[Geysers] Trip report 4-26 to 5-1 UGB

[Mary Beth Schwarz]

     Steve's description does seem to be an afterburst at Grand, so that
eruption was a 3+1 (and was it a "C" for Turban and Vent continuing after
Grand or did they quit and restart?).

     Based on the afterbursts I have observed at Grand, the following things
usually occur:

     1)  There are two bursts or more in the regular part of the eruption
(except for the 1burst +1 afterburst on 31 July 2009).

     2)  Turban and Vent continue after Grand ends (the exception is the
10+1 eruption of Grand in the 1990s in which Turban and Vent briefly quit
and restarted quickly).

     3)  Afterplay, which comes from the empty crater of Grand,  begins
earlier than usual (usual is at about 14 minutes after the end of the
regular part of the eruption of Grand) AND the afterplay splashes are larger
and thicker and whiter than usual (the usual afterplay is thin and silvery
splashing and not very high).

     4)  The large afterplay builds into a full sized burst of about 80-100
feet and water may pool a bit in the crater.

     The duration of Grand does not HAVE to be very long (such as 12-13) and
may be as short as 10 minutes (or in the odd 1=1 in 2009 the first and only
bursts in the regular part of the eruption was 9m 14s).  So, when Turban and
Vent continue I like to wait to see when the afterplay begins.

     The afterbursts I have seen all began before the end of the 12th minute
after the usual part of Grand's eruption finished.

     Another interesting thing is that some years the afterbursts come in
pairs over a few days or a week, so we try to see as many of the eruptions
as possible, especially after seeing an afterburst.

     Normal afterplay splashes at Grand are very pretty and worth a look
sometime if you have never seen them.  BIG afterplay is exciting to watch!

     Thanks for the detailed description Steve!

     Mary Beth Schwarz





On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 5:32 PM, stepheneide at cableone.net <
stepheneide at cableone.net> wrote:

> Greetings and  Salutations,
>
> For the Upper Geyser basin, I did not check Biscuit Basin, they are
> re-doing the boardwalk.  Island geyser was active whenever I passes.
> Someone earlier asked about the river levels, the Firehole river is high but
> not flooding anywhere, it is up to the top of the banks of the river, but
> only to just where the grass starts, nothing higher.  I hope that helps.
>
> The  Black Sand  basin appeared to be just like it was last fall at
> closing.  I did a quick walk of the boardwalks but not much more than that.
>
>
> On the main hill Bronze spring does intermittent overflowing but no
> erupting that I saw.  Little Squirt is active, the temp downloads of Ralph
> Taylor would give you good data about the intervals.  Big and Little Anemone
> were active but I didn't time any intervals.  Plume was about every hour and
> continue to be five bursts.   Improbable Geyser only  boiled intermittently
> while I was looking.   I saw nothing out of Spume/Spew/Scuba.
>
> Beehive appears to have intervals just under a day, again I bow to Ralph
> Taylor's data.  I did see one  eruption on 4-26 at 1354 with no indicator
> either  before or during the eruption.  Beehive had a big 6-8 foot Herb
> Warren splash, followed a second just seconds later, then it rose up again
> and just went for it.  Then  on 4-30 I saw Beehive Indicator ie at 1423 from
> Castle.  I thought with the short indicators I wouldn't be able to make it
> to Beehive so I just stayed at the Castle overlook.  Beehive did not start
> until 1438.  Go figure.  The bubblers at Beehive are almost quiet now, all I
> saw were a few wisps of steam for the week.
>
> East Scissor  Spring appears to have no overflow, when it  snowed the snow
> below it was untouched by overflow, even when it boiled.  West Scissor
> Spring continues to overflow intermittently.  The erupting hole on the
> uphill side of the boardwalk between Scissor and Depression was still
> boiling  but did not appear to be erupting when I watched it.  I do admit I
> did not get to watch it all that long.  Depression continues on the short
> intervals with an average of about 2 hours 40 minutes.  Uphill Geyser/Mouth
> was active but the eruptions barely made it to the surface.  I did not see
> the little geyser above Marmot Cave, but I did not get to watch that much.
> Little Cub appears to have intervals of about 50 minutes (Ralph's data is
> better).  Lion appears to still be having long series, but not  the very
> long 30+ eruption series it was having late last fall.  Again, I recommend
> Ralph Taylor's data.  I was not lucky enough to catch North Goggles, I don't
> know if it is still active.  Aurum was still having 3-4 hour intervals with
> the exception of the one day I decided to wait for it.  But it appears that
> one long interval was the exception.  I did not catch Plate.  Pump can
> really be impressive sometimes, with occasional eruptions to 20 feet.
>
> In the Sawmill group about all I saw were Tardy cycles.  In spite of that
> there were only two, perhaps three eruptions of Penta and no eruptions of
> Churn that I know of.   I think I only saw Sawmill once for the entire
> week.  On 4-26 Penta started early in the Tardy cycle with Oval pool well
> below full.  It had several periods of boiling over the main vent, starting
> small with each one a little higher.  Then at 1425 the three to four foot
> boiling just rose up to a full eruptions D-67 minutes.  After the eruption
> stopped while I wasn't watching it restarted, more like a steam phase
> eruption seen ie at 1544 with a height of 3-6 feet.  I forgot to put a
> marker down and a visitor later told me Penta erupted later that evening.
> The marker was replaced the next morning. and it stayed in place
> until 5-1-10 when Penta washed its marker between 1220 and 1832.  The new
> little hole I saw during the winter between UNNG-OTO and the  boardwalk it a
> thermal feature, it boils and steams when the Sawmill group fills, almost
> always active with UNNG-OTO.  Bulger Geyser was active with minors and
> majors seen on most days. Alas, Slurp did not  make an apparence.  Crystal
> Spring erupted once for me, odd because I was used to seeing it erupt in
> series but this was just one lone eruption.
>
> Grand gave me the most interesting eruption I have ever seen on 4-30-10.
> Grand had a three burst eruption with what I think was an afterburst.  I'm
> not completely sure, never having seen an afterburst before.  Grand started
> at 0937:34 and the start was really weak  it stopped after eight minutes
> twelve seconds, then gave a second burst which ended at 0947:17 .  I
> watched  for a while hoping for a third burst but the pool appeared to have
> drained so I started packing my gear.  Then at 0948:15 I noticed  the pool
> was full again and boiling and Boom!  the third  burst started.  After the
> eruption finished I looked at Penta to find the system was now in drain so I
> returned ot catch the start of W. Triplet.  Grand was booming 5-10 feet from
> the empty hole.  As I watched it kept getting higher, to 20 feet , then 30
> feet, then at 0953 I had four or five bursts to over a hundred feet.  During
> these bursts the pool half filled, then drained.  I continued to watch and
> after a few minutes the booming from Grands hole started again but this time
> only got to about 20 feet before quieting down.  I think this was an
> Afterburst, but I would appreciate any input, never having seen an
> afterburst before.
>
> Economic is cold but still has intermittent overflow.  The unnamed spring
> behind and to the right of Wave Pool is still active.  Chromatic pool had
> all the overflow for the week.  Oblong and I were on different schedules, we
> only saw each other from the distance.  I did have a visitor ask me what was
> the name of all those little vents in front of Giant?  He said he say
> several vents splashing to 1-2 inches. I asked if there was one that was
> higher (Feather) but he insisted not, only 1-2 inches.  So there may be hope
> for a hot period at Giant.
>
> Grotto was normal and I did catch a few Grotto Fountain/Grotto starts.
> Daisy was usually at about 2 hours 20-30 minutes but it did have one day of
> 3 hour intervals and one long night time interval of about 5-6 hours (I
> forgot to write down the electronic times).  For more info look at Ralph
> Taylors electronic data.
>
> Victory Geyser is now cold with algae growing in it and no overflow.  The
> hole looks interesting though, big rocks in it and no clear vent.
>
> Riverside was doing almost all long intervals for the week.  I never made
> it up to Artimesia or into the Old Road group.
>
> Castle was Castle, more majors than minors but  minors about every second
> or third day.  Tilt's Baby was quiet whenever I looked at it.
>
> Little Brother was quiet when I looked at it too.   Basin Spring is full
> again and overflowing.  I did watch it for about 15 minutes and it did
> nothing so I gave up.
>
> I hope to return for Memorial day week.  Hopefully I will see some of you
> there then.
>
> Stephen Eide
>
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