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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Two defendants from the Canadian group “High on Life” appeared before a judge and pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from violations at Yellowstone National Park, Death Valley National Park and others.
Three other defendants pleaded not guilty.
The five individuals are being investigated for violations in Zion National Park, Death Valley National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Corona Arch and the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Hamish Cross pleaded guilty to charges from violations including “disorderly conduct by creating a hazardous condition and foot travel in a thermal area,” according to a news release from the National Park Service on Tuesday. Cross agreed to pay more than $8,000 in fines to Yellowstone National Park.
Parker Heuser pleaded guilty to violations in Death Valley National Park, including “riding a bike in wilderness and commercial photographs without a permit,” according to the press release. Heuser also agreed to pay more than $1,000 in fines for violations at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Both men will be on probation for five years, which means they are banned from public lands managed by the U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The investigation into the group began after photos and videos appeared on social media showing them walking on the Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park. Park rangers identified those allegedly responsible and issued arrest warrants. Additional investigations began after seeing violations in other parks documented on social media.
“The judge’s decision today sends a very clear message about thermal feature protection and safety,” said Yellowstone National Park superintendent Dan Wenk. “Hamish Cross’s egregious actions damaged a world-class hot spring and risked his own life coupled with the lives of responding rangers. We look forward to the outcome of the case regarding the three remaining defendants.”
The three defendants who pleaded not guilty are Charles Ryker Gamble, Alexey Andriyovych Lyakh and Justis Cooper Price Brown. The National Park Service has not released details about the investigations of violations that occurred in other parks.
