Overview
- Media outlets are resurfacing the official 2016 incident report on 23-year-old Colin Scott’s fatal fall into a hot spring at Norris Geyser Basin.
- The report states Scott and his sister left the boardwalk and walked more than 225 feet into a restricted area, reportedly looking for a place to try illegal 'hot-potting.'
- Rescuers initially saw parts of his body but halted recovery efforts due to hazardous conditions and a lightning storm warning, returning the next day to find only his wallet and shoes.
- Park officials concluded the extreme heat and acidity of the pool effectively dissolved the remains, underscoring the dangers of Yellowstone’s geothermal features.
- Rangers note the basin’s near-boiling temperatures and unstable ground and cite at least 22 similar deaths since 1890, stressing that boardwalks and barriers are there for visitor safety.