Stroll Across Boiling Hot Grand Prismatic Spring
According to a NPS press release, Charles Gamble, Alexey Lyakh, Justis Brown, Parker Heuser, and Hamish Cross are now facing the proverbial music after appearing before an US Magistrate Judge in Yellowstone National Park this past week. So far, two of the five have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the Grand Prismatic Spring incident. Three others involved in the “High On Life” crew plead not guilty to violations in Yellowstone and Death Valley National Parks.
“Hamish Cross’s egregious actions damaged a world-class hot spring and risked his own life coupled with the lives of responding rangers. We look forward to the outcome of the case regarding the three remaining defendants.” – Dan Wenk, Yellowstone National Park Superintendent
Since pleading guilty, Hamish Cross and Parker Heuser will pay fines that amount to approximately $9,000 USD and both will be subject to a 5 year probationary period that includes being banned from any and all US National Parks. The other 3 will receive court appointed attorneys and will have their day in court.
Find the entire press release here: Two Defendants from the High on Life Group Plead Guilty