September 19, 2024 |
Photo – A thermal pool near Mallard Lake in Yellowstone – Courtesy National Park Service
A 60-year-old Yellowstone National Park tourist from New Hampshire suffered second- and third-degree burns Monday after walking off-trail and breaking through the thin geothermal crust, the park reports.
Visiting from Windsor, New Hampshire, the woman — who was not identified — her husband and leashed dog disregarded warning signs as they walked in a thermal area near Mallard Lake Trailhead at the Old Faithful site, according to a YNP statement dispatched Wednesday.
The woman broke through a thin crust over scalding water and suffered burns to her leg. Her husband and dog were not hurt, the statement says.
The couple went to a park medical clinic, where personnel evaluated her, then arranged a helicopter flight for her to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
“Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in hydrothermal areas and exercise extreme caution,” the statement adds. “The ground in these areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface.”
YNP’s statement also notes that pets are not allowed on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the back country, or in thermal areas.
