Update: DNA Results Of Foot Found In Yellowstone Released
This past August there was a partial foot found in a thermal pool by an employee of Yellowstone National Park. This has been an ongoing investigation since the discovery. Today Yellowstone National Park Public Affairs Office announced that they have identified the person. According to the press release.
Yellowstone National Park announced today that the human foot found in Abyss Pool, located in the West Thumb Geyser Basin, belonged to Il Hun Ro, a 70-year-old male from Los Angeles, California. Yellowstone law enforcement officers received the positive identification based on DNA analysis in the last three weeks and notified the family.In August 2022, staff discovered part of a foot in a shoe floating in the well-known thermal feature and an investigation led by Yellowstone law enforcement officers began. The investigation determined, to the best of our knowledge, that an unwitnessed incident involving one individual happened on the morning of July 31, 2022, at Abyss Pool, and no foul play occurred. Based on a lack of evidence, the circumstances surrounding the death of Ro remain unknown.This investigation has concluded, and the park has no additional information to share.
If you are planning on visiting Yellowstone this winter keep these things in mind to make sure that you trip is safe for everyone. 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 hot water underneath. For safety information on your trip check out the safety tips the park offers.
Yellowstone National Park Rebuilds After Historic Flooding
After catastrophic flooding damaged portions of Yellowstone National Park in June of 2022, major reconstruction was necessary to make the park passable again. The following are photos of the improvement projects at Old Gardiner Road and the Northeast Entrance Road. All photos are courtesy of the National Park Service, photographer Jacob W. Frank.