[Geysers] Shoshone report

[Jeffrey Cross]

Shoshone Geyser Basin was visited on 11 September 2005.  Notable activity
is as follows.

Trailside: active

Double: A double interval of 2 X 77 minutes was obtained.

Little Giant: as noted earlier, there is NO minor eruption with Double's
eruption, and NO boiling in the crater.  The small perpetual spouter vents
between Little Giant and Double are almost completely quiet, but a vent
just west of Little Giant is now flowing a small stream toward Shoshone
Creek and is sputtering a few inches high.  Little Giant does drain
abruptly when Double starts.

Meander: I think somebody saw the side vents ("Trio Geyser") active
earlier this year, but not Meander itself.  This is the second consecutive
summer in which it has not been seen.

Locomotive: dormant.

Soap Kettle: lethargic.  The activity here is very weak, with only minimal
overflow, a far cry from the 1990's.

Gourd and Shield: active as usual.

Five Crater: active as a geyser when not drowned by Gourd and Shield's
runoff.

Minute Man: active.  No eruptions of the Pool were seen, but it was active
earlier this summer.  One eruptive phase began after two preliminary
series, which preceded the main series by 90 and 46 minutes.  The main
series was less than 2.5 hours long.

Taurus Spring: no signs of eruption.

Union: water levels are at -6 feet in the main cone, -5 feet in the north
cone.  Since the north cone is about 1 foot shorter than the main cone,
this indicates a similar water level in each.  I know I say this every
time, but this is the WORST water level I have ever seen in Union, even
worse than last year.

Sea Green Pool: -4 feet, boiling heavily.

White Hot Spring and UNNG (trumpet vent): water at great depth.

Lion Geyser: active, seen once.  This despite the pool being flooded by
runoff.  The activity is recent, since it has killed the brilliant red
algae mat that was growing in the crater in July.

Iron Conch: active.

Frill Spring: active, per data logger it was having series about every 7
days during July-August.

Mangled Crater: active as usual.

UNNG W of Mangled Crater: dormancy continues.

Knobby: highly active.

Bead: active as usual.  Growth of geyserite is becoming obvious.

Hydra: very active.  We have not finished analyzing all the data from the
recorder, but it was active almost daily for long stretches during
July-August.

Velvet: dormant.

Blowouts above Flake: there are TWO blowouts now.  Neither was seen in
eruption.

Outbreak: dormant, flooded, silted.

"Diverted Geyser": ebbed water and damp surroundings implied that
eruptions were occurring, though unseen.

Jeff Cross
jacross at lamar.colostate.edu