A series of mishaps and missteps led to the death of one visitor to Yellowstone National Park and left several others injured, including one who received significant burns when he got too close to a thermal area, park officials said.
Park officials say Carl Dullmaier, 56, of Gernsheim, Germany, sustained a fatal head injury when he was thrown from a horse near Tower Junction on Monday. He later died from his injuries after being lifeflighted to a Billings, Montana, hospital.
And a 37-year-old man from Provo, Utah, suffered thermal burns on the Solitary Geyser Trail in the Upper Geyser Basin. He was transported by ambulance to West Yellowstone, Montana, and from there by fixed-wing aircraft to the Salt Lake City, Utah, Burn Center. Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash said Tuesday that details on the incident were vague and that he didn't know the exact circumstances of the accident or the extent of the man's burns.
Also Monday, a 65-year-old British national from Bangkok, Thailand, suffered injuries when he was thrown into the air by a bull bison at Mammoth Hot Springs. He was transported to Memorial Hospital in Livingston, Montana.
Yellowstone officials remind visitors to stay on boardwalks and designated trails while viewing all thermal features in the park. Scalding water underlies thin, breakable crusts; many geyser eruptions are unpredictable, and thermal features are near or above boiling temperatures.
Park visitors are also reminded that intentionally approaching or disturbing animals is dangerous and a violation of park regulations. Park rules require that you stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves at all times, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals including elk and bison.
Yellowstone officials respond to an average of 700 emergency medical calls each year.
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Comments
I think the park is appropriately marked in areas. However, I think it is very wrong of Yellowstone and a few other National parks, like Yosemite, to market themselves as a 'great family vacation'. The parks are VERY dangerous and they have a responsibility to make that understood to the public. I think some parents don't take all things as serious as they should because they're thinking...well it can't be that bad, this is a family friendly place. Um...no, it's really not. Its great for adults, not so much children.
Joe,
If You want some photos let me know. If You want to come over just come
Gerhard
It strikes me that there just may be far too few park rangers to monitor the hordes of people who visit. That's a function of federal funding, and unfortunately the view by many legislators is that if it's not making gobs of money for some company, it's funding that can be skimped on. Penny wise and pound foolish.