[Geysers] Forward From Janet Chapple

[Mario Durrant]

Sorry to bring back an old topic, but I wonder how much "weathering" vs. 
vandalism is likely responsible for some recent comments on this listserv 
regarding the current state of Union geyser's cone.  I personally have only 
been to Shoshone a handful of times since 2003, and never saw the cone prior 
to that year.  The attached picture shows how the cone has always looked to 
me, from my first trip in August 2003.  Does the primary deterioration 
consist of the "missing" section on the visible (south) side of the main 
cone?  The recent discussion on the changes in Giant's cone over the years 
prompted the question.

Mario Durrant


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Keller" <KSCOPE_YNP at peoplepc.com>
To: "'Geyser Observation Reports'" <geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu>
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 8:35 PM
Subject: RE: [Geysers] Forward From Janet Chapple


> All,
>
> The old photo's angle is a bit deceptive as it gives the appearance that 
> the
> cone is 1/2 full in the front, but the angle it is taken from is actually
> showing the bottom of the bite "meshing" with the wall on the Catfish 
> side.
> If this was taken in the front the large opening we see today would be
> visible.
>
> Yes-there has been a lot of deterioration of the cone in the past 120
> years-some no doubt by vandals, but the majority by eruptions.  The 
> activity
> that formed the cone long ago is not the same as the activity that is
> breaking the cone down.  I have heard a lot of speculation as to what kind
> of activity formed the cone and I personally lean towards it forming while
> the platform was under a glacier some years ago, but that is my personal
> belief.  I don't have the data from the late 1880's in front of me, but I
> can tell you that in 1988 the highest point of the cone was 9' 10", today 
> it
> is 9' 6", and that there has been considerable erosion taking place behind
> the cone and between Giant and Turtle.  In 1988, there was a solid sinter
> peninsula leading to Turtle, and the area between Giant and Turtle was 
> maybe
> 4 feet across. Today the only solid sinter between Giant and Turtle are 
> the
> respective cones of each, and the area between Giant and Turtle is easily 
> 20
> feet across.  These periods of dormancy followed by periods of eruptive
> activity are eroding the sinter formation much like Fan and Mortar has 
> done
> to itself in the past 30 years.  It wouldn't surprise me one day if 
> another
> large chunk of the cone came off in an eruption like the "missing tooth" 
> in
> the upper right part of the cone we now have.
>
> MK
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu
> [mailto:geysers-bounces at lists.wallawalla.edu] On Behalf Of David Monteith
> Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 7:27 PM
> To: Geyser Reports
> Subject: [Geysers] Forward From Janet Chapple
>
>
>                                  From:
>        Janet Chapple
>        <jochapple at earthlink.net>
>                                    To:
>        Geyser Observation Reports
>        <geysers at lists.wallawalla.edu>
>                               Subject:
>        Fwd: Giant's Cone pictures
>                                  Date:
>        Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:37:00 -0700
>
>        Hello gazers,
>
>        I have often wondered about the evolution of the shape of
>        Giant's cone, and recently I've found two old photos to compare.
>        The older one is from Sheridan, Lt. Col. M. V., "Journey through
>        the YNP and Northwestern WY," 1883, and the other is a Haynes
>        photo from Clyde Max Bauer's 1937 book, "The Story of
>        Yellowstone Geysers."
>
>        What I'd like to know from gazers is whether someone could share
>        with us a recent photo of the cone to compare with these, and if
>        anyone knows whether the obvious changes have been made by the
>        force of Giant's eruptions or by vandals or perhaps by both.
>
>        I apologize for the poor quality of the copy I made of the Bauer
>        photo.
>
>        Janet Chapple
>
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>
>
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