The man was caught in the act by a Yellowstone Park employee armed with a camera. Photo: NPS
A 21-year-old man will spend a week in jail after he decided to see how close he could get to one of the most dangerous geysers in the world at Yellowstone National Park.
Viktor Pyshniuk, who was visiting Yellowstone from Washington on April 19, climbed a fence on the boardwalk, ignored several warning signs, and apparently didn’t realize that the fence surrounding the pathway was there to keep people from venturing dangerously close to the geyser. According to reports, Pyshniuk managed to get within 15-20 feet from it.
Steamboat Geyser is not a place one should be anywhere near. It is the tallest active geyser in the world and can shoot superheated water up to 300 feet in the air in no predictable fashion.
“In the last four years, the intervals between eruptions ranged anywhere from three to 89 days,” Yellowstone’s website reads. “A major eruption of Steamboat Geyser is unforgettable. Water surges from two vents to varying heights, then suddenly water is expelled to more than 300 feet (91 meters) high. Curtains of water fall to the slope above the geyser and collect in torrents rushing back into the vents, carrying huge amounts of mud, sand, and rock that are shot skyward again and again. Water coats everything with a glistening layer of silica. A significant amount of eruption debris can accumulate around the geyser. Even cars in the parking area can be littered with debris.”
A park employee spotted Pyshniuk in the process of trespassing, took several photos to document the act, then called officials. Now, a few months later, he’s been slapped with a week-long jail stint, a $1,550 fine, and a two-year ban from the park.
“Trespassing in closed, thermal areas of Yellowstone National Park is dangerous and harms the natural resource,” said Acting United States Attorney Eric Heimann in a statement. “In cases like this one where we have strong evidence showing a person has willfully disregarded signs and entered a closed, thermal area, federal prosecutors will seek significant penalties, including jail time.”
