Two tourists have been arrested for approaching and peering into Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park, but they're lucky to still be alive.
Mother Nature is a lot of things. Fascinating, incredible, breathtaking, we could go on. We could also add a few not-so-great words to the list. Dangerous and unforgiving, just to name a couple. We urge everyone to go out in nature and explore as much of it as possible and try to take that advice ourselves as often as we can too.
However, while out in nature, you also have to remember to be careful. By all means, venture off the beaten path, but only if you're not putting yourself, someone, or something at risk. Don't approach the edge of an unstable cliff. Don't wade into fast-flowing waters. These are things that shouldn't need to be said out loud, but clearly, they still do.
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That was demonstrated at Yellowstone National Park recently, reports KRTV. The park is home to some of the most amazing sights nature has to offer, and that includes Old Faithful. Old Faithful is a massive geyser that erupts hot water roughly 10 to 20 times a day. Naturally, that means tourists aren't supposed to go anywhere near it, and just view it from afar.
Two tourists who paid the park a visit couldn't resist, though. Other park-goers watched on in horror as the pair not only walked right up to the edge of it but dared to peek inside. Had the geyser decided to erupt at that moment, the tourists would have got a faceful of water that reaches temperatures of up to 204 degrees. That's almost boiling point, so would have done some serious damage.
The pair has been arrested for their reckless actions and face charges for a crime we didn't know existed: "thermal trespassing." What the punishment for that crime is, we don't know. Despite how dangerous approaching Old Faithful is, it is, unfortunately, a far more common occurrence than it should be. Travel+Leisure reports that just last month, another gentleman with little regard for his own wellbeing approached the geyser as other tourists pleaded with him to back off.