Submerged Hyundai Santa Fe Pulled From Hot Yellowstone National Park Geyser Pond
Couldn’t it have spit it out?
The National Park Service on July 11 had to recover a vehicle that drove into a roadside geyser and became fully submerged.
The last-generation Hyundai Santa Fe was stuck in the Semi-Centennial Geyser, which last erupted in 1922 and has a surface temperature of approximately 105 degrees.
There were five occupants in the SUV, which ended up in nine feet of water, but they were able to escape, according to park officials.
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The water is also acidic and the people were brought to a hospital with “non-life threatening injuries.”
The adjacent road was closed for two hours during the extraction process, which was conducted by a collaboration of Hanser’s Automotive; US Water Rescue Dive Team; HK, Contractors; Resource Technologies Incorporated and Yellowstone Park Service Stations.
The identity of the driver has not been released and the National Park Service is conducting an investigation into the accident.
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The geyser last erupted on August 14, 1922 when it shot water 300 feet into the air and shot rocks as far as 450 feet, according to the National Parks Bulletin. One 250-pound boulder was ejected 30 feet. That’s higher than Old Faithful, which typically sprays water 100-200 feet in the air. It was named the Semi-Centennial Geyser as the eruption occurred during the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the park.
The park’s safety advisory notes that the speed limit is 45 mph unless otherwise posted and that “traffic-related accidents are the most common cause of injury and death in the park.” Visitors are warned to not be distracted by the scenery and to be wary of soft shoulders, potholes and frost heaves.
The Grand Loop Road pavement near the geyser appears to be in good condition, but it has a narrow shoulder and there is a steep drop-off just off the tarmac that leaves little room for driver error.
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