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  3. TRAVEL: 2007 through 2011
  4. JULY AND AUGUST, 2011

YELLOWSTONE (VERY QUICKLY)

Music on videos by Kevin MacLeod or incompetech.com
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For reasons explained later, we sort of ran through only a very small part of Yellowstone. Here, we start at Biscuit Basin.
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For reasons explained later, we sort of ran through only a very small part of Yellowstone. Here, we start at Biscuit Basin.

yellowstonevid19201080mp4

  • For reasons explained later, we sort of ran through only a very small part of Yellowstone. Here, we start at Biscuit Basin.
  • Biscuit Basin.
  • Several little steam pots in an area maybe 150 feet across (roughly circular). One would start to boil vigorously for a while, then after a minute or so, would settle down, to be followed by another one coming to life across the little basin. They just kept taking turns. So, eventually I planted myself at Mustard Spring and waited until it gave its show.
  • Zac at Mustard Springs.
  • Then it was on to Midway Geyser Basin, where this osprey put on quite a show.
  • He would hover above the river (requiring an obviously great amount of effort) and then dive straight down to the water. I didn't see him get a fish, but it was obvious that was his quest.
  • Midway Basin, osprey, Excelsior Geyser Crater.
  • Untitled photo
  • Later he did rest a bit.
  • Still at Midway Basin: Grand Prismatic Spring. Sorry about the wind noise.
  • Grand Prismatic Spring
  • You can see where Grand Prismatic Spring deepens behind Bev. This is the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world (apparently New Zealand has a couple which are larger).
  • From the walkway, Grand Prismatic Spring looked like a giant sunburst.<br /> <br /> By the way, the blues are generally from minerals. The other colors (orange, purple, yellow, etc.) are usually from microbes (often bacteria or similar), with different microbes thriving at different temperatures (thus, the changes in colors).
  • Untitled photo
  • Amazingly flat, large area where the water gently flows away from the center of the hot spring. I loved the reflections in the glassy water surface.
  • Excelsior Geyser Crater. This pool discharges over 4,000 gallons of 199-degree (F) water PER MINUTE into the Firehole River. Until 1890 it was an active geyser, often erupting to 300 feet high. It is believed that the forces involved eventually changed the underground "plumbing" to the point where such eruptions are no longer possible.
  • OK: I told you about our run through Yellowstone. Well, it's like this: There are some campgrounds which take reservations (and fill up) and others which are first-come first-served. I did not know for sure when we would be there, so we did not make reservations. We started looking for a camp space at about 10 AM, and every place we stopped was full. Finally, a park employee told us that he thought there were still a few spaces at Mammoth, if we could get there quickly. Well, Mammoth is way up near the north boundary of the park, so we hurried up there. When we got to the campground, there was a long line of cars, so Bev jumped out of ours and went to the office to secure us a site. She was in line behind a young child. After the park employee there finished all the paper work for the child he looked at Bev and said "I'm glad you got here when you did, because that was the last site available." Bev said "I'm not with him." (pointing at the child). To this, the employee shook his head and said "I'm sorry."<br /> <br /> So, we enjoyed some time at Mammoth Hot Springs and then headed north.<br /> <br /> Here you see the Mammoth Hot Springs formation from the lower levels.
  • Untitled photo
  • Yep, it's a nice walk up from the little town you see down there.
  • Little plover wading in the waters of the hot spring.
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