On June 7, 2016, 23-year-old Colin Scott was taking a leisurely walk through Yellowstone with his sister Sable, until they both strayed about 200 meters from the designated trail in the Norris Geyser Basin.
They both wanted to find warm, relaxing thermal water to soak in, something that is strictly prohibited. When they seemed to find the right spot, Sable took out her phone to record her brother as he tested the water’s temperature, but just then Colin slipped and fell into the acidic pool, which was over 90 °C.
His sister called for help immediately, and although rescuers saw the body, they were unable to recover it that day because of the weather conditions and lack of visibility. Sadly, when they returned the following morning, they could not recover the young man’s remains because his body had dissolved due to the acidity of the water.
Only a few personal belongings, such as sandals, were found.
The area was closed precisely to protect people from a danger that isn’t apparent at first glance. Since 1890, 22 people have died in Yellowstone’s hot springs, but how many warning signs must be ignored before someone understands that they’re not there for decoration?