Yellowstone National Park--Norris and Environs
10 June, 2013
After stopping to see Old Faithful again Monday morning, we headed up the road to Norris, stopping at many geothermal sites along the way.
Black Sand Basin
Cliff Geyser, which erupts beautifully and frequently.
A lovely oxbow in Iron Spring Creek.
Mineral deposits on the bank of the creek.
Me in that same spot. Photo by Eric.
The colorful volcanic landscape.
Sunset Lake. Photo by Eric.
An unidentified geyser.
Colorful Emerald Pool.
Midway Geyser Basin
Midway Geyser Basin was a very interesting, but annoyingly crowded, place. It was like Muir Woods on a summer weekend. We had to wait for a parking space, we had to wait for the outhouses, and it was continually frustrating trying to walk along the boardwalk without feeling like you were in the way of someone standing on one side of the boardwalk taking a picture of someone on the other side. I often wished they would widen the boardwalk, and Eric remarked that the area's popularity had overgrown its infrastructure.
Opal Pool.
The primary attraction here is Grand Prismatic Pool, that beautiful, colorful feature of which we had seen so many great pictures. We were determined to see it, but it was miserably crowded.
Furthermore, it became apparent that most of the photos we had seen had been aerial. You can't take a picture that looks like this example below (that I found on Google Images) from the boardwalk. It was disappointing.
Eric took my picture.
And I took his.
Occasionally, the strong winds would blow the steam off the pool, and you could see more of the beautiful colors. It was indeed impressive.
Patterns of algae in the runoff of Grand Prismatic Pool.
More algae in the runoff across the plain.
This picture (by Eric) illustrates the geologic history of the area, the uplifted mountains in the distance, the volcanism, and the glaciation.
The crater left behind by a massive eruption of the Excelsior Geyser.
Seeing deep into the Excelsior Crater.
Fountain Paint Pots
This spot was very interesting and much less crowded than Midway Geyser Basin.
Clepsydra Geyser erupting.
Eric photographed Red Spouter, a very active mudpot.
Fountain Paint Pots.
It's obvious that the bison are not staying on the boardwalk. Eric says they are going to get in trouble with the ranger.
Exceptionally pretty Silex Spring.
Along the Road
A baby bison!
Eric got another picture of the fancy tour vehicle.
Firehole Falls, which was not necessarily worth all the trouble it took to find.
Gibbon Falls, a little bit more impressive.
Eric's view of Gibbon Falls.
We found that the car's air conditioner did not work very well. What is it, that it has to cool a larger area? I am unused to being uncomfortably hot, and I sure can't believe that most Americans would be able to stand this.
Norris Geyser Basin
Overlooking Porcelain Basin.
A wild geothermal landscape.
Ledge Geyser. Photo by Eric.
Black Growler Steam Vent. We learned that steam vents will occur higher up on a hill than geysers. Their water will not be under as much pressure, so it will evaporate as steam before it would get to the point of eruption.
A runoff stream full of green algae.
Pinwheel Geyser.
Crackling (well, maybe burbling) Lake. Photo by Eric.
More of the lake of Crackling Lake. Photo also by Eric.
Eric took a picture of some interesting holes in the ground.
Steamboat Geyser, the most famous feature in the Norris area. It splashes a lot (as you see here), but it rarely erupts. When it does, it goes on for up to 40 minutes and shoots water up to a height of nearly 100 meters.
Off in the distance, the Gallatin Range. Photo by Eric.
Distance hiked: not sure, maybe 5 km
On to Mammoth Hot Springs.
