In a viral video on Instagram, one skateboarder (@urboydgaf) pulled an abominable move, skating down one of Yosemite's natural silver aprons on a skateboard. The bystanders in the video can be heard cheering the skateboarder on as he skated down the natural water slide and eventually fell off his board and into the water.
The video sparked outrage in viewers, prompting one to ask the r/NationalPark subreddit whether such an act was legal. "Is this allowed?" the OP asked.
No (@urboydgaf)One commenter directly referenced the National Park Service website, which reads: "Entering Emerald Pool and the Silver Apron is prohibited, and entering pools above waterfalls is strongly discouraged, because of frequent injuries and fatalities."
Another commenter shared, "The way I see this is, if everyone did this here, would it damage nature? I'd argue yes. Therefore don't think this is acceptable, personally speaking."
Natural water slides, formed by the erosive power of water over time, are a natural wonder for adults and kids alike to enjoy. However, careless acts, like skateboarding over the natural water slide, can damage it, degrading the slide and potentially making it more dangerous for future visitors.
National park regulations don't exist to police public behavior for fun. They help preserve the natural beauty of the land so that future generations can enjoy it as we once have. If we don't respect nature and the natural world, there will be no more natural attractions to admire or enjoy.
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The U.S. Geological Survey encourages practicing "Leave No Trace" as you enter and interact with the natural world. This means properly discarding trash during camping or hiking to avoid the trash polluting bodies of water. This means staying on designated trails to prevent trampling over fragile vegetation and creating compact soil with heavy foot traffic that can increase water runoff and erosion.
Learn more about the Leave No Trace principles in this National Park Service article.
"People live here see it everyday n want their kids to see it the same way. Respect nature and the fact that it is someone's backyard," one user commented under the Instagram video.
"Super disrespectful," one commenter wrote under the Reddit post.
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