Overview
- People in a vessel discovered a body floating near Rock Point on Yellowstone Lake’s northwest shore and notified National Park Service rangers who recovered the body, a capsized kayak, and personal belongings.
- Reports identify the deceased as 41-year-old Brandon Rhea of Denver.
- Park officials have not released how long the person was missing or the circumstances and cause of death.
- Yellowstone National Park warned that lake water stays very cold (about 41°F), that sudden immersion can cause rapid breathing or cardiac problems with survival often only 20 to 30 minutes, and that strong winds can produce 3–5 foot waves that make crossings dangerous.
- Yellowstone requires kayak permits and limits boating to the Memorial Day through Halloween season, and the park’s recovery and warnings may prompt stronger safety messaging and caution among visitors this season.