“Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features.” –Chief Ranger Sarah Davis
On December 5th U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Carman sentenced Eric Schefflin, 20, of Lakewood, Colorado, and Ryan Goetz, 25, of Woodstock, New York, after they plead guilty to the charge of trespassing on a thermal feature but Yellowstone officials only publicized the decision last Thursday in a news release.
Powell Tribune reports the pair of rocket surgeons were busted walking on the cone of the park’s best-known attraction, Old Faithful geyser, back in September. They were punished with a 5-year banishment from Yellowstone, 10 days in the clink, $540 in restitution each and five years of unsupervised probation.
“It’s good to send out a strong statement that not only can people get hurt or damage these natural resources … but it’s also illegal. That’s sometimes what resonates with some people.” –Linda Veress Yellowstone Office of Strategic Communications
This should be obvious but keeping people on the boardwalk and off hydrothermal areas like Old Faithful isn’t just to protect the fragile natural features, it also to protect tourists from hurting or killing themselves. Park officials again and again tell guests they must stay on boardwalks and exercise caution around geysers, hot springs and other thermal sites. Lets hope a
p.s. just found this livestream of Old Faithful. love the internet!
images from nps.org
