[Geysers] Cones

[Jeff Cross]

How many substantial free-standing geyserite cones exist in Yellowstone?

Upper Geyser Basin:

Old Faithful
Beehive
Lion
Castle
Giant
Grotto
Rocket
Mortar

Lower Geyser Basin:

White Dome
Pink Cone
Jet
Clepsydra

Lone Star Geyser Basin:

Lone Star Geyser

Shoshone Geyser Basin:

Union Geyser
Minute Man Geyser

Heart Lake Geyser Basin:

Puffing Spring

Are there really none at Midway, Norris, Gibbon or West Thumb?

It is interesting to note that of the cones I have listed (16), 8 of them (50%) are in the Upper Geyser Basin.

One might also ask how to define a "cone."  I am listing only those cones that have an arresting appearance.

Low, mound-shaped masses of sinter, like those around Bulger Geyser, seem very different, almost as if they formed through a different process.  Therefore I did not include them in the list.  It would appear that cones are fairly rare.

Any thoughts?

Jeff Cross
jeff.cross at wallawalla.edu