Day 09

We were able to witness Old Faithful last night and again today. It is phenomenal sight to see and made all the more extraordinary by the geothermal mechanics that give rise to a geyser.  Yellowstone has thousands (yes, thousands) of earthquakes every year.  The vast majority of these earthquakes are completely undetectable to anyone without sensitive seismic equipment.  The fissures that underlie a geyser have a tendency to clog with deposits; the earthquakes help to break up the clogs and/or form new fissures. The average interval between eruptions has gradually been increasing for Old Faithful. In the 1950's, the average interval was about 50 minutes; today, it is closer to 90 minutes. It is far from a consistent interval; however, the park service can predict the next eruption within 10 minutes with a 90% confidence level. We definitely saw that to be the case.

Like every park we have visited on this trip, we went looking for a challenging hike today. Unfortunately, most of the trails into the woods are closed due to bears. I believe they are very active at the moment. Instead, we stayed on the shorter hiking loops near various scenic points. Of course, everyone that comes to Yellowstone wants to see wildlife, and we were not disappointed. We saw more buffalo, elk, deer, chipmunks, marmots and bears.

Remember the four major park rules from yesterday? That's great, because a large number of the visitors don't. The traffic rules are just reminding everyone to be courteous. The other two rules are for everyone's own safety - and someone is going to get seriously hurt.

In this picture, you can see how the deposits form a thin crusty coating on the surface. That layer, which is solid - not foam, may extend yards in any direction but be thin as ice, even with vegetation on top. Warnings abound; even so, people venture off the walkways.

Before this trip, I never realized that Yellowstone had a large lake within its borders. It doesn't surprise me, but its not the first thing you think about when you hear some mention Yellowstone. The lake freezes over solid in the winter - not surprising given the average winter nightly low is about 1 °F (−17 °C). However, there are sections that do not freeze due to geothermal features on the lake bed.

Even with this guy, I used zoom and didn't get too close.  He looks friendly.  A bit TOO friendly for my tastes. I have a fear of my obituary being posted under the "Humorous" or "Offbeat" section of the news.  Man Killed by Rabid Chipmunk - Will We Ever Learn? 

In addition to Yellowstone Lake, there is Yellowstone River, which has carved the Yellowstone Grand Canyon.  Actually, I believe it is called the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. The views were stunning, but we were disappointed that the paths and walkways down into the canyon were closed - presumably not yet open for the season. Given the steep grade and the amount of ice/snow still in the park, it is not unexpected; however, it was a shame that we didn't get down there.

We were in the car and there was no one behind us.

Even here in May, there is evidence of the tough, long winters in this part of the country. We had a particularly mild winter in North Florida; I'm not sure that we even had a single freeze.

The highlight of the day was back at the inn.  The Old Faithful Inn is huge - especially the lobby. Back in 1959, a 7.8 scale earthquake hit the area and knocked part of the inn off of its foundations. The inn was repaired, but the upper areas in the lobby (see pic below) were closed off to the public. There are catwalks, a "birdcage" and an access to the roof way at the top that have been closed off to the public for over 50 years. However, starting this season (yesterday to be precise), the staff is taking 6-8 people per day on a tour of the off-limits area in the afternoon. Angela found out about it and got us on the list.

It was a breath-taking tour. However, I must admit, it was a little nerve-wracking.  The hotel is over 100 years old; it was designed by a 29-year-old architect who was trying something new; it was built over a winter; the boards are a little shaky; some places are about 7 stories high with minimal railings; the area was closed for a reason 50 years ago and I'm thinking that they just forgot the reason and decided to open it up again on a whim.

"Why did we close off that area?"
"I'm not sure. Tim used to know, but he retired. I think its some sort of safety thing."
"Why don't we open it up?"
"Ok... but to be safe... let's just start by taking like 6 or 8 people per day."

We also went on the roof of the hotel and helped with lowering of the flags. That's the Wyoming state flag that we're trying to get down. The Old Faithful geyser is directly behind us.

Dinner was at the Old Faithful Inn Dining Room and it was the best meal of the whole trip. Food was very good, service was exceptional and it was easy to imagine dining at the inn in the 20's or 30's.  I did see a menu from that era and the fare has changed somewhat. Boiled ham is no longer on the menu. Tastes have changed.

Tomorrow, we will leave Yellowstone and head back south. Our route has yet to be determined, so it might prove interesting. Along those lines, we picked up a dishcloth at a gift shop here that reads "Poor Decisions Often Lead to the Most Interesting Stories".