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Incident At Abyss Pool In Yellowstone National Park

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Yellowstone authorities are trying to determined what happened at Abyss Pool, where what appears to be a human foot in a shoe was found/Kurt Repanshek file

On Tuesday, August 16, 2022, an employee found part of a foot, in a shoe, floating in Abyss Pool, located in the West Thumb Geyser Basin in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park. An investigation by Yellowstone National Park law enforcement officers is ongoing.

Evidence from the investigation thus far suggests that an incident involving one individual likely occurred on the morning of July 31, 2022, at Abyss Pool. Currently, the park believes there was no foul play. The investigation is continuing to determine the circumstances surrounding the death. The West Thumb Geyser Basin and parking lot were temporarily closed to visitors due to the discovery but have since reopened.

Abyss Pool has a depth of more than 50 feet and is one of the deepest hot springs in the park. Its temperature is approximately 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).

Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas and exercise extreme caution around thermal features. The ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface. Learn more about safety in thermal areas at go.nps.gov/yellsafety.

There are no photos of this incident. Photos of West Thumb Geyser Basin can be found on Yellowstone’s Flickr.

Additional Information

Known Recent Thermal Injuries in Yellowstone 

  • Oct. 5, 2021, news release: A 20-year-old woman from Washington suffered significant thermal burns when rescuing her dog from Maiden’s Grave Spring in the vicinity of Fountain Flat Drive south of Madison Junction. The dog passed away, and the woman was transported to the burn center at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.
  • Sept. 16, 2021, news release: A 19-year-old woman from Rhode Island suffered thermal burns in the Old Faithful area.

Known Recent Thermal Fatalities in Yellowstone 

  • June 8, 2016, news release: A man in his early 20’s walked off the designated boardwalk, slipped, and fell into a hot spring at the Norris Geyser Basin.
  • August 2000: One person died from falling into a hot spring in the Lower Geyser Basin.

Comments

Is there any information about the incident that happened on July 31st? I scanned the YNP instagram but saw no news release concerning a missing person (nor through a quick google search). It appears that something happened that day that led to the foot appearing? Sadly, it sounds like someone decided to end their life, possibly left a note, and that ended in this terrible discovery? Curious that the July 31st incident was never reported anywhere (could be the family not wanting it to be disclosed but what a terrible thing to find unexpectantly). 

 


If someone slipped/fell where is the other shoe or other clothing?


Not every tourist so willingly gives the park serive a hand


I've been wondering the same thing! We vacationed there last week days before the foot was discovered and to think it was possibly in there since July 31st meaning while we were there is freaky 


The NPS doesn't publicize suicide figures or information.  It's more common than people realize and they don't want to encourage copycats. 


I don't think anyone would commit suicide by boiling themselves alive. It sounds like an accidental slip and fall like the others. what an awful way to go, sending love to them <3


We were there at the Abyss Pool the morning of July 31 around 9:30 AM and saw nothing unusual - there were other people around us at the same time - no one off the boardwalk or anything suspicious looking. Its frightening to think that someone might have fallen in earlier that morning before we were there. It seems strange that there has been no follow up reporting on this incident in the last 3 weeks ???


We have pursued updates, Steven, but the park hasn't released anything.


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