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Man's Death Leads To Temporary Closure Of Olympic National Park Hot Spring

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Published Date

October 28, 2015

Olympic Hot Springs in Olympic National Park has been temporarily closed to the public following the discovery of a dead man in the pool.

Park officials said the body of 61-year-old Bruce Gunderson, of Silverdale, Washington, was found Monday. It appears he died of natural causes, a park release said.

But due to health and safety concerns, the Olympic Hot Springs pools have been closed to public use.

“Although use of Olympic Hot Springs has always been at the discretion and risk of the visitor, we have closed the pools until further notice due to public health and safety concerns following this tragic incident,” said Olympic National Park Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum.

Olympic Hot Springs are natural, unmaintained hot water seeps located approximately 2.5 miles from the Boulder Creek Trailhead in the Elwha Valley. The pools are in a wilderness area and not tested or treated by the park.

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