Death of Portland Man at Yellowstone Provides 'Wake-Up Call'

Officials from Yellowstone National Park are using the death of a Portland man earlier this week as a "wake-up call for visitors to the park."

"This is a tragic situation," a spokeswoman told Patch. "Unfortunately, it is also a wake-up call. People need to be patient in the park, follow the rules."

Twenty-three-year-old Colin Scott was with his sister when he fell into a hot spring at the Norris Geyser Basin on Tuesday. Scott and his sister, Sable, had left the boardwalk near Pork Chop Geyser and were some 225 yards away when Scott fell into one of the hot springs.

Park officials tried to recover his body but determined there were no human remains.

They did, however, recover some of his personal belongings.

After he fell, Scott's sister tracked down a ranger and told him what had happened.

This was the second incident in a week at the park. A 13-year-old boy was hospitalized after he was burned at a different spring. His father had been carrying him near Old Faithful when he slipped and fell. The boy's ankle and foot were burned.

“We extend our sympathy to the Scott family,” said Park Superintendent Dan Wenk.

“This tragic event must remind all of us to follow the regulations and stay on boardwalks when visiting Yellowstone’s geyser basins.”