[Geysers] Yellowstone Report 6/6 (Stephens)

[Lynn Stephens]

THIS REPORT IS FOR THE PERSONAL USE OF THE SUBSCRIBERS TO THIS LISTSERV AND IS NOT TO BE
REPRODUCED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE, INCLUDING PUBLICATION IN THE SPUT.
 
This morning (6/6) was the first morning since I've been here that I had to scrape ice off my windshield.
 
I spent some long, early morning hours in the office, and am caught up with the logbook through March 31.  Once I get it completed and sent to Ralph, those of you who look at it may notice that I've added a new type of "Editor's Note."  In places where it appears that there an interval using a webcam steam cloud may be anomalous, I've tried to check the entry in the logbook against Ralph Taylor's electronic data.  In some cases, no data is available because Heasler/Taylor logger may have failed; in some cases Taylor's data confirms the steam cloud; in other cases the steam cloud has apparently been mis-identified because RT's data contradicts the steam cloud.
 
 At Great Fountain yesterday I was asked what's the most Great Fountain has "backed up" over a double interval.  Rephrasing the question--"What's the shortest double interval you've had?"  The reason for the question was to determine when to arrive without worrying about missing the next eruption when the overnight eruption time is not known.  As of the 1451 June 5th eruption, the shortest double interval I've had since the road opened May 23 is 20h17m.  
 
Double intervals have varied from 20h17m to 24h32m, if the 21h42m closed interval is excluded.  (If the 21h42m closed interval is included, the double comprised of the single interval preceding it plus the 21h42 closed is 37h39m.)  
 
Closed intervals have varied from 10h49m to 21h42m. Excluding the minimum and the maximum, the remaining six closed intervals have varied from 11h16m to 12h57m.  
 
The shortest interval was less than 10h09m (part of the 20h17m double interval).  The longest interval is 21h42m.  
 
Mean closed interval ignoring the 21h42m outlier, is 11h47m.  (With the outlier included, it is 13h01m.)  Mean interval using both closed and double intervals, ignoring the outlier, is 11h26m.  (With the outlier included, it is 11h49m.)
 
Also overheard at Great Fountain recently, "Great Fountain was the first geyser seen by the Doane/Washburn expedition."  Actually, as noted by Scott in his book, and Lee Whittlesey in Wonderland Nomenclature, Great Fountain was the first geyser seen by the Folsom, Cook and Peterson party in 1869.  Whittlesey states"  Cook wrote:  "We could not contain our enthusiasm, with one accord we all took off our hats and yelled with all our might."  This despite the fact that the party said that it erupted only "at least 80 feet high."  
 
I wonder what they would have done if they had seen a superburst.  No superbursts have been witnessed yet this seen.  The superburst reported by Scott for yesterday morning's eruption is the only superburst reported so far. GRRR, I woke up at 3:30, and told myself I was not allowed to leave the trailer that early in the morning.  If I had gone out, I might have caught both the superburst and the start of Pink Cone.  Oh well.

 

Times for today--I had a Till major at 1039 (double I = 18h), and again at 1957 (I=9h18m).  While I was waiting at Flood this morning for Till, I heard a 9-11 year old boy excitedly tell his father, "Dad, I found a bear den!" as he was looking across the Firehole River to the north of West Flood.

 

The Fountain Flats bison herd was on both sides of the road at the entrance to Firehole Lake Drive today, causing traffic jams on both the main highway and Firehole Lake Drive.

 

As Scott noted in his report, Beehive erupted again this afternoon.  I had barely returned from Great Fountain after staying for its duration, and was parked in the Inn parking lot when I heard Bob Bailey call water in the Indicator at 1511, and the Indicator at 1512.  The sun broke through the clouds to create a patch of blue sky and shine on both Beehive at 1520 and Old Faithful at 1521.  As I made my way to the overlook, I stopped an English couple to tell them about the Indicator.  I noticed Old Faithful also erupting behind us and we could hear Bob telling people on geyser hill to look because we were having a dual eruption of Old Faithful and Beehive.  The male half of the English couple briefly turned around to look at Old Faithful, then turned back to Beehive.  The female half spent more time videoing Old Faithful before she finally turned back to Beehive.  My other entertainment at the overlook during Beehive was an 18-24 month old boy who kept roaring at me and then telling his mother he wanted to go see geysers.  She tried to get him to look at Beehive, but he was more intent on roaring.  When I jokingly told him he didn't look much like a lion, he replied "That's because I'm a dinosaur!"

 

As I was making my way back to the government housing area from Till this evening, the rain drops were smashing against the windshield letting me know that the snow accompanying the cold front that was supposed to dump on Billings was not going to miss us.  I've been wearing sandals, with socks the past 2-3 days, but decided I needed to take a pair of boots inside the trailer just in case I needed warmer footwear Sunday morning.

 

Lynn Stephens

 



 

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