D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 7
16
illustrated by R O B E R T R AT H
excerpted from
D E AT H I N Y E L L O W S T O N E
B Y L E E H . W H I T T L E S E Y
© 2014, published by Roberts Rinehart Publishers
10
Ways
to
Die
in
Yellowstone
Y
ELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK IS NOT
A HOUSE OF HORRORS, NOR IS IT A
DISNEYESQUE PLAYGROUND WHERE
CHILDREN AND ADULTS CAN ROMP
AND ROAM GUIDED BY HIGH SPIRITS
AND INATTENTION. With the help of
Lee Whittlesley's excellent and well-
researched book, Death in Yellowstone,
we have identified more than 20
ways one can perish in the beautiful
confines of America's most revered
outdoor asset. For this review we
have eliminated all man-made
disasters, such as murders and
suicides, air and mobile crashes,
horses and wagons, structural
fires and the like. We have also dis-
counted the 'one-offs,' such as div-
ing, cave-ins and forest fires, as well
as Indian-related deaths in the 19th
century. And, of course, we have not
accounted for untold thousands of
accidents and near-deaths related to
all these same dangers.*
Still, we are left with an impres-
sive array of natural perils, the top
10 shown here with Robert Rath's
fine renditions of menaces that are
ever-present… and deadly.
LET'S BE
CAREFUL OUT THERE!
1 DROWNING 123
MURDER 61
2 FALL 38
SUICIDE 36
3 HOT SPRINGS 24
4 FREEZING 21
4 AIRPLANE CRASH 20
5 WILD LIFE 14
WAGON 13
6 FALLING ROCK/TREE 13
7 AVALANCHE 12
HORSE 12
8 LIGHTNING 8
AUTO CRASHES 6
CO2 6
9 POISON GAS 6
STRUCTURE FIRE 3
10 POISON PLANT 3
MISSING 2
CAVE IN 1
DIVING 1
FOREST FIRE 1
424
*Occasionally deaths are attributed to more than one cause,
such as "avalanche" and "freezing." Our totals and ranking
are based on interpretations of the best fit for available data.
According to
Death in Yel-
lowstone, here
is a list of the
top ways people
have met their
maker in our
beautiful (and
dangerous!)
National Park:
The
List
