Thursday, June 5, 2014

Yellowstone NP

Wildlife abounds here and we were delighted to see 2 1/2* grizzlies and a wolf.  Buffalo are plentiful but we only saw one elk and no moose at all.  But, there was a young moose hanging out in our campground near Swan Valley, southwest of Jackson, WY.



Mammoth Hot Springs viewed from upper terrace drive.

Volcanism is what makes this park unique: geysers, boiling mudpots, fumaroles, hot springs, colorful mineral terraces, they’re all here.  Much of the park is within the 30 x 45 mile wide caldera that marks the last major eruption 640,000 years ago.  That eruption spewed up 240 cubic miles of debris.  Compare that to the Mt St Helens eruption in 1980, which resulted in a 1 x 2 mile wide caldera and 0.3 cubic mile of debris.

Yellowstone erupts every 600-700,000 years, so the next blow could occur any time.  That thought inspired me to write:

Yellowstone
Tourist plans will be disrupt
When Yellowstone starts to erupt.
In fact, I venture to say
The tourists will be blown away.


Above is the rear view of the Old Faithful Inn, built in the winter 1903-4.
It's all logs with lots of character, love it!


The 65' high lobby.
Note how tree limbs were used on the balconies.
Gnarly!


The front of the Old Faithful Inn.




The new Education and Visitor center is beside the Old Faithful Inn.

*Trish says she saw a 3rd griz but I don't recall seeing it and don't recall Trish commenting on it.  So, I'm counting that as a half griz.

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