[Geysers] Geyser report June 13

[James Graber]

What I want to know is what flags flew 80 or 100 years ago.
Jim Graber

>>> KSCOPE_YNP at peoplepc.com 06/17/06 12:19 PM >>>
At this time, the plan for 2006 is to fly only 4 flags atop the Inn-the US
flag and the 3 state flags.  They will fly on the four corner poles.  The 4
inside poles will remain empty this summer.  There is no intent to fly any
"Upper Geyser Basin" or "Yellowstone Association" or "Xanterra" flags on the
Inn.  Once the Inn is completed in the spring of 2008 I would suspect the
NPS will direct Xanterra on which flags to fly on the other 4 poles.

 

MK

 

-----Original Message-----
From: geysers-bounces at wwc.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces at wwc.edu] On Behalf Of
TSBryan at aol.com 
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 4:27 PM
To: geysers at wwc.edu 
Subject: [Geysers] Geyser report June 13

 

I started today with an early jaunt up to Norris, where I found that there
has indeed been a disturbance. I judge that it was fairly weak, though.

 

In Porcelain Basin, Ledge was completely quiet. Guardian was roaring. By its
evident wetness and fresh wash, Valentine might have erupted. On the floor
of the basin, Constant was active. Whirligig was below overflow, but the
runoff area was wet and the pool was bubbling. Out on the flat were many
(20+) small spouters ranging across the entire area from Pinwheel to Blue.
Pinto was bubbling; one spouter was active among the Lava Pool Complex;
Arsenic was an empty hole; Geezer was splashing 1-2 feet high. Near
Porcelain Terrace, a very noisy steam vent is at the side of Incline, and in
that area are many small spouters/geysers. Congress Pool was just below
full, greenish and bubbling.

 

In answer to David and Tara's query -- Dark Cavern was extremely quiet, with
only a bit of gentle steam from it.

 

In Back Basin there was more fun. At least two small geysers (true geysers)
are active on the flat between Minute and Monarch. Palpitator was
palpitating. Corporal was doing a bit of thumping as it filled. Veteran
appeared to be in "perpetual" minor eruption. Vixen was active, but I saw no
eruption higher than 3 feet nor lasting longer than 5 seconds. Pearl was
empty and acting at a weak fumarole. The new features across the walk from
Pearl were empty and noisy as steam vents, as was the entire Double Bulger
area. Porkchop was splashing constantly 1 to 3 feet high (best seen from the
boardwalk around to the west side). The flat at Orby boasted several
geysers, Orby being the largest (bursts to maybe 6 feet). Son of G D and
Grandson of Green Dragon were violently splashing brown water, and Yellow
Funnel was similar. I couldn't see Gray Lakes for the steam, but there was
some rather large splashing going on out there. Mud Spring was muddy; Mystic
was splashing 2 to 3 feet high from a low level. Tantalus Geyser area had
several bubbling-splashing vents. And Echinus was overflowing. (P.S. The
word is now out that Echinus has not erupted _at all_ since December 2005.)

 

The three observations that convince me that this qualifies as a weak
disturbance are: Cistern was the prettiest feature at Norris (clear and
green); Steamboat was splashing clear water (mostly north vent only); and
Emerald was clear and emerald.

 

So it was on to the UGB for a while. Only there for 3 hours, so not much
here.

 

There was a Giant hot period at 0948 (d = 8m 45s), a bathtub at about 1050,
and a hot period at 1214 (d = 3m 25s and weak). Grotto Fountain started at
1001 (nobody called the start of Grotto, and I was at Grand), and Grotto
quit (without a Rocket major) at 1228.

 

Grand at 1017 was a T1C (T starting about 0.1 second before G first actually
burst up).

 

Beehive was at 1140 after an Indicator of only 5 minutes. And by the way --
in the past few days, the "West Bubbler" has been active for as long as 7+
hours before Beehive. So much for that "indicator."

 

Some of us discussed the eight flagpoles atop the Inn, and wondered what
flags might fly there. In looking through a book today, I find that the Inn
originally boasted eight flagpoles, one of which at times held a flag that
read "Upper Geyser Basin" and another whose flag said "Yellowstone Park
Association" (that being the hotel company at that time). Let's see: USA
plus three states plus these two equals six. Needs two more. Hmmm. Guesses?

 

Scott Bryan