Forest Service Road No. 345, better known as 鈥淪nake Road,鈥� winds for roughly two and a half miles through southern Illinois鈥� Shawnee National Forest, a region home to nearly 60 percent of the state’s reptile species.

And for over 50 years, it has intermittently closed to protect a massive snake crossing.

Each fall, between September 1 and October 30, and every spring, from March 15 to May 15, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) closes the road to vehicles and bicycles. During this time, around two dozen species of snakes slither from their winter dens in high limestone cliffs to their summer feeding grounds in LaRue Swamp.

And a road divides the two habitats.

Because the snakes aren鈥檛 traveling far, the phenomenon is more precisely called a 鈥渕ovement鈥� rather than a 鈥渕igration,鈥� local wildlife biologist Mark Vukovich told the . 鈥� To mitigate vehicle collisions with snakes, the road closure began in 1972 and has been an annual tradition every year since.

Today, however, the movement has become a major attraction for amateur wildlife enthusiasts and herpetologists alike.

鈥淭housands of people each season come here to see it, and just walk,鈥� Vukovich said. He adds the best time to see the snakes is October, as this is when the serpents are 鈥渕ost active in their movement when high temperatures are around 70 to 80 degrees and the low temperatures at night hover in the 50s.鈥�

If you鈥檙e planning a trip to Snake Road, be sure to watch where you step and manage your snake-viewing expectations.

鈥湵醭兮�檚 possible you could see zero snakes on your hike, though that鈥檚 more likely if you鈥檙e moving too quickly. You can better your chances of spotting snakes by walking slowly and keeping a close eye on the grass in the center of the road, as well as both edges of the road,鈥� said Vuckovich.

On a very active day, however, Vukovich said he鈥檚 managed to spot up to 44 different snakes in just two hours.

滨迟鈥檚 not just a snake hotspot, either. The USFS describes this area, LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond Research Natural Area (RNA), as one of the 鈥渕ost unique areas in the world.鈥� 滨迟鈥檚 also home to over 1,350 species of plants and animals.

“LaRue-Pine Hills鈥� unique physical characteristics dictate and support a rich biodiversity not found anywhere else in the country. In all, the area covers about 4.5 square miles (3,547 acres) and contains 14 natural communities, including forests, wetland, prairie, glade, and barren ecosystems and geologic features,” the USFS.

In addition to snakes, the area is home to 66 percent of Illinois‘ amphibians and over 90 percent of the state鈥檚 mammals.

If you鈥檙e a snake-lover and want to visit LaRue-Pine Hills/Otter Pond RNA during the 鈥渕ovement,鈥� be sure to check out the 聽group on Facebook, where over 6,000 serpent lovers offer insight on trail conditions and share snake sighting experiences. Visitor questions can be directed to 鈥淪nake Sentinels,鈥� special volunteers trained by the USFS to collect data and identify various species crossing the road each year.

Just don鈥檛 try to pick up the snakes yourself鈥攊t鈥檚 prohibited by federal law鈥攁nd be sure to watch your step. Many of the snakes that travel across the road are quite small.

By far the most common species, which accounts for over 90 percent of all sightings, is the venomous northern cottonmouth. Also known as a water moccasin, this darkly colored鈥攗sually near-black or olive brown鈥攕nake isn鈥檛 aggressive, but its bite is fatal without rapid administration of an antivenom.听础 cottonmouth is easily identifiable by its bright white inner mouth, which it flashes at potential predators. Cottonmouths are often patterned and born with bright yellow tail tips to attract prey, but as the snakes age, the tail tips and discernible patterns usually fade to a dull blackish color.

Other snakes seen during the biannual Snake Road movement include nonvenomous plain-bellied water snakes, rough green snakes, and Western ribbon snakes, as well as venomous species like the northern copperhead and timber rattlesnake.

The post Midwest Road Closes Annually for a Massive Snake Crossing. Here鈥檚 How to Spot It. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The World Stone Skimming Championships (WSSC), an annual international tournament for long-distance rock skimming, or skipping, is marred by a scandal after organizers said that multiple competitors admitted to cheating during the 2025 competition.

Organizers of the event, which was held on September 6 on Easdale Island, Scotland, that numerous participants admitted to breaking the rules.

鈥淭he competitors in question have been contacted, they have admitted their transgression, and have been disqualified,” officials from the competition wrote. The New York Times, 400 people participated in the 2025 event. Event organizers have not divulged how many people cheated, or the identities of the accused rulebreakers.

How, exactly, does one cheat at rock skimming? By doctoring their stones, of course.

Per the rules of the competition, participants are allotted three attempts to skim their stone as far as possible. Their rock聽of choice must be 鈥渘aturally formed Easdale slate stones鈥� found on the island, not measuring 鈥渨ider than 3 inches at their widest point.鈥�

Easdale is a small, sparsely populated island off the western coast of Scotland鈥攊t鈥檚 also home to the international rock skimming competition every September.

The rules explicitly forbid anyone from using a rock that was brought from another locale. And when someone does bring in foreign rocks, scandal ensues.

“The stones were specifically shaped to fit the measurer, which is not allowed,” event coordinator and official toss master Kyle Matthews told聽国产吃瓜黑料. “The organizers were alerted to [the modification] by other competitors.”

The WSSC’s online post kicked off a flurry of international coverage of the cheating scandal, with stories appearing in the BBC, New York Times,聽and even the聽.听Dr. Kyle Mathews, one of the event’s organizers, that the cheaters “held their hands up” and apologized after being caught.

The WSSC added that for many competitors, selecting their own skimming stones before the event is one of the highlights. If organizers become aware of stone doctoring in future competitions, they 鈥渨ill be forced to insist all skimmers use stones pre-selected by the WSSC.鈥�

To participate in the annual stone skimming contest, competitors must stand with both feet flat in a fixed position鈥攏o running or throwing is allowed. For a skim to count, the stone 鈥渕ust bounce at least twice on the water鈥檚 surface.鈥� The distance of the skim is measured to the point where the stone sinks below the water. The distances of these three attempts are added together for a cumulative total, which is used to determine the winner in six categories: adults, teens, children, elderly, teams, and locals. Beyond this, the r.

After the cheaters鈥� disqualification, the event proceeded without issue. American Jonathan Jennings achieved the , skimming his three stones a total of 580 feet. Jennings is the first American to win the WSSC, but he鈥檚 far from the only American stone skimming legend.

Since 2013, Kurt Steiner has held the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive skims (not distance), with a staggering 88 skims. Steiner, also known as “Mountain Man,” once even taught 国产吃瓜黑料 how to skim stones like a professional.

Although the first formal WSSC occurred in 1983, stone skimming has been a local pastime for generations. Easdale was the hub of Scotland鈥檚 slate mining industry for much of the 1700s and 1800s, and a wealth of prime skimming stones lies around the island鈥檚 defunct, and in some cases, flooded quarries.

After the initial competition in 1983, there was a hiatus, but since 1997, the WSSC has been held regularly, drawing in hundreds of competitors from around the world every September.

The post Here鈥檚 How to Cheat at an International Stone Skimming Championship appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A search and rescue team in Kentucky鈥檚 Red River Gorge responded to an SOS call on September 15, but when responders reached the coordinates from where the message was sent, they found no sign of anyone in trouble. Hours later, the rescue team discovered that the party had self-rescued, simply hiked out of the woods on their own.听It was a happy ending, but one that tied rescuers up for several hours.

The Emergency SOS feature,聽introduced on the iPhone 14 in 2022, enables users to call for assistance in areas with no聽cell service using their phone. In some instances, it eliminates the need for a dedicated satellite messenger device, like a Garmin inReach. This built-in SOS capability has proved invaluable for long-distance hikers and even for , and can be helpful in countries where dedicated satellite messengers are illegal.

Responding agency, Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team (WCSART), reported on Facebook that it had received an SOS Alert from an Apple Dispatch Center. According to WCSART, a team of hikers had used the 鈥淓mergency SOS鈥� feature on their iPhone to call for assistance via satellite. Dispatch communicated with the hikers, instructing them to remain at their location and wait for rescue teams. They then provided the hikers鈥� coordinates to WCSART, who promptly dispatched a team of rescuers on foot to reach the stranded party.

However, when the rescuers arrived, the hikers were no longer in the area.

鈥淎fter hiking in approximately four miles, the group was not located at the coordinates,鈥� wrote WCSART on Facebook. Despite instructions from the dispatch center, the hiking party decided to continue on their own. Unfortunately, they also hiked away from the direction that rescuers were approaching.

鈥淎lthough the group made it out on their own, team members spent many hours hiking over eight miles in very rugged terrain. Fortunately, we were able to make cellular contact with our team members to advise them that the hikers had self-rescued,鈥� wrote WCSART. The agency added that although it was happy with the outcome, it was ultimately a waste of time and resources鈥攁nd could have been prevented.

Vast and rugged, the wilderness around the Red River Gorge isn鈥檛 a place where rescue services go unused, either. Just two weeks ago, a young hiker died in the area after falling 40 feet from the top of a sandstone arch.

In its online post, WCSART reminded hikers to follow the directions given by rescue officials鈥攅specially after making an SOS call.

鈥淭he lesson here is that if you call for assistance, please follow the directions provided. The result of the group not following those directions tied up valuable resources for hours. If we were not able to contact our search party, they could have been searching for many [more] hours,鈥� wrote WCSART.

For more on Apple鈥檚 Emergency SOS feature, see this in-depth review from our columnist, Alex Hutchinson.

The post Rescuers Responded to a Backcountry SOS, But Found No One There appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A snowboarder in Rollins Pass outside of Denver, Colorado, snapped his ankle after a 100-foot fall down a steep snowfield. First responders safely evacuated the 27-year-old in what the聽Grand County Search and Rescue (GCSAR) described as a “dangerous and difficult rescue鈥� on September 8.

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) wrote in an that a distress call came in at 2:25 P.M. notifying first responders that an individual had suffered serious injuries on Skyscraper, a permanent snowfield in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, north of Rollins Pass. Located on the Continental Divide, this feature has an elevation of around 12,000 feet.

 

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鈥淭he patient, a 27-year-old male, was initiating a snowboard descent of the glacier when he fell, sliding and tumbling approximately 100 feet down the snowfield,鈥� said the BSCO. He eventually came to rest in a bergschrund, a deep crevasse that forms at the head of a glacier.

Professional and volunteer rescuers from a variety of local organizations mobilized to assist the fallen snowboarder. That afternoon, a helicopter inserted a team of rescuers onto a ridgeline above the snowfield. By 5:45 P.M., members of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group聽had reached the patient and provided medical care.

Using a pulley system, personnel performed a technical rescue at approximately 150 feet up the 45- to 50-degree snow slope, GCSAR wrote in a . The team then hauled the snowboarder up a short, steep section of loose rock to a landing zone. Here, a MedEvac helicopter flying with night vision goggles airlifted the snowboarder off the mountain. Responding organizations reported that the mission was concluded shortly after midnight.

“This mission demonstrates comprehensive collaboration between Boulder and Grand first responders to complete a dangerous and difficult rescue. As always, there is no charge for search and rescue in Colorado,” wrote GCSAR.

In most of the United States, search and rescue services are provided by volunteers free of charge. But some counties are exploring ways to penalize outdoors enthusiasts who require rescue if their behavior is deemed negligent or irresponsible.

Some social media users questioned the validity of free rescue聽policies in scenarios that could have been avoided. In response, GCSAR from the Colorado Search and聽Rescue Organization that explains the sources of funding for the state鈥檚 volunteer backcountry search and rescue teams, and links to another page focusing on the philosophy behind .

鈥淟aw enforcement organizations don鈥檛 charge when a child goes missing in a city. The Coast Guard doesn鈥檛 charge when they respond to a boat accident. FEMA doesn鈥檛 charge when a building collapses. Why should backcountry search and rescue be any different?鈥� wrote the Colorado Search and Rescue Association in its blog post.

The National Association for Search and Rescue echoed this sentiment, “to eliminate the fear of being unable to pay for having one鈥檚 life saved, SAR services should be rendered to persons in danger or distress without subsequent cost recovery from the person(s) assisted unless prior arrangements have been made.”

Recreationalists in Colorado can also purchase a state , which donates a portion of funds to volunteer teams.

The post Responders Rescue Pre-Season Snowboarder Who Fell 100 Feet Down a Colorado Mountain appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In June, Tanner Mansell, a diving guide and shark photographer who lives in Jupiter, Florida, was piloting his boat back to shore when he spotted two bright red objects floating in the water. As Mansell, 32, got closer, he realized they were gasoline cans, and he could smell the fuel dripping into the ocean.

His crew suggested they drag the containers onto the boat, to prevent more toxic liquid from dripping into the sea, but Mansell stopped, petrified by a panic attack.

His mind raced through unlikely scenarios: What if the cans were full of drugs? What if they belonged to someone important? What if doing the right thing put him on the wrong side of the law?

鈥淟ogically, I鈥檓 thinking, 鈥榊eah, there’s gas leaking into the ocean right in front of us, we should get these cans out of the water,'” he told 国产吃瓜黑料. “But another part of me is like, 鈥業 don’t want to touch anything out here ever again.鈥欌��

Mansell鈥檚 bizarre reaction is the product of the last five years of his life, during which he was declared a felon by the federal government for doing something that, at the time, he believed was the right thing to do.

A legal case drained him of his resources and energy. For several years he lost many of the rights everyday Americans enjoy. And, despite a presidential pardon which restored his freedom, Mansell now worries that doing the right thing could have devastating consequences.

Doing the Right Thing Turned Out to Be Wrong

The date was August 10, 2020. Mansell, who specializes in diving tours to spot sharks, and his charter boat captain, John Moore Jr., were taking a group of six tourists to the clear waters off the Florida coast. About three miles off the Jupiter Inlet, where two rivers spill into the ocean, they came across a red buoy, which was a marker for a longline fishing operation.

Longlining is a fishing method that entails attaching bait to hooks strewn out at intervals along a single fishing line that stretches up to 20 miles across the ocean. It is banned in many areas, and heavily regulated in the waters off the coastal U.S.

Mansell and Moore examined the longline鈥攃aught on it were 19 sharks of various species as well as a goliath grouper, a protected fish. 鈥淭here were great hammerheads, tiger sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks,鈥� Mansell said.

Mansell said that some of the species of sharks caught in the line were also protected by law. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the thing about a long line,鈥� Mansell explained. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 control who shows up and bites it.鈥�

No other boats were in sight, he said, and he and Moore were unsure of what to do with the trapped animals. Mansell said the two called law enforcement to seek advice: the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which patrols state waters, and then, through an employee of Mansell鈥檚 dive company on shore, a hotline for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the federal agency in charge of, among other things, protecting marine ecosystems.

NOAA declined to comment for this story, and the FWC did not respond to requests for an interview. In a 2022 press release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida acknowledged that Moore and Mansell called law enforcement, but said the men failed to mention that the line was attached to “a properly marked buoy.鈥�

Mansell told 国产吃瓜黑料 that the advice he received from the government was, at best, opaque. So he and Moore freed the sharks, cut the line, and hauled three miles of it into their boat, as their clients captured the ordeal on their smartphones.

As it turned out, the longline had been set by a seafood distributor that possessed a rare, highly-coveted 鈥渘o limits鈥� research permit from NOAA to use a longline to catch sharks. According to the federal register, in 2024 NOAA granted only three no-limits permits to fishermen.

鈥淭here are only a handful of them given out in the entire continental U.S. because of how destructive it can be when people are killing sharks indiscriminately,鈥� Mansell said.

The Palm Beach Post, in the weeks before the line was cut, the fisherman who placed it had announced his intentions intentions to set a longline off of Jupiter in a Facebook post.

Even though Mansell and Moore didn鈥檛 remove the entire longline鈥攚hich prosecutors said was worth around $1,300鈥攂ecause they had tampered with it and freed the sharks, the two were charged with the theft of commercial fishing gear in federal waters, a felony.

Mansell said the events caught him off-guard. He thought that freeing the sharks had been the right thing to do. But since they were hooked on a line belonging to the distributor, prosecutors accused them of theft. 鈥淏ecause we let them go, that was stealing,” he said. 鈥淚 found myself in this political mess.鈥�

聽the Miami Herald, prosecutors argued that Mansell and Moore knew that the longline was legal, yet cut it and freed the sharks.

Moore, a former commercial fisherman, told the聽Miami Herald聽that if the duo had believed the fishing line to be legal, they would have left it alone.

鈥淭hey tried to paint me as like some environmental terrorist,鈥� Moore told the newspaper. 鈥淎nd, I鈥檓 far from it.鈥�

On December 6, 2022, a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida found Mansell and Moore guilty of theft of property.

The Impact of a Felony Conviction

The felony conviction changed Mansell’s life. In February 2023, he and Moore were sentenced to one year of probation. And instead of the $250,000 they could have been charged, the men were ordered to pay $3,343 in restitution, to compensate for the lost line and the freed sharks.

But Mansell’s public record was forever tarnished. As a dive guide, he made much of his living traveling internationally, taking tourists on trips to the Caribbean, South Pacific, and other far-flung locales. It became incredibly difficult for him to travel outside of the United States, he said, because applying for most foreign visas requires disclosure of criminal history. State-by-state, convicted felons also face restrictions in a slew of other areas, including voting rights, firearm rights, parental rights, and a variety of public social benefits.

鈥淭his conviction led to years of my life not being able to travel for work,鈥� Mansell said. 鈥淭raveling and guiding is what I did for a living. Basically, my entire job got taken away from me.鈥�

Mansell and Moore spent the next two years battling to clear their names. Their legal fees soared, and a GoFundMe page eventually raised $28,000 to defer costs of lawyers and appeals.

Both men filed appeals to the conviction in 2023, and a district court in Florida heard their appeals case in June 2024. But the court ruled against them. In her conclusion, however, the district judge indicated that the two had successfully proven their point鈥攖hat they believed they were doing the right thing.

“They are the only felons I have ever encountered, in 18 years on the bench and three years as a federal prosecutor, who called law enforcement to report what they were seeing and what actions they were taking in real time,” Barbara Lagoa, the circuit judge, wrote in her conclusion. “They are felons who derived no benefit, and in fact never sought to derive any benefit, from the conduct that now stands between them and exercising the fundamental rights from which they, are disenfranchised.”

A Surprise Pardon

On May 28, 2025, nearly five years after he cut the longlines, Mansell got good news.

He鈥檇 just boarded an airplane when, out of the blue, he received a call from his lawyer. “He said ‘You just got a full pardon from the President of the United States,” Mansell said.

鈥淚 couldn’t even speak,鈥� Mansell added. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know what to say. I just sat there in shock and silence. It was probably the best news I had ever heard in my life.鈥�

Mansell and Moore were among 16 other criminals pardoned by Trump.

Mansell said his legal team never reached out to the White House seeking a pardon. Instead, lawyers from the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, included Mansell’s story while about over-criminalization. In December, 2024, the Cato Institute with the district court鈥攁n official request鈥攖o overturn the conviction.

While Mansell was overjoyed at the presidential pardon, his excitement was tempered by the realization that his crimes haven鈥檛 technically been erased.

鈥淭echnically, it鈥檚 still on the record, which is a bit of a buzzkill,鈥� Mansell explained. He still has a criminal history, and is required to disclose his record any time he travels.

鈥淣ew Zealand, Australia鈥� All these places I guide require on your travel visa to mark if you have a criminal history鈥攁nd I do,” he added. “If you mark that, you get put in a different section, and have different hoops and bounds to go through.”

But other rights have been restored. He can vote, own firearms, access public housing, and apply for federal or state grants, for example.

鈥淪till, it鈥檚 pretty epic. I’m stoked,” he said. “I can do all the normal things an ordinary citizen can do.鈥�

Although he鈥檚 mostly back to his normal life as a dive guide, Mansell told 国产吃瓜黑料 that things still aren鈥檛 quite the same for him. He’s become fearful of accidentally breaking the law during his diving trips鈥攁 fear he had to overcome when his crew saw the gasoline cans bobbing in the waves this past June.

Eventually, Mansell’s crew convinced him to let them load the leaking gas cans onto his boat. They motored into shore having removed toxic fuel from the ecosystem. But for the rest of the day, Mansell expected the worst.

鈥淓very day I go out off the coast of Florida, there’s a touch of anxiety and distrust,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat joy that I used to have every time I went out there, it鈥檚 changed. 滨迟鈥檚 going to be a battle to overcome that.鈥�

The post After a Trump Pardon, This Shark Diver Is Putting His Life Back Together. 滨迟鈥檚 Not Easy. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Geologists in Yellowstone National Park are reporting an unusual threat to the area鈥檚 hydrothermal areas. According to a from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) observatory, lost hats are infiltrating the park鈥檚 hot springs, geysers, mudpots and fumeroles.

The park鈥檚 specially trained Geology Program is charged with cleaning up more than 10,000 iconic hydrothermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, including Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful. The team is constantly battling a daunting array of human litter鈥攊n 2025 alone, they have already collected 鈥渕ore than 13,000 pieces of trash, 4,000 rocks and sticks, and over 300 hats.鈥�

These aren鈥檛 just dollar-store hats either. The USGS estimates that headwear collected this year is worth over $6,000.

Trash floating in 驰别濒濒辞飞蝉迟辞苍别鈥檚 pristine pools is more than an eyesore. It also poses a serious risk to the delicate ecosystems inside these hydrothermal features.

鈥淒ebris thrown into a hot spring can irreversibly change its behavior, resulting in lower temperature, changes to color, and altered eruption behavior,鈥� wrote the USGS in a published on September 8.

Located just over a mile from the Old Faithful Visitor Center, the park鈥檚 famous Morning Glory Pool is one such example. It was named in the 1880s for its resemblance to the blue flower, but to shades of oranges, yellows and greens. Although features shift naturally over time, park officials have reason to believe that humans have caused the stark shift by throwing coins, trash, and other debris into it, blocking the movement of hot water into the pool and altering its temperature.

Removing all this trash isn鈥檛 an easy task. Staffers can鈥檛 simply swim into the boiling springs and pluck debris out with a net. Rather, the team uses a hodgepodge of tools, some of which are custom-made by the park with a 鈥渓ittle more than creativity and elbow grease.鈥� This array of trash-picker-uppers includes fishing rods, extra-long slotted spoons, and grabber poles up to 30 feet long.听 The USGS added that in total, pool cleanup efforts this year have required the team to walk over 1,300 miles and drive more than 11,000 miles around the park to various hydrothermal areas.

驰别濒濒辞飞蝉迟辞苍别鈥檚 trash problem is largely accidental, according to the USGS. With more than 4.7 million visitors in 2024, it鈥檚 one of the most visited national parks in the United States. This large number of people, combined with the park鈥檚 frequently high winds, means that personal items often are blown into the park鈥檚 hydrothermal areas.

However, some of the litter is intentional, like biodegradable items such as sunflower seed shells and orange peels. While visitors may think these items are harmless, the USGS notes they are damaging to the pools and 鈥減articularly time-consuming for the team to remove.鈥�

USGS team members recover more than a few wacky items from the pools now and then.

鈥淔avorite finds from the team during the summer of 2025 include a Birkenstock sandal, a pizza box with slices still inside, a fake Louis Vuitton bucket hat, a stuffed koala toy, a ball cap with the phrase 鈥業 PEE IN THE LAKE,鈥� and a Polaroid picture of Excelsior Geyser鈥攚hich was found within Excelsior Geyser鈥檚 crater,鈥� wrote the USGS.

While these discoveries are sometimes humorous, the USGS hopes such items remain with their owners, and offers a few simple reminders for park visitors.

鈥淗old on tight to your hats, stay on marked boardwalks and trails, and make sure all your trash (even the food!) ends up in a trash can,鈥� wrote the USGS.

The post What鈥檚 the Latest Threat to 驰别濒濒辞飞蝉迟辞苍别鈥檚 Geysers? Hats. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In August 2024, the National Park Service released a trove of data about deaths at NPS sites over a 17-year period. Since then, a growing number of independent media sites, nonprofit groups, and even travel companies have published reports on the deadliest parks by comparing mortality data with visitation numbers for each park.

The latest report, reportedly by travel company , assesses the death rate at NPS sites that feature prominent canyons. According to Antelope Canyon Tours, the deadliest U.S. canyon park isn’t the Grand Canyon or Zion. 滨迟鈥檚 not the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Canyonlands, or even Yellowstone.

滨迟鈥檚 Big Bend National Park in Texas, which also happens to be our columnist鈥檚 favorite national park.

Since 2014, 30 people have died in the remote 800,000-acre park, which encompasses sprawling canyons and deserts along the U.S.-Mexico border. That’s roughly six deaths per million visits, which says is the most of any of the . Although other, more popular parks like the Grand Canyon have far more overall fatalities (164 reported since 2014), Big Bend had more deaths per capita than any other national park canyon.

What makes Big Bend so dangerous? 滨迟鈥檚 hard to say.

For example, in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, home to 14,505-foot Mount Whitney聽and other iconic peaks, roughly half of all deaths in the past decade were due to falls. But the majority of the deaths in Big Bend were either classified vaguely as 鈥渕edical emergencies鈥� or hyperthermia, when the body overheats. Only two individuals died in falls.

Big Bend’s immense size鈥攊t鈥檚 one of the largest in the contiguous U.S.鈥攔emote location, and extreme climate create a trifecta of risks. Daytime summer temperatures in the park regularly reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This heat, combined with an arid desert landscape that offers little to no shade, can quickly lead to dehydration and hyperthermia.

Cell service is poor to nonexistent in many areas of the park, and the NPS that 鈥渕any GPS and app mapping services do not work well鈥� inside park boundaries. These services may 鈥渞ecommend incorrect [or] dangerous roads and itineraries,” and visitors should “be prepared to use paper maps to navigate.鈥�

Unlike many other national parks, Big Bend is also hundreds of miles from a major metropolitan area. The nearest major city is El Paso, Texas, roughly 300 miles away. This remoteness means Big Bend is often crowd-free, with around 500,000 annual visits. It also means that medical assistance can be hours away, a critical factor when dealing with a time-sensitive emergency like a heart attack or severe heatstroke. Self-reliance is crucial.

Deadly or Hazardous?

Overall, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, located outside Las Vegas, records the most overall deaths in the NPS system, according to data published by .听Lake Mead isn鈥檛 a national park, but as a national recreation area, it is managed by the NPS. Approximately 19 people die every year in Lake Mead, primarily from drowning, as the lake is popular for boating, swimming and paddling. In overall deaths, Lake Mead is followed by the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, and then the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina, which sees most of its deaths from traffic accidents. (Notably, these parks are also among the most heavily visited.)

However, in , the NPS refutes the idea that one park is more deadly than any other.

“There is not a 鈥榤ost dangerous national park.鈥� Parks have hazards. Hazards are potential sources of harm. Some hazards, like wildlife, rocky terrain, heat, high elevation, rip currents, naturally exist in the environment at the park,鈥� wrote the NPS.

The Service adds that when the national park system鈥檚 mortality data is used to compile rankings of the most dangerous parks, 鈥渋t can lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of the complexities of risk associated with the multitude of park experiences.鈥�

鈥淩ather than asking, 鈥榳hat is the most dangerous park,鈥� we think the better question you should ask is: What hazards do I need to prepare for so I have a fun and injury-free national park visit?鈥� says the NPS.

To stay as safe as possible, the agency recommends planning your well in advance and keeping an eye out for these common hazards:

• Severe weather like lightning, blizzards, extreme heat, or cold temperatures
• Wildland fires
• Geologic activities like volcanoes, hot springs, rockfalls, and geysers
• Water hazards like rip currents, flooding, rapids, and cold water temperatures
• Terrain features like steep slopes, sheer cliffs, waterfalls, sinkholes, and high elevations
• Condition of walking surface, such as gravelly, rocky, wet trails, or uneven steps in historic structures

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Update September 19:聽Legal representatives for Michelino Sunseri confirmed to聽翱耻迟蝉颈诲别听that they had appealed federal magistrate judge Stephanie A. Hambrick’s earlier decision. The group declined further comment until after scheduling is complete in October.

Trail runner Michelino Sunseri, who skipped a switchback during his 2024 fastest known time attempt in Grand Teton National Park, was found guilty of leaving the designated trail, a federal judge ruled. Court documents obtained by 国产吃瓜黑料 note that while jail time will 鈥渘ot be imposed,鈥� the endurance athlete could face a potential ban from the park and a fine of up to $5,000.

鈥淭he Defendant is adjudged GUILTY,鈥� wrote federal magistrate judge Stephanie A. Hambrick of Wyoming in her September 2 verdict. Sunseri left 鈥渢he Garnet Canyon Trail to use the shortcut of the Old Climber鈥檚 Trail,” violating on designated trails and prohibiting shortcuts in certain areas,聽according to the verdict.

In an email to 国产吃瓜黑料, Sunseri鈥檚 legal team at Pacific Legal Foundation said it will appeal the decision.

“We respectfully disagree with the magistrate judge鈥檚 ruling. It reifies the enormous claims of power by park superintendents to write federal criminal law. This is well beyond any power the Constitution contemplates for inferior officers鈥攖hose not confirmed by the Senate鈥攖o have. We will appeal,” Michael Poon, an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, told 国产吃瓜黑料.

Sunseri broke the speed record in 2024 for ascending and descending the 13,775-foot Grand Teton trail in 奥测辞尘颈苍驳鈥檚 Grand Teton National Park, completing the ascent and descent in two hours, 50 minutes, and 50 seconds. He edged out the previous time set by Andy Anderson in 2012 by just two minutes.

But official chronicler rejected Sunseri鈥檚 record after his GPS track showed he cut a switchback while descending.

The revelation didn鈥檛 just ignite an ethical debate over cutting switchbacks and setting speed records鈥攊t also put Sunseri in hot water legally. For cutting off-trail, Sunseri was subsequently charged by the National Park Service with a Class B misdemeanor.

Sunseri’s guilty verdict was issued exactly a year after his botched record.

Sunseri took Old Climber鈥檚 Trail, an informal shortcut on the Grand Teton that cuts the 13.1-mile out-and-back route by about a half-mile.

For decades, the informal cut-through was commonly used by climbers descending from the peak. Even so, signs have been placed at the bottom and the top of the shortcut as early as the 1980s, according to testimony from former record holder Bryce Thatcher. Galen Woelk also testified that the signs were there in the 1990s and 2000s

鈥淐losed for regrowth,鈥� reads the bottom sign, facing downhill. A sign at the top of the cut faces uphill, reading “shortcutting causes erosion.鈥�

After ultra-runner Kilian Jornet cut switchbacks in his own record attempts in 2012, lawmakers updated the legal code in 2022 to criminalize cutting switchbacks.

The code Sunseri violated, , states that a park superintendent 鈥渕ay restrict hiking or pedestrian use to a designated trail or walkway system鈥� and specifies that 鈥渓eaving a trail or walkway to shortcut between portions of the same trail or walkway, or to shortcut to an adjacent trail or walkway鈥� is illegal.

Sunseri鈥檚 legal team says it is appealing his guilty verdict, arguing that the case is an example of government overreach. They add that the trail hadn鈥檛 been properly marked closed in the downhill direction Sunseri was traveling.

鈥淭he U.S. Attorney and the National Park Service claim that Michelino broke the law because the Grand Teton superintendent had ordered that foot travel be restricted 鈥榳hen traveling through signed revegetation and restoration areas,鈥欌�� wrote Pacific Legal in a .

鈥淭he only indication in the direction he was traveling was a small sign off to the side of the trail that said 鈥榮hortcutting causes erosion鈥欌�攏o mention that the trail was closed.鈥�

Additionally, Sunseri鈥檚 lawyers argue that the trail closure is unlawful because it stems 鈥渇rom an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power.鈥�

鈥淥nly Congress can decide what behavior is and isn鈥檛 criminally prohibited, and it cannot delegate that authority away. If Congress wants to define behavior as criminal, it must do so itself, or at the very least, set clear limits that dictate how and why officials can do so,鈥� reads the case summary.

Sunseri’s defense said the athlete was offered several plea deals, all of which either banned him from the park or required him to admit guilt.

鈥淭hese mountains mean everything to Michelino,鈥� Pacific Legal wrote. 鈥淎greeing to give up such an integral part of his life because of a law he didn鈥檛 know he was breaking was unthinkable.鈥�

Correction note: A previous version of this article stated NPS staff formally closed and marked the shortcut. On September 8, 2025, this story was updated to specify that the legal code was changed in 2022 to criminalize cutting switchbacks.

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North American treasure hunters have cause to celebrate, as the first clue for the Great Canadian Treasure Hunt is聽posted online, offering a hint to find a chest of gold worth just under聽$1 million (approximately $1.3 million CAD).

According to the mining trade publication The Northern Miner,聽a mining group hid the trove somewhere in the country鈥檚 vast wilderness, and the fortune is waiting for the first scrappy hunter to solve the clues and find it.

Just like art dealer Forrest Fenn鈥檚 legendary hidden treasure, which had hunters scouring the American West for a decade, clues for the Canadian hunt are so far provided through cryptic poetry.

The 鈥溾�� is a 13-stanza poem that mentions everything from phoenixes and chalco fever to salt air bearing copper songs, sunken whispers, gilded desks, and singing iron.

Mining publication The Northern Miner and a collective of organizations are sponsoring the to promote Canada鈥檚 mining industry. In addition to the聽grand prize, which consists of 217 one-ounce coins, the group will hide a dozen smaller treasures around Canada over the next year, each worth $20,100 ($27,000 CAD).

鈥淭aking inspiration from Canada鈥檚 long-standing mining legacy and the pioneering spirit that drives mineral exploration, the adventure is designed to spur discovery while highlighting the role that mining and critical minerals play in the country鈥檚 future,鈥� wrote .

鈥淭hese metals and minerals are the foundation of modern life, powering everything from electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies to smartphones and life-saving medical devices.鈥�

Although The Northern Miner says all the clues to find the treasure are hidden inside the master poem, the hunt鈥檚 was released on September 3. It read:

Though crystal clear and calm it seems,
This mirror hides more than it gleams.
A single step may seal your fate,
Best not disturb the water鈥檚 state.

The Northern Miner will publish future hints monthly, as well as on its sister publications,聽 and .

鈥淭he Great Canadian Treasure Hunt is more than a contest, it鈥檚 an invitation to explore Canada鈥檚 legendary mining roots while flexing your brainpower,鈥� Anthony Vaccaro, president of The Northern Miner, told the publication. 鈥淲e want to inspire a new kind of exploration, grounded in curiosity, logic and appreciation for Canada鈥檚 rich natural history in a way that鈥檚 never been done before.鈥�

Sound like your cup of tea? Well, there are a few catches.

First, the contest is open to Canadian residents. Secondly, the chest doesn鈥檛 contain real gold. Instead, it includes an 鈥渁lphanumeric code,鈥� like a lottery ticket, that will allow the winner to phone in and claim their gold coins.

Although participating in the treasure hunt is open to all Canadian residents aged 18 and older, paying subscribers to The Northern Miner have an advantage. They get access to new clues ahead of time, using the site鈥檚 Treasure Hunt聽portal. Unlike Fenn鈥檚 treasure hunt, which was indefinite, the Canadian hunt runs for a limited time, ending on December 31, 2026. If the treasure isn鈥檛 found by then, the prize is forfeited.

Luckily, similar to Fenn鈥檚 treasure鈥攚hich was allegedly found near his favorite fishing hole in Yellowstone National Park鈥�The Northern Miner seems to have hidden its treasure in an easily accessible location, one reachable on foot without any special equipment.

The group provided a few stipulations for the hunt, noting that the treasure will not be found on private property, underwater, or anywhere underground. (Participants won鈥檛 actually need to mine for it!) It is also not hidden in any man-made structure, near graves, cemeteries, or memorials, active construction sites, or inside industrial or hazardous waste areas.

The Northern Miner notes that no ropes, ladders, climbing gear, diving equipment, or off-road vehicles are required to locate it. Just a head for puzzles and a keen eye.

The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt isn鈥檛 the only ongoing search in the world, either. Part of Fenn鈥檚 treasure has already been rehidden, and the clues to find it are offered in this Netflix documentary.

The post Here鈥檚 the First Clue to Find a Buried Canadian Treasure Worth Nearly $1 Million appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Two hikers fell to their deaths in separate events at different popular wilderness areas in late August. The tragedies prompted rescuers to reiterate the importance of practicing safety on both technical and non-technical hiking trails.

After motor vehicle deaths and drownings, falls鈥攗sually while hiking鈥攁re the in U.S. National Parks. Incidents like these highlight the importance of both hiking within one’s physical limits and staying on established trails.

On August 27, a 73-year-old woman fell from the Highline Trail in Montana鈥檚 Glacier National Park, according to the National Park Service. She was hiking with a large group between the Big Bend and Triple Arches formations when she stumbled and slipped off the side of the path, out of sight of her companions. Rescuers found her body 450 feet below the edge of the trail.

The accident marks the second major accident involving a fall in Glacier this year. In July, three hikers in the park were rescued after falling into a gorge while trying to take a selfie, two of whom were revived with CPR.

Two days after the tragedy in Glacier National Park,聽a 24-year-old man fell 40 feet from the top of Whittleton Arch, a sandstone formation located in聽Kentucky鈥檚 Red River Gorge.

鈥淲hile alert and oriented, it became readily apparent the patient鈥檚 condition was critical,鈥� the responding outfit, Powell County Search and Rescue, posted on . Though the hiker was successfully evacuated to a local hospital, he later died from his injuries. Officials did not release the man’s identity.

The same unit responded on September 1 to another hiker who had fallen 15 feet at the base of a large sandstone formation known as Gray鈥檚 Arch. The hiker was safely evacuated after being found with 鈥渁 laceration on his head, arm, and potentially a sprained ankle.鈥�

The incidents prompted Powell County Search and Rescue to post a warning to hikers on its Facebook page.

鈥淲hat may usually be a simple slip can be life-threatening when at height. Stay vigilant of the ground around you and be sure to always stay a safe distance from the edge!鈥� the SAR team wrote.

In addition to proper planning and packing, the NPS notes in its 鈥溾�� tips that it鈥檚 crucial for hikers not to overestimate their abilities and experience level when embarking on outdoor adventures. Elevation and climate are just two factors that can dramatically change a hiking experience. A five-mile hike at sea level, for instance, is quite different from a five-mile hike at 9,000 feet.

When considering whether to venture into an area, NPS hikers to ask themselves the following questions:

• What is my experience level with hiking? Do I go hiking often or is this my first time hitting the trails?
• How much equipment, food, and water (weight) can I comfortably carry in a backpack? How long can I carry a backpack with all the essentials?
• Am I physically fit for the hike I would like to do? Have I practiced hiking up and down steep hills or am I more comfortable on flat, paved paths?
• Have I ever hiked in this type of environment before? Environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity take time to get used to, especially if you live in a different environment from the park you are visiting.
• Am I able to go to higher elevations? More effort is required to hike at higher elevations due to the reduced amount of oxygen available in the air. Remember that at 8,000 feet you are at risk of altitude illness, a potentially life-threatening condition. If you don鈥檛 know, ask your healthcare provider.
• Am I hiking alone or do I plan to bring a friend? It is safer to hike with a companion, but if you prefer go solo, take extra measures to ensure that you are prepared since you will be traveling alone

The NPS also recommends setting a gentle pace to avoid exhaustion that could cause stumbles and falls. If you can鈥檛 talk to your companions while you鈥檙e hiking, you鈥檙e probably moving too fast.

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