[Geysers] Geyser Report Tuesday, July 2, 2013

[Barbara Lasseter]

Geyser Report Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Keep in mind that I am usually in the basin about 1/2 a day,
especially when the thermometer hits the 80's by mid-day, so my
reports will be skimpy, even though I am no longer devoting my time to
granddaughters.

Today was primarily at Great Fountain, with a dash to the Morning
eruption--tall, sunlit, well-attended, and with favorable breezes.
Folks there were surprised by the start of the eruption.  Some had not
seen water in the crater prior to the start, although I hear that
others had.

The 0700 geyser call included:
Depression: 0556ie
Castle: 0529 major
Grand: predicted for 1145 pending download
Riverside: predicted for 0730
Daisy: 0519
Grotto: 0522ie


White geyser was ie at 0653
Great Fountain overflow at 0951, eruption at 1107 with an especially
nice 1st series, including an essentially vertical (superb?)burst that
pushed higher in at least 3 stages.
White Dome was ie at 0733, 0753, 0826, 0901, 0940, 1010, 1034, 1135
Morning was 0901 d=21

The Artemisia trail was open this AM after several days of bear
closure (the grizzly sow with 2 cubs that's been frequenting the UGB).
 The Mary Mountain trail has been open for a good while now.

Lupine, larkspur, harebell & flax flood the roadside with blue in many
places, interspersed with the white of yarrow and buckwheat.  Lots of
yellow DYCs (darn yellow composites) that I can't identify, along with
cinquefoil, arnica, yellow mule's ears, balsamroot, sulfur buckwheat.
The trail from Liberty pool to Lion has sticky & Richardson geraniums,
a few die-hard shooting stars, a nice clump of chive not yet opened,
bog orchids, sulfur paintbrush.  The columbine near the Aurum end of
the Solitary trail are getting started.  The Pine pollen is so
prolific that drifts are visible to the naked eye in the air currents.
  Coming back to West Yellowstone one afternoon I was concerned that I
was headed into smoke from a fire, the pollen in the air was so dense
over a wide area.  Perhaps the gazillion young lodgepole have reached
pollen-bearing age?

A pair of trumpeter swans is frequenting the Firehole S of the "S"
curves on the loop road.  I last saw them Sunday behind Nez Perce
picnic area, a bit further from the roadways now with the heavy 4th
traffic.

The west entrance meadows bison herds have given way to smaller groups
of elk.   I have a photo of one elk cow on the hillside near 7 mile
bridge with 4 calves--must have been a play date!

Barbara Lasseter