[Geysers] 10/25-26/08 Weekend Geyser Report from Kitt Barger

[barger]

Greetings!
     I arrived in the Upper Geyser Basin on Friday, Oct. 24th to find everything shut down for the night.  (I was unaware that the Snow Lodge was also closed!)  I checked the Log Book at the Visitor Center and then headed to Great Fountain.  At 2050 it was already in over flow (but no heavy boils).  Great Fountain erupted at 2149 (P=0).  The breeze shifted sending geyser mist onto my new front window, so I abandoned that area and went to White Dome, which was in eruption at 2151.  Gemini started erupting at 2153.  I enjoyed the sounds made by the different erupting geysers, then headed to West Yellowstone for the night.  I noted that Pink Cone had already erupted earlier that evening judging by the wet road.  
     Saturday morning came early for me.  My alarm woke me up at 5:45 AM.  After a quick breakfast, I headed into the Park under dark skies.  The temperature was approximately 29 degrees.  I headed straight to the Upper Basin.  Old Faithful was in eruption at 0737.  I was headed for Grand, when I noticed Rift ie at 0743.  Grotto was also ie, West Triplet and Grand were empty.  I was headed back to Castle when I noticed Plume at 0813, and Aurum's steam cloud popped up over the trees at 0814.  At Crested Pool, I stared at Beehive.  Was that the Indicator???  I hurried to my bike and as I headed toward the overlook, I was able to confirm that Beehive's Indicator was ie at 0814.  Behind me Castle started its eruption at 0819 (a major) and as I approached the overlook, I noticed a burst out of Depression.  Depression at 0822 ns!  Beehive erupted at 0826 and I heard a radio call that Riverside was near start at 0837.  The over night electronic Grand's were called over the radio.  (2158E for 10/24 & 0627E for 10/25)  I drove to Great Fountain to find out that it had been in eruption for an hour.  Dave Leeking said that it had started at 0827 (P=3).  Having missed that eruption, I headed back to the Upper Basin in time to hear an 0952 Plume call.  I pedalled down basin and Oblong was at 1012 ns with good thumps and visible water thanks to a strong breeze.  Lion erupted at 1047, 1210, and 1348.  I checked on Fan and Mortar and then enjoyed a Grotto Fountain at 1303 with Grotto following up at 1307.  I headed for Grand which was predicted for 3:15 PM +/- 2 hours.  There was a Daisy steam cloud at 1158 and Daisy erupted again at 1414.  Steve E. radioed a 1319 Fountain (d=30 min).  We noticed Rocket having a major at 1431 (ie) as we continued to wait for Grand.  Riverside's huge steam cloud also popped up at 1435 (for a near start time).  As we waited for Grand, I realized that one of the children waiting was one of my preschoolers (of course I was out of place, since I wasn't at school).  I had had enough of the constant wind, and pronounced that it should cease immediately (and it did).  Grand erupted at 1450 with a beautiful blue sky for a backdrop.  It was a T1Q.  West Triplet started at 1512 and then I headed to Madison to secure a site for their final night.  I continued on to Norris for a quick survey.  Steamboat's minors were only reaching half way up the trees with many of the minors being north concerted.  I returned to the Lower Basin and after checking on Great Fountain which wasn't in over flow.  I passed as Narcissus was erupting at 1800, and returned to Fountain Flats to watch for a possible Fountain.  I ate my dinner as I enjoyed the beautiful sunset that warned of the approaching night.  The large herd of bison in the area attracted quite a bit of attention until daylight disappeared.  With only a crescent moon in the sky, I abandoned my vigil and headed for Madison and bed.
     After a clear night with an abundance of stars, Sunday arrived cold and windy.  Several of us headed for the lower part of the Inn's parking lot hoping to find that Beehive had waited.  In the pre-dawn light we were finally rewarded with a small splash from Beehive's cone.  A family with two boys joined Steve E. and myself hoping to catch the elusive Beehive.  Their older boy really wanted to see Beehive and they had been sad to find out that they had missed it yesterday.  Steve and the family went to the hill as daylight slowly revealed the area.  The children kept warm by brisk walks around Geyser Hill.  I decided to stay at the overlook, so that I could identify some of the steam clouds that kept showing up down basin.  The bone numbing cold finally took its toll.  The mom and her younger son returned to warm up at their vehicle and I switched to my -40 winter mittens, since my fingers and toes were stinging and burning.  The mittens helped and the mom told me that they had seen Great Fountain start its eruption the night before at 7:41 PM.  Later I found out from Donna F. that it was 11 degrees in West around 8 AM.  (Who knows what it was at 7 AM with the wind chill.)  I saw Daisy's eruption from the overlook path at 0826 (ie ns).  Another steam cloud appeared at 0829 (ie) which was later confirmed to be Oblong.  I finally headed down basin to check on steam clouds and Fan & Mortar.  I watched a cycle at Fan & Mortar then returned hoping for Beehive.  Riverside was radioed at 0920 as I grabbed my pack from my vehicle and I noticed Grand's steam cloud as it was radioed (0921ns).  I headed in that direction and saw the remainder of the eruption.  (It was a _1Q.)  I slid my way past an icy Sawmill, "skated" to Grand's sign to update it, then headed to Beehive.  We had Plume eruptions at 0709, 0818, 0937, 1057, & 1208.  The boy who was hooked on geysers was starting to feel bad about his family missing out on the Park because they had invested so much time and I was beginning to think that Beehive has erupted early the night before (which could mean that we would be waiting until late afternoon).  We were both starting to consider the idea of abandoning our quest, when Beehive had several big splashes.  At that point, I told him that I was sticking around, because I figured that Beehive was ready.  This caused the family some distress, since the dad and younger son had headed to the Geyser Grill for food.  The mother had asked me earlier what makes a geyser gazer.  I told her that you are either hooked or not.  Some are fascinated with how a geyser works, some enjoy the gamble, and others just enjoy the beauty or power of the eruption.  Lion, which had been splashing since pre-dawn, finally had its initial eruption at 1228.  It had a beautiful rainbow.  As it finished, Beehive had another powerful splash, which made me call out to the mom and son who were at Lion.  They started to run back then slowed down when they realized that the indicator wasn't going.  When they returned I told them how that big splash could have simply started the eruption.  The splashes were getting bigger and closer together and I gave a warning over the radio about the frequent, large splashes.  We are talking multiple Herb Warren splashes!  Finally at 1237, we had water in Beehive's Indicator.  Great joy descended upon those on the boardwalk followed by distress by the mother and son who realized their loved ones might miss the big eruption.  Beehive's Indicator started at 1238 and an attempt was made to contact the missing family members.  Ralph & Donna F. arrived in time and the father and son made it to the overlook.  I had just wrote down Oblong - 1251 ie when Beehive started at 1252.  It was a strong, picturesque eruption that thrilled onlookers with its power.  After the eruption, I reassembled my pack and then headed for Castle where my bike was parked.  Steve E. was headed on foot to Fan and Mortar and I was going to check on it via the bike path, when he radioed there was a big steam cloud in the Fan & Mortar area.  At Sawmill, I was able to see water over the trees and radioed that Fan & Mortar was definitely in eruption.  Steve arrived in time to see rainbows in the water and I made it there by the ~12 minute mark.  (I told Steve that this was the part of the eruption he missed on his daughters birthday.)  We enjoyed the water and visitors said the geysers had started at 1:18 PM, with Steve seeing the steam cloud at 1317.  They said it was awesome and that it (Upper Mortar) had started the show.  Water made it half way across the dirt path and soaked the bridge area.  This was a bitter sweet way to end my trip and possibly my year in Yellowstone, but I wouldn't have given up that wonderful Beehive eruption, so I guess "it is all good" as one of my coworkers likes to say.  During our morning wait, we also saw two large groups of swans fly overhead (with their gentle call making me realize that they weren't geese), and a Bald Eagle flew near us as well.  On my way home I paused at Yellowstone Lake to enjoy another large group of swans floating in a protected cove.  
     For those who shared what was probably my last weekend, I hope you catch many more wonderful geysers in good weather, and thank you for the camaraderie.  As I explained to the mother of the budding new geyser gazer, for me it isn't just seeing the geysers.  I take joy in seeing peoples reactions of awe & wonder as they witness the power of hot water.  Take care!  Kitt Barger 
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