Artemisia Geyser

Over the summer there were several areas in the Upper or Lower Geyser Basin that I only visited once, or visitations were few and far between. But sometimes these areas rewarded these spontaneous visits with a special gift. One of these locations was Artemisia Geyser. Artemisia Geyser is located about a ten minute walk up the trail past Morning Glory Pool where most visitors turn around. Artemisia erupts from a massive superheated pool decorated by fantastic geyserite deposits. Eruptions are anywhere from 8-32 hours apart but are usually between 15-24.

Artemisia's massive pool and gorgeous sinter formations. Photo by Micah K.

Despite the extreme erratic intervals, there is a rugged group of Geyser Gazers that will go and plant themselves overlooking the pool for an entire day and into the night if they have to. They are Artemisia's greatest fans and I have an extreme amount of respect for the effort and dedication they put into watching this Geyser, for that reason this post is dedicated to them.

I will admit, I didn't pay much interest in Artemisia over the course of the summer as most of the significant geyser activity in the Upper Geyser Basin was much farther south. However, as the end of my employment began to draw near, I decided I needed to try to catch Artemisia. With the help from the group of Artemisia fans, I finally saw it.

Artemisia erupts! Photo By Micah K

Artemisia erupted just as I careened around the bend in a trail after being hailed over the radio. The entire massive pool lifted and flooded the surrounding sinter flat in a massive wave. Massive collapsing steam bubbles caused the ground to shake. The surface of the pool began to boil, seethe, and churn, and suddenly massive jets of water exploded into the sky up to 30-40 feet. A massive steam column climbed into the early evening sky. I celebrated with the sole Artimesia watcher who was with me, and we both enjoyed the eruption of about 30 minutes. It was one of the most incredible geyser eruptions I have ever witnessed. It was fantastic, and Artemisia instantly climbed into the list of my favorite geysers. I hope that I get the chance to see it again next summer. And the lesson I brought back from Artemisia was to never underestimate a geyser of Yellowstone ever again.

Uncertain Geyser.

Once again we're back to the temperamental and spellbinding Sawmill Group in the Upper Geyser Basin. The last time we were here we discussed Penta Geyser. Now we are going to discuss Uncertain Geyser, a favorite among several Geyser Gazers, and a geyser that proves somewhat elusive to catch.

Sawmill Geyser is the dominant geyser in the Sawmill Group, photo by: Micah K.

Everything in the Sawmill Group is affected by, of course; Sawmill Geyser. Uncertain is no exception. After every eruption of Sawmill the water levels in the group will drain several feet and then refill. This happens several times over until Sawmill has a much longer duration eruption, usually this is several hours long instead of the typical 90 minutes. After this eruption finally ends, the Sawmill Group undergoes a "Deep Drain" where the water levels in all the features plummet for several hours, in most of the springs it is even impossible to see water. After a few hours goes by the water levels begin to recover, and this is where the fun begins.

Twilight Spring in the Sawmill Group recovers from a drain following an eruption of Sawmill. Photo by:Micah K.

 Several features in the Sawmill Group only erupt, or usually erupt when the water level is coming up from a deep drain. Uncertain Geyser is one of those. Uncertain's crater is nothing more than a small nearly circular hole tucked against the thick geyserite shoulder of Sawmill Geyser. It is a race between Uncertain and the rest of the group. If nearby Twilight Spring reaches overflow before Uncertain erupts, the game is over, if Tardy Geyser nearby erupts first, usually that spells doom for the chances of Uncertain. If Sawmill Geyser erupts first, it usually isn't a good sign, but sometimes Uncertain will erupt in concert with Sawmill for a fantastic show. See how complicated the relationships are? Fantastic right? It's patterns and puzzles like these that make geyser gazing so much fun!

Despite it's unfortunate knack for keeping Uncertain from erupting. Tardy Geyser just down the boardwalk still puts on quite the show of its own. Photo by Micah K. 

As the water level comes up in the Sawmill Group, usually Uncertain will splash within it's vent or pulse up and down. If an eruption will occur, the water level will rise to the top of the rim and the splashing will grow vigorous, finally the splashing will turn into jetting, and neat little fountain of water will spray 10-15 feet into the sky for about five minutes. The eruption ends with a small steam phase.

Uncertain Geyser erupts! Photo by Micah K

For me the reason that I enjoy Uncertain so much is simply the buildup. The tension that occurs once you see all the criteria are in place and that the race is on between Uncertain and the other features is very fun. I'm sure I got many weird looks from visitors as I scampered from feature to feature jotting things quickly in my logbook before running to the next feature. But you know what, I loved every second of it.

Lone Star Geyser

Three miles south of Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin is a small secluded backcountry thermal area. This is the Lone Star Geyser Basin. From a trailhead located about ten minutes down the Grand Loop Road from Old Faithful Village a well maintained walking/bike path travels 2.5 miles down the Firehole River Valley. At the end of this trail is Lone Star Geyser.

Lone Star Geyser Meadow photo by: Micah K. 

Walking up to Lone Star Geyser is always a unique experience. After traveling through the shaded woods, with squirrels chattering complaints at you and the Firehole River burbling alongside, you emerge suddenly into an open meadow. A hillside rises to your right with multiple small spouters and thermal features on its slopes, however, at this point signs admonish you to stay on the trail, and it is illegal to approach these features.

But it is hard to miss the sentinel of this meadow, the ruler of this small group of features. Rising from a large geyserite platform shared with two geysers nearly insignificant to it, Lone Star's nine foot cone towers above everything else.

Lone Star Geyser erupts about every 2.5-3 hours. It has major and minor eruptions, sometimes there is no minor preceding a major, and sometimes there are two or three. It's quiet period is periodically interjected with surges and small jets of water from the main vent. Eventually one of these surges will last longer than the others, and grow stronger, suddenly the surge will turn into a explosive jet that rockets thin streamers of water 45 feet or more above the cone. Water pours down the sides and into deeply carved runoff channels down to the Firehole River. 20 or so minutes into the eruption the water will begin to wane, and the eruption will begin to switch to one of the most powerful steam phases in Yellowstone, audible sometimes a up to a mile away. The roar of the vaporized water escaping out of the vent is truly stupendous. 

Lone Star Geyser major eruption Photo by: Micah K.

Lone Star is one of my favorites because it is a major geyser somewhat away from the crowds, the hike to reach it is gorgeous, the settings are fantastic, and the eruption itself is awe inspiring. Lone Star is a special gem among Yellowstone's Geysers and I would highly recommend going to see it.

Beehive Geyser

Across the Firehole River from Old Faithful rises a barren white hill covered with gray minerals and bright streaks of bacteria. This is aptly named "Geyser Hill" and it contains one of the largest concentrations of geysers in the world. Several of the geysers are significant spouters, and one of them is truly spectacular when it plays, and is usually a crowd favorite.

Geyser Hill in the early morning

Beehive Geyser lies on the southern edge of Geyser Hill. Its name is based on its four-foot-tall cone that rises out of the surrounding sinter platform, resembling an old fashioned straw beehive. Most visitors walk right past Beehive during its quiet interval, only giving off subtle subterranean rumbles, wisps of steam, and occasional splashes. But, once a day, something occurs that sends the observing Geyser Gazer scrambling for their radio, and has all the other Gazers speeding in from across the Basin. Beehive's Indicator erupts.

Beehive's Indicator erupts, Beehive is the cone on the left.

Beehive's indicator is a jagged vent a few feet in front of Beehive, between the boardwalk and the cone, that fills with water and erupts up to 15 feet. As hinted by its name, Beehive's indicator usually only erupts just before an eruption of Beehive.

Somewhere between seconds and 30 minutes of Beehive's Indicator starting, Beehive will suddenly pour out a surge of superheated water from its cone, dousing the surrounding area and sending up a ball of steam. This is followed by a huge jet will exploding from the cone, blasting into the air and climbing 150-200 feet into the sky. The spectacle is one of the best in Yellowstone. During many eruptions, visitors will be showered by the falling water of the eruption, getting soaked within seconds. This water is usually cool, as it has time to chill as it falls through the air after leaving the vent.

With the boardwalk coming within 50 feet of Beehive, the sound of the water is incredible, reminiscent of a roaring jet engine. Supposedly the sound is due to the steam and water escaping through the vent at nearly supersonic speeds, although this theory has yet to be proven.

Beehive erupting in June 2014. Photo by Micah K. 

When I arrived in Yellowstone at the beginning of summer in 2013, Beehive was cooperating fairly well. 16-20 hours were the norm, with the occasional curveball interval thrown in. Then, on July 4th, things took a surprising turn. Beehive's indicator decided to erupt for an hour. Beehive splashed, and splashed, and splashed, but did not erupt. Geyser Gazers and visitors who were expecting a show groaned, but for different reasons. For visitors, it was the fact that the Geyser hadn't erupted as "promised" by the Gazers. For the Gazers themselves, it was because a "false indicator" means that Beehive is probably "broken".

 Sure enough, Beehive was "broken" for the entirety of the rest of the summer. Indicator began a pattern that would continue for months, erupting for 45-60 minutes every 3-4 hours. Beehive sometimes went days between eruptions, and several of them occurred with no indicator preceding it. After July 4 I only got to witness four more Beehive eruptions, two of them from a distance, one of them in the middle of the night from a distance, and one, by sheer luck, from the boardwalk in front of it.

Regardless of how Beehive behaved that summer, it's always a thrill of looking up and seeing indicator jetting outward, and the roar of Beehive's column as it towers skyward is always awe-inspiring. And once again, it's a crowd-pleaser, and I always love it when visitors get to enjoy the wonders of Yellowstone's Geysers.

Beehive Geyser and its indicator at sunset. Photo by Micah K. 

Vixen Geyser

30 miles North of Old Faithful and the geyser basins along the Firehole River, past the Madison River and through the Gibbon Canyon lies a large unique thermal basin. This is the Norris Geyser Basin. Norris has long been known as the most energetic basin in terms of activity, but in recent years. Geyser Gazers have began to call Norris "Snorris" for it's lack of geyser activity. There are only 3-5 semi-reliable geysers here. And if your lucky, something else will erupt for you somewhere along the trail system.

Norris Location

 Norris Geyser Basin is divided into two main sections. The North end of the Basin is dubbed the Porcelain Basin. It is characterized by it's barren flat landscape, full of sizzling areas, roaring fumaroles, and numerous small perpetual spouters. Temporary features rather than permanent ones are the norm here generally, save for a select few hardy survivors, but that is a topic for another post.

The scenery of the Porcelain Basin. Photo courtesy NPS

 The South portion of the basin is called the Back, or Tantalous Basin of Norris. Here many of the features are more permanent, and back in the day this contained several significant geysers. Of course, this basin is home to the most significant geyser in the world. Steamboat Geyser, again, that's a whole different topic that will be discussed in detail later.

The scenery of the Back Basin Photo courtesy NPS

Presently there is only one geyser that is really well behaved in the Back Basin, and that term is used in the most cautious way. Because Vixen Geyser can really live up to its name.

Vixen Geyser erupts! Photo courtesy of MA Bellingham

Vixen Geyser is a fountain-type geyser, that erupts from a small reddish crater a stone's throw away from the boardwalk (of course, you wouldn't dare take that literally.). You never really know what your going to get with Vixen, it can have dormancies of several years, and then suddenly spring back with fantastic eruptions that make gazers elated.

This year I visited the Norris Geyser Basin 2 times (4 if you count when I went to watch the Steamboat eruption this year). The first time I spent just an afternoon there, where I saw 2-3 eruptions of Vixen. That first visit the eruptions were about 40-50 minutes apart, and lasted only 1-3 minutes. I visited Norris again in September, where I watched Vixen for probably a total of about 4-5 hours. To my utter joy, Vixen was going crazy. Eruptions were occurring every 25-40 minutes apart and lasting anywhere from 2-7 minutes, it was a blast. a couple of the eruptions threw nice sized rocks, and after every eruption the crater drained with a hilarious and delightful draining sound.

 

Me watching Vixen Geyser erupt with a group of visitors

Video courtesy of Natalie H.

I was surprised Vixen climbed so high on my favorite geyser list, but I can see why. For one, it's a small feature, and I have a soft spot for the small features. 2nd, it's close to the boardwalk, so you can easily observe it. 3rd, it is a visitor favorite, they love Vixen! especially the drain sound. And 4th, it has a pretty straight forward building of events to any eruption. Usually it starts with wisps of steam drifting out of the crater, almost unnoticeable, then gurgling is heard within the vent, and gets louder as the water level gets higher. Soon water starts to surge within the crater, boiling and frothing and causing a commotion. Finally at some point, there s a larger than normal surge that gives way to jets of water knifing into the air about 10-15 feet. It's a great little show for a small geyser, and that's why it's number 5 on my top 20 list.

Penta Geyser.

Nearly smack dab in the center of the Upper Geyser Basin, surrounded by an open sheet of sinter deposits, bordered on the south by the frigid (Ironically named) Firehole River, Lies a cluster of about 19 different springs and geysers in an area roughly the size of half a football field. Welcome to the Sawmill Group.

Aerial view of the Sawmill Group. Geysers are White, Hot Springs are blue, Penta Geyser is Gold. 

Named for the largest Geyser in the group, this is one of the most fascinating groups of features in Yellowstone. Why? because of a certain type of activity known as an "exchange of function". When you walk up to the Sawmill Group, you are walking up to a geothermal battlefield. every day there is a constant battle that rages for which geysers get the energy. I'll explain more of this activity of the whole group on a later date, but for now, I'm going to focus on the geyser that is cherished (and loathed) by many a geyser gazer in Yellowstone. This is the humble, yet mighty, Penta Geyser.

Penta Geyser's cone. taken from a kneeling position on the boardwalk. June 2013.
Photo courtesy of Micah Kipple 

Penta Geyser is one of the many geysers in Yellowstone that "thrives on the tears of geyser gazers", you need just the right kind of set up to get it, and sometimes even the set ups end with crushed spirits and vehement cursing. But when the set up actually ends in a eruption, it is a one of a kind show. Penta is named for it's 5 vents, the largest of which erupts to 25 feet. the other's can get up to 6 feet. Here's the catch, Penta is only about 4-5 feet from the boardwalk. Which means when there's an eruption. It's shower time. The pulsing jets of this delightful cone can last for 2 hours, this year however, it's been anywhere from 40 minutes-1.5 hours.

Penta Geyser erupts September 6, 2013. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Strasser. 

Penta Geyser eluded me for almost the entirety of the 3 months that I was employed in Yellowstone National Park in 2013. I always seemed to miss it, sometimes only by minutes. It erupted 25 times behind my back. Finally, on September 6, 2013, my luck held, and while waiting for nearby Grand Geyser (#10 on the list) Penta geyser was called. One gazer also waiting on a nearby bench simply recalls "a orange blur flying down the boardwalk blowing by bewildered tourists". But I managed to make it, and enjoyed almost the entire eruption of 52 minutes.

Celebrating my first Penta eruption. Photo courtesy of Suzanne Strasser

Morning Geyser-Lower Geyser Basin.

"MORNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!" I pounded on the railing of the observation platform with my fists in excitement as a jet of golden superheated water knifed through the steam. Morning Geyser had finally erupted for me at 0647 on July 16, 2013.

After the post I wrote on the 25th of May, which can be read here, Morning Geyser continued its active phase through the month of June and into July, where it seemed to slow down slightly. However, Morning continued to erupt through August. And then in September it took part of an event known as a "Trifecta" in which Morning, Morning's Thief Geyser immediately next to it, and Fountain Geyser all erupt simultaneously. This event happened four times over the summer. However, as awesome as this event is to behold (Morning and Morning's Thief can erupt for an hour,  Fountain can erupt for 3 hours) it was begun to be seen as a bad omen, because each successive time there was a Trifecta, the next interval to Morning got longer. Many people blame the last Trifecta which occured on September 3 (which I was lucky enough to witness) for Morning's lapse back into dormancy.

Geyser "Trifecta" on September 3, 2013, Morning is illuminated by the huge spotlight, Morning's Thief can be seen just right of Morning, and Fountain is just off frame to the left. Photo courtesy of Pat S.

For some unfathomable reason for the first third of my summer in Yellowstone, I didn't make that much effort to try to see Morning, a mistake that cost me many potential eruptions I could've seen. I tried to convince myself that I was waiting for the right opportunity (I wanted fountain to have a 40+ minute duration eruption). Well, that unmistakable opportunity happened on the evening of July 15th, when Fountain had a 40 minute duration eruption. Unfortunately, that meant that in order to be there in time for the morning window (7-9 hours after Fountain) I had to be at the Lower Geyser Basin Fountain Paint Pot area by no later than 6.

Through a somewhat crazy train of events, I managed to arrive at the Fountain Paint Pots around 6 ish. 47 minutes later, I was rewarded as Morning erupted just as the golden sunlight streamed over the hills to the east. It was burst after burst, some were thin jets that shot straight up. Other times the entire pool domed up in a Blue Bubble that exploded with a *KA-WHUMP*. It was the geyser experience of a lifetime, the sheer power mixed with beauty that I witnessed is unparalleled than anything I have ever seen, and what I would give to experience it again.

Morning blue bubble during the July 16, 2013 eruption, Photo by Micah K

Alas, it could be up to over a decade before Morning decides to play again if this turns out to truly be a return to dormancy. But I consider myself lucky that I was at least able to see it twice in this active phase, and one thing's for sure, if it ever starts up again, I'll be going up to the Lower Basin every chance that there is for Morning.