[Geysers] Geyser Report Wednesday, May 18,2016

[Barbara Lasseter]

Geyser Report Wednesday, May 18,2016

Not much in the way of geysers, but it was so-o-o good to get into the park!

I arrived West Yellowstone late last Thursday, and have just gotten
organized enough to plan a trip into the park today.

TH-FR-SAT were sunny and warm.  SUN began with 38 degree rain.  On Mon the
rain had frozen bits in it for a while, but you have to look hard to find
snow except on the peaks.  Today started at 28 degrees, briefly became
uncomfortably warm while waiting at Grand, then clouds cooled it off again.

The new boardwalk Castle to Sawmill (with fence on both sides) is
progessing.  Finish date is 5/20.  The bridge was out late this AM.
Wouldn't you love to have those old bridge boards?   That was some lumber!


Local news has been covering 2 incidents that may or may not have been
widely broadcast:

1.  A Canadian visitor to the park this past week saw a lone bison calf
looking very cold.  He loaded the calf in his car and took it to a ranger
(a rental car, I assume).  The herd rejected reintroduction of the calf and
it was euthanized.  Charges have been filed and more are pending.  He has
an appearance scheduled.

2.  Four more Canadian men (part of a weekend adventure group?) walked out
to Grand Prismatic and hammed it up a bit over the weekend.  Charges are
pending.

There are new signs along the roadways that read "No stopping, parking, or
walking along the road.  Use pullouts to view wildlife"  (Hope I got the
wording right).  The park newspaper doesn't repeat those words, but reads
"...stay in your car to view animals"  and "Do not stop on or block a
road." and "...do not stop or impede the safe and free flow of traffic
along any portion of the roadway." I particularly liked " "Show patience
and courtesy to other people."  There is a mild comment on selfies this
year, too.  To clarify the "no stopping along roadways" vs "do not stop or
impede traffic", I asked a ranger naturalist whose interpretation was that
the signs refer to the specific problem stretch of roadway where they are
posted--safe stopping (over the white line) is acceptable elsewhere.

Lower Store and OF Lodge should open Fri.  Marmots are out behind Grand.
They are NOT hazing bison from Horse Butte this year.

Tara Cross is playing at the Inn this summer on an intermittent schedule
that includes some 1330-1730 shifts as well as some evenings.

Beehive: 5/17-1201 GT; 5/18 0335wc GT
Grand: 0236 wc GT, 1023 (2 bursts, turban start, Q) after a couple of long
Turban intervals (25 & 30min) earlier.
Lion: 0241 initial wc GT, 0406 wc GT, and I saw it ie as I left at 1110
Oblong: 0849ns frs
Riverside: 0024 wc GT: 0709 gazer report
Daisy: 0817 frs

Firehole Canyon is open, but as expected, Steel Bridge, Fountain Flat,
Firehole Lake, Whiskey Flat(s) are not.

Barbara Lasseter
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