[Geysers] Lower Geyser Basin 10-26

[Maureen Edgerton]

Hey all.

Today was a very cold day.  Also, a very good day for seeing both Fountain and Great Fountain.

I arrived in the area around 10:20 and what I glimpsed might be Morning's Thief (too far away and windy to really know for sure) was happening as I drove down the road.  Drove past Great Fountain and watched as the pool went from near overflow to low again.

Let me back up a minute...yesterday, Great Fountain rose and fell for about two hours while I was there, having some good foot boils even, yet then lowering again...rise, lower, rise, lower.  It was nice to see hot water on the platform and snow melting.  The day before I had driven by to a snowy landscape, something very odd with Great Fountain's many run off channels.  Everything was covered in snow.

So, thinking I might be in for another day of rising and falling pools, I went back toward Fountain.  MT at 1044.  This time I could see for sure it was MT.  I figured I had time to go back and check GF again, this time the pool was up, yet not quite overflowing.  

Drove back to Fountain area and MT erupted again at 1128.  Then again at 1138, so I figured the eruption was coming soon, which it was.  Being 23 degrees out with a stiff wind, I started to figure out how much I would need out there to stay warm, and then got ready to head out.  Fountain at 1142.  

I am not sure it was zero with the wind chill, yet it must have been close.  VERY COLD, yet an amazing eruption with blue bubbles galore, huge bursts, and pretty much to myself until a few folks wandered up.  No snow storm happening, that was a plus!

33 minutes later, Fountain was done, AWESOME, the blue bubbles and streamers being my favorite parts of today's eruption.  I hung out waiting for Twig, yet after 10 minutes I started to entertain the thought that Twig might NOT erupt, and in fact, it did not!  Of the hundreds of Fountains I have seen this season, that was the first without a Twig to follow!  So, not sure what is up, yet it will be hard to tell now if Fountain has erupted (from the road) if I cannot rely on Twig being there.  I drove to the parking spot on the road to make sure Twig did not just start later, and still no Twig.

Drove back to Great Fountain where the overflow was very heavy, and a good boil on the pool.  About 10 minutes later a 3 meter boil and the eruption started right away, no pause, with a mini blue bubble to start things off.  The first series was great, huge streamers, and it lasted 10 minutes.

The best part of it all was watching the waves take over the snow fields, melting them as they advanced.  Very fun.

2nd series was nice, 3rd series nice too, with another mini blue bubble, then Bill Warnock drove up for the 4th, which was pretty small, and then barely a 5th.  When the 5th was not happening, I decided it was time to leave and on my way out, I was treated to a Labial eruption!  I had not gotten to see Labial in quite some time, so I felt like it was my geyser bonus of the day.

I was very happy to see Great Fountain's first eruption since Wild Phase ended, and was glad it waited until today, and my being present!!  The run off fields were great, to see the ribbons of water (or where the hot water had been) cut through the snow in many different directions as I drove away.  

My people watching moment of the day ( to borrow a phrase from YTG) was the bicyclist that was in the MIDDLE of the road, causing folks to first, not hit him, and then, go around him.  He was maybe traveling at 5 mph, with no lights or bright markers.  Where the heck was he going?  Pretty sure he illegally camped last evening at Madison, unless he went knocking on doors for someone to house him for the night as I saw him around ten miles from West late yesterday when I was driving home.  He must have been headed for Craig Pass, where I am sure the people driving in his lane were THRILLED to encounter a bicyclist going 5 mph.  Not sure why the folks at the gate let him in, he was truly a hazard.  KOOKY.  

Lots of people watching moments, as folks have taken to stopping on a snow packed and icy road, on blind corners even, if they decide they want a photo.  The roads are snow packed and very icy in spots, yet the plows have been out a lot, and conditions are good if you have snow tires.  I am guessing the rental RVs do not have snow tires, yet even though a sign at the gate says "SNOW TIRES REQUIRED", I am pretty sure none of the gate folks are checking anyone.  

Other news, Fan and Mortar erupted last evening, the 25th, right before dark.  I was home then, watching on the web cam.  Nice cloud, and glad we could see it.  Ranger Steve confirmed that this morning.

I am grateful Firehole Lake Drive has remained open and I could watch the "coming out of Wild Phase" activity at Great Fountain.  

One more week, maybe the weather will be a bit nicer for the last days of the season!

Maureen Edgerton