Be careful out there folks!

SquarePeg · May 12, 2020

It’s easy to get distracted and forget where you are when you’re taking photos.

Woman falls into thermal feature at Yellowstone

PJM · May 13, 2020

Ouch!

SquarePeg · May 13, 2020

The park is officially closed, she’s lucky she was able to get out and get back to her car.

RVT1K · May 13, 2020

Remember what Forrest Gump's mom used to say??

"Stupid is as stupid does".

Designer · May 13, 2020

Maybe she should have packed a wider lens.

tirediron · May 13, 2020

So distracted you miss all the barricades and "Park Closed" signs? Sorry, but this person is in the same category as the skiers who go into the posted "Danger, Avalanche Area - No Skiing" areas because the powder is undisturbed, get in to trouble and then whine to be rescued. The response to her should have been, "Sorry the park is closed. We'll get back to you when things re-open."

SquarePeg · May 13, 2020

Yes she shouldn’t have been in the park but really no need to be cruel. We don’t know the details. Who among has never done anything stupid?

tirediron · May 13, 2020

Stupid is one thing; I do stupid things almost every day - last weekend I was dropping some trees at the front of my property and on one, didn't make my undercut correctly and almost dropped the tree across the road instead of in the ditch; pretty damn stupid, and could have had nasty consequences. Illegal however is another matter entirely. People that do things like this are putting themselves at risk, and that's their right. What is not their right, is endangering the lives of the people who are tasked to rescue them.

RVT1K · May 13, 2020

tirediron said:
Stupid is one thing; I do stupid things almost every day - last weekend I was dropping some trees at the front of my property and on one, didn't make my undercut correctly and almost dropped the tree across the road instead of in the ditch; pretty damn stupid, and could have had nasty consequences. Illegal however is another matter entirely. People that do things like this are putting themselves at risk, and that's their right. What is not their right, is endangering the lives of the people who are tasked to rescue them.

Not only did she ignore that fact the park was closed, she certainly also crossed barriers designed specifically to keep people away from danger.

I don't want to see a stranger hurt but sympathy is short in a situation like this. Didn't some other woman recently fall off a cliff to her death taking a selfie? Same thing.

NancyMoranG · May 13, 2020

Pretty much if there is a hot spot, then there is a boardwalk to walk on, AND signs about the dangers.
Sometimes we do silly things and have no consequence and say 'wow, thank goodness...'
But burns are a painful and long term medical issue.

Having worked at the Park, I can't tell you the # of times I thought I was about to witness an animal attack due to people thinking they can close enough to 'pet an animal or get a picture with it!!'

Workers in the park call these people 'tourons'. I try not to use derogatory words.

vintagesnaps · May 13, 2020

Makes me shake my head. Certainly wouldn't want someone to get injured... falling and having an accident is one thing, but she probably knew she wasn't supposed to be in the park at all much less around the hot springs.

She's lucky she found someone (or was found by them) and got assistance in getting medical care. And of course people had to provide her with medical care with enough going on as it is these days. Seems to have learned a hard lesson.

Fujidave · May 13, 2020

Glad she`s alive, but stupid if the place had Closed signs up.
Many years ago I watched a Carry on Screaming film, and just as the actress fell in hot liquid she says, Frying Tonight.
So this lucky but silly lady is very lucky.

Derrel · May 13, 2020

What's a little trespassing between friends? (That's sarcasm, for those that are not familiar with me.)Darwin Award nominations are open for 2020 I think.

Designer · May 13, 2020

SquarePeg said:
It’s easy to get distracted ..

How about an alternative title for your thread: "Be Lawful Out There, Folks"

Ignoring and driving around a barricade means trespassing, which usually leads to some kind of penalty. I'm sorry she got burned, but she should pay for the helicopter time and hospital care at the very least, and perhaps also be fined by the National Parks.

Does anyone know if she was a professional photographer? "Why" you ask? I can't figure an amateur risking a fine by entering a closed park simply to take hobby photos, so I jump to the conclusion that she wanted to photograph the park without any visitors in the shot because it could be sold for more money. Just a hunch.