<div dir="ltr">Geyser Report Monday, August 17, 2015<br><div><br></div><div>30 degrees going in this AM 0600-0630. Both the Fountain Paint Pot and Black Sand Basin parking lots were closed in the AM and just after noon as I returned. Visitors were not dissuaded! The jam at Fountain put the steel bridge area to shame--parking on both sides of the loop road with cars ALMOST off the road itself, and visitors crossing between Silex and the mudpots from the loop road to the boardwalk. No attempt to monitor or control. I wonder if the rangers were even aware. I saw a worker carrying a large turn arrow stencil as I passed fountain, so perhaps it was more road painting. In that case, tomorrow should be back to normal.</div><div><br></div><div>I saw a small bison herd yesterday on fountain flat--can they be back already? While waiting for Castle, a bison walked down the bike path thru the crowd. Some visitors seemed to think it was the Yellowstone running of the bulls as they walked backwards in front of him or beside him, taking photos. He passed without any harm.</div><div><br></div><div>The lower gas station has changed their opening from 0700 to 0730.</div><div><br></div><div>Elk are gathering in the Madison meadows--I've seen just cows and calves so far.</div><div><br></div><div>We have had significant smoke haze in recent days. Today seemed more severe. I didn't notice the smell of smoke, but my eyes were burning before the morning was over--no crystal blue skies, and very hazy views even relatively nearby. I haven't seen fires reported in Yellowstone, but 3 Forks, MT and elsewhere in W MT and across the west are having significant fires. </div><div><br></div><div>Beehive: 0348ns per Rocco Paperiello</div><div>Grand: 0818 T2Q--just 2h after overflow</div><div>Castle: 1123.<br></div><div>Riverside: 0848</div><div>Daisy: 0835, 1106ns frs</div><div>Artemisia 0807ie by steam cloud</div><div>Fountain: appeared to be ie at 0623--please allow for the steam obscuring visibility</div><div>Great Fountain: 0701 p=8</div><div>"Rejuvenated" 0636ie, 0707</div><div>Rocket Major 0841ns</div><div>Dome: 1012 per Steve Robinson frs</div><div>White Dome: 0642</div><div>Flood: 0726ie</div><div>Tilt's Baby: 0834 frs</div><div>Uncertain: 1128 (Steve Robinson)</div><div>Gizmo: 1011ie, 1038, 1104</div><div><br></div><div>Hope we all get some fire-dampening rains! </div><div><br></div><div>Barbara Lasseter</div></div>