[Geysers] Fan & Mortar 1222 9/16

[Lynn Stephens]

Fan & Mortar erupted at 1222 9/16 for an interval of 4d9h12m, the fourth longest of the season.
 
As Scott posted, there was an event cycle that started about 0323 on Monday, 9/15, with Main Vent splashing, but no real pauses preceding the splashing.  Dean Lohrenz and I had it under observation all night, so knew that the first event cycle since the one on the morning of 9/13.  There was another weak event cycle with Main vent splashes from 1701 to 1710 on Monday, 9/15.
 
Dean and I had F&M under observation until about 2130. When I returned at 0445 this morning, there was no water in Bottom Vent's runoff channel.  The "wierdness" started this morning with a River Vent pause that started at 1023, not accompanied by any Main Vent activity.  Angle turned off at 1018, and, with the exception of a few isolated splashes, stayed off until the eruption cycle.
 
River Vent turned on at 1055, with Gold at 1056, then off at 1101 for a Gold Vent Pause.
 
Main Vent activity started at 11:04, with occasionall activity until 1113.
 
River Vent turned on at 1114, then off at 1116 for RVP #2.
 
At this point Main Vent started having frequent splashes and white water fills.
 
River Vent turned on again at 1126 and remained on for 6 minutes, when it turned off for RVP #3.  Main Vent continued to have frequent splashes during this River Vent, and then started having almost constant splashes.
 
Bottom Vent #1 started at 1137, duration about 7 1/2 mintues.
BV #2 at 11:45 lasted about a minute and Main Vent continued having almost constant splashing.
BV #3 11:50 d = 7
BV #4 d = 2
BV #5 d ~ 1 minute
The last Main Vent activity I noted was at the conclusion of BV #5.
 
River Vent turned on a minute later at 1203, followed by Gold at 1204 and Angle at 1206.  Mary Beth Schwarz was doing relays and when she asked for a repeat of the vent at 1206 (which I hadn't announced until 1208), I added that even though we were only about 5 minutes in, water levels were looking very good.  
 
At 10 minutes I announced that water levels were looking GREAT and at 12:14 I said the vents were near lock.  At 1216 they were definitely in lock.  Main Vent gave its first splah at 12:21, then had two or three more vent filling splashes before East Vent started at 12:22.  Main Vent followed within a few seconds.  Lower Mortar tried to start right after Main Vent, but then disappeared and Upper and Lower Mortar waited about two minutes before joining into Fan's eruption.
 
The eruption was lit by the sun against a bright blue sky.  One of the advantages of September eruptions it that rainbows can be had at almost any time of the day, and we did have a double rainbow.  Fan's eruption was strong, with water easily clearing the gravel path into the grass beyond.  The wind direction was generally toward the boardwalk, bridge area.  Water duration of the eruption was 32 minutes.
 
With the long lead time, any gazer who wanted had plenty of time to get to F&M.  
 
Lotus Baker was at Castle watching Tilt's Baby.  She started moving toward F&M when Mary Beth started moving that way, not long before Keith caller on the radio, "Lotus, it's time."  Lotus was able to get back to Castle in time to see Tilt's Baby erupt.  (And most of the gazers made it to Grand in time so see the afternoon 1309 one-burst eruption.  This mornings 0436ie eruption was also a one-burst eruption.)
 
Dean Lohrenz even made it in from West Yellowstone.  He had called the Visitor Center to ask if F&M had erupted yet and was told "They just started talking about F&M."  At the gate he almost turned around when he was told there was a huge elk jam and it could take him awhile to get to Old Faithful.  At Midway he heard crackle, crackle, Bottom Vent, so knew that events were still going on.  At Black Sand he heard "10 minutes into River Vent and water levels are looking really, really, really GREAT."  Thankfully, his bike was parked at the Lower Parking lot instead of the Lodge where it usually is, so he made it down to F&M in time to see two or three minutes of the lock before the eruption itself started.  
 
Dean & I didn't hear any elk bugling while we were out babysitting the rock pile overnight Sunday-Monday.  Last night the elk was bugling before we all abandoned it at 2130 and was still bugling for awhile after I got out there this morning.  
 
A feisty bull bison has been frequenting the area between Artemisia and Riverside.  He was essentially blocking access to the outhouse for the first portion of the event cycle this morning, but thankfully after staring at the people standing around the benches at F&M, decided to head off toward Riverside instead of making us yield him access to the bridge.
 
I'm supposed to take my bike out to West Yellowstone for storage on Friday, then finish loading the pickup, cleaning the trailer, and leaving the Park on Saturday, so whether or not I can squeeze in one more eruption of F&M is questionable even though I only have to drive to Bozeman on Saturday.
 
Lynn Stephens
 
 
 
 
 
 
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