Soaked To The Bone In Yellowstone
2016 Darwin Award Winner
Confirmed True by Darwin
Confirmed True by Darwin
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"Acid Trip" -PaulH.
"Playing The Pools" -ChrisH. "Gone With The Geyser" -NiccoloN. "Resolve To Dissolve" -PeterW. "All Natural Acid Bath" -MattW. "Problem Student Part Of The Solution." -MikeH. "Fool In The Pool" -JonL. "Skinny Dip" -MichaelW. "PhDead" -RobertM. |
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Still, this was a college graduation trip. The Portland resident thought his edjumacation conferred the smarts to know when to break a rule. So Colin left the boardwalk and cruised up a hill in search of a private hot-pot soaking spot. In this area of the park, thin mineral crusts that resemble solid ground conceal scalding water pools! But he avoided these unseen pitfalls and found a secluded spring.
Porkchop Geyser, Yellowstone National Park
Recorded on unreleased video, Colin is seen reaching down to check the temperature, slipping, and falling into the boiling acidic water. That was the beginning of the end.
Chemistry students will be familiar with the properties of a turbulent hot acid solution. A significant amount of rapid dissolving was underway while recovery workers were struggling with dangerously unstable ground and a lightning storm. When they reached the spring the next day, the water had finished her work. There were no remains remaining! Only a wallet and flip-flops were left of poor Colin.
Park Superintendent Dan Wenk stated the obvious, "This tragic event must remind all of us to follow the regulations." College graduates are no exception. The Darwin Awards sincerely hopes this misadventure will serve as a warning to others -- #YourDeathMatters
