Yellowstone geysers are facing an unassuming threat, plus a new speed record has been set on the Grand Teton. Outside has you covered in this edition of our weekly news roundup
Updated September 12, 2025 12:54PM
Geysers in Yellowstone National Park are facing a new, unassuming threat. Plus, a 30-year-old woman has just broken the speed record for the Grand Teton trail. Outside has you covered in this edition of our news roundup for the week of September 8.
What’s the Latest Threat to Yellowstone’s Geysers? Hats.
Geologists in Yellowstone National Park are reporting an unusual threat to the area’s hydrothermal areas. According to a report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) observatory, lost hats are infiltrating the park’s hot springs, geysers, mudpots and fumeroles.
These aren’t just dollar-store hats either. The USGS estimates that headwear collected this year is worth over $6,000.
The park’s 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—in 2025 alone, they have already collected “more than 13,000 pieces of trash, 4,000 rocks and sticks, and over 300 hats.”
A Man Is Dead After His Car Plunged into the Grand Canyon
On Sunday, September 7, Park Service officials received reports of a car driving over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and then plunging 300 feet to the rocks below. According to a report, the driver was killed in the fall.
NPS identified the individual as Steven (Drew) Bradly, 27, of Federal Heights, Colorado. Authorities said that Bradley drove his car into the canyon near the South Kaibab Trailhead at approximately 12:40 P.M.
The NPS said it is investigating the incident alongside the local medical examiner. No additional information is currently available.
It’s not the first time this year that a driver has perished in a crash at the famed canyon.
There’s a New Speed Record on the Grand Teton. This One Is Legit.
Let’s get this out of the way: runner Jane Maus avoided all shortcuts, cutoffs, and trail bypasses while breaking the speed record on Wyoming’s 13,775-foot Grand Teton on August 22. She specifically avoided the shortcut that got trail runner Michelino Sunseri into trouble with the National Park Service in 2024.
Maus completed the entire journey in 3:45:34. Her time shaved 21 minutes from the previous fastest time, which was set just three days prior by a Canadian runner named Jazmine Lowther. Fastest Known Time (FKT), the body that scrutinizes record attempts, accepted Maus’ ascent as legitimate, making her the new record holder on the route, which is now called the Grand Teton Modern Route.
Outside, chatted with Moss to learn more about her allure for chasing the speed record and her decision to go for speed.
