YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK III
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS
Mammoth springs are an exceptional geothermal site and unlike anything seen in Norris Geyser Basin where there is spewing acidic water and transparent blue pools.
The terraces (called travertin formations) were formed over thousands of years when rain water and snow seeped into the rocks that reached a certain depth where water meets boiling magma beneath the surface.
The maximum water temperature in this area is 163 degrees Fahrenheit (72 Celsius).
Hot tub fact:
Although settings vary from person to person, recommendations for hot tub temperatures are around 100-102F (37.5-39 C). Temperatures above 104 F are dangerous for adults as they can lead to heatstroke.
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| Minerva Spring and Terrace |
There are periods of inactivity throughout history, but when active, ther terraces of porous travertine form rapidly. Precipitates around the edge of a small pool, when active, can accumulate at a rate of up to 8.5 inches a year.
As the water cascades from terrace to terrace the water cools, allowing algae to grow. Blue-green algae and cyanobacteria, in colors of green, yellow, orange and red.
And here they are: hanging out in the thermal basins of Mammoth Hot Springs.
A killdeer feeding on insects. There are nonbiting insects that eat microscopic algae in these basins.
A yellow rumped warbler
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Mountain Blue Bird  WHITE-TAILED JACKRABBIT |
The white-tailed jackrabbit is technically a hare and not a rabbit, although from the same family. Their coat turns white during winter. Most of the park is too forested or accumulates too much snow for these rabbits to survive. They have found their niche in lower elevations of the northern range where they feed on sagebrush and other shrubs during winter.
It takes a little over an hour to hike the Mammoth Hot Springs - all on boardwalks. They cover about 1.75 miles with a 300 foot elevation change.
There is a paved circuit so you can explore different terraces without the climb.
Yellowstone Park was founded in 1872.
The first hotel in the park was Mammoth which opened in 1883. As of 2021 Hot Springs Park had 2,162,884 visits.
There are many reasons boardwalks have been constructed and continue to be built.
Mainly, the safety of the visitors but al to preserve natural resources.
Yellowstone Park has more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, of which more than 500 are geysers.
Since the land is constantly moving, boardwalks often have to be relocated. Geologists use thermal cameras to detect head and find safe routes both for visitors but the environment.
People are intrigued by the warm, steaming and colourful pools and want to get an even closer look.
Incident summer 2021:
A woman was sentenced for walking on thermal ground near Norris Geyser Basin. She and one other made their way up to a thermal pool & geyser off the boardwalk even where there are well marked warnings signs to remain on the boardwalk. The ground is very fragile and the potential to fall through into hot, steaming water is extremely high.
Her sentence was seven days in jail, $1,000 fine, $40 in fees, and $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Geological Resource Fund.
The pools look so inviting!
As early as the late 1800's accidents occurred and warning signs were posted near hot springs and thermal regions.
Why boardwalks were constructed:
1905 narrow board planks had been laid over the ground at Norris Geyser Basin. Full boardwalks began to be built until the late 1960's (prior to this, dirt pathways were constructed and discovered to be devastating to the ecology of the thermal areas). Today, they are above ground so that they can be manipulated based on the ever changing landscape.
People would get too close the a pool and slip in or step backwards not realizing there was a 2-3 foot deep heated pool behind them.
Incident:
Many times, employees of the park decide to go "hot potting" (swimming) in hot springs. In 1967 a group go on a late-night excursion in July, north of Old Faithful for a birthday celebration of twenty year old Brian Parsons.
No flashlights, not fire permits.
After driving 48 miles and hiking up the Perce Creek, Brian and one other friend wandered away from the group to go swimming in one of the hot springs around midnight.
Somehow, he fell or dove into a spring of about 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 celsius). He was covered with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 90 percent of his body. He lived twelve days afterward.
One of the scariest things about falling into one of these hot springs is that you can remain conscious for hours and days before eventual death. Old Faithful has been measured at approximately 204 F (95.6 C).
Injuries from hot springs have been reported of 7-18 per year since about 1960.
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Another type of hot spring injury, other than people 'testing' the waters and falling in, or disobeying signage and walking too close and falling in, are incidents with pets. People will refuse to leash their dog and they head for the beautiful pool (most often these incidents occur during summer months), or the dog will bolt out of the vehicle when the door opens.
One of the most mind-boggling incidents occurred in 1981.
Incident: (may want to skip if you're squeamish):
David Kirwan, 24, from California and his friend Ron stopped in the afternoon at Fountain Paint Pot. Ron's dog (a large mastiff or Great Dane) escaped the vehicle and jumped into a nearby pool (later measured at 202 degrees Fahrenheit).
David Kirwan rushed to the spring, preparing to jump when a bystander yelled, "Don't go in there!" He yelled back, "Like hell I won't!" He dove head first into the pool.
He swam to the dog and attempted to take it to shore, he went underwater a second time, released the dog and began trying to climb out himself.
His friend Ron pulled him out (he suffered second-degree burns to his feet). He was pulled out but another bystander (Earl Welch) saw him begin to stagger backwards and grabbed David's hand and instructed him to come to the sidewalk.
David Kirwan was still conscious and even stated, "that was stupid. How bad am I?" Welch realized this man was like a walking corpse - burned over his entire body, his skin was peeling off and his eyes were completely white - he was blind.
David experienced third-degree burns over 100% of his body, including his head. He was taken to a clinic at Old Faithful but had no change of survival. All they could do was give him IV fluids. He talked with his caretakers, was in no pain and was asking nurses to save is belt.
He died the following morning.
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The park deals with many lawsuits and complaints and a lot of times, the accidents are because of people doing stupid things and ignoring warnings. Hiking alone into the wilderness is one of them and people questioning rangers as to why they need to leash their dogs. Some have asked rangers if these animals are indeed wild as they are seen wandering around Mammoth Hot Springs. "If they're wild, they wouldn't be loose - they'd been in cages or behind fences!"
INCLEMENT WEATHER
(May 8)
Woke up to this view May 8th. But, have to remember, a lot of the park doesn't open until mid-June - we
are up at 6,735 feet elevation.
"Iced coffee anyone?"
A ''safe" 8-10 foot distance (watching adolescents play while I sip my cappuccino) š
How special is that?
Undine Waterfalls (pronounced "UHN-deen:)
This view is a short few steps off the highway. There is a hike which is about 1.8 mile loop.
En route to Lamar Valley, we stop by the bridge where we previously spotted the brown bear. Instead, we see a few healthy, yellow-bellied marmots.
This pair are in full courtship mode.
By late afternoon, we meet up with stormy weather .... hail and strong winds (as this photographer packed up quickly from photographing the sandhill cranes).
Two mornings with snow on the ground - we head south of Mammoth towards Grizzly Lake (Norris region).
Tazz is loving the fresh snow
Norris is at higher elevation so we meet up with some cool weather. The weather changes rapidly and by mid day the snow disappears (up until this day, the road had been closed due to weather and multiple accidents)
EN ROUTE to NORRIS
A brief walk along the snow covered boardwalk
STEAMBOAT GEYSER
When this unsuspecting geyser erupts it can rocket a column of scalding water 300 feet into the air (2-3 times the average height of Old Faithful). Chances of witnessing this however is unlikely, since eruptions can occur anywhere from 4 days to 50 years apart!
WAITING, WAITING .... WAITING
Waiting for about an hour on the side of the road (by this time about 25 others were doing the same) for this black bear to wake up from an afternoon snooze in the snow.
The bear was heading down a small hill to cross the road to the side we were all on. Myself and another person were behind our truck and the bear was about 30 feet away - heading away from us.
The ranger was going ballistic! Yelling for everyone to get back, get behind vehicles .... some people actually were down the road quite a ways from where I was and right across from the bear so they could potentially be in danger if this bear wanted to charge.
Some more miles down the road, down in a field, foraging for food was this grizzly.
So EXCITED to see one that is not just a small, dark dot in the scope or viewfinder. The only ones I've seen were through other people's scopes (bears about 2-3 miles away).
Staying close to the truck (there are a few people gathered quickly of course!) - I set up and I am a good 100 feet away.
There are reports, of course, over many years of people and grizzly attacks. Most that I have read about is because people are doing what humans do ... getting too close, hiking alone & not keeping food safely away from their campsite, feeding bears. One story I read about was a lone hiker/photographer. Parts of him were found days later after being reported missing. He had gone out to photograph and his 'elk call' was found in the shrubs next to his body. Heard of someone recently that went to photograph grizzlies that were reported around a dump site (of carcasses).
The day after we were able to view and photograph this grizzly, someone reported to us that after we left, a lone bison came along and spooked the grizzly. The grizzly ran up towards the people standing along the roadside - again, the ranger was right there are apparently it turned out okay but a lot of chaos ensued.
Bison appear as lumbering, gentle and slow moving beasts. But, they too have had their encounters with people. And no wonder. Have seen photos of people going with a couple of feet trying to photograph them.
Two days ago a 25 year old woman was thrown 10 feet into the air and killed by a bison - again, getting too close.
YELLOWSTONE PARK is an incredible place and so amazing to be able to experience 'wild' life in their environment. It is sad that the park has to fight so hard to keep this place 'wild' and not get trapped into fencing, caging and enclosing the animals where people are encroaching on their lifestyles and 'home.,' and turning it into a Jurassic Park Environment.
Just hope they continue to battle to keep it wild and as natural as they can. Some people have sued the park because they felt there were not 'enough' warning signs, or railings or boardwalks or.... on and on.
ON THIS NOTE, I KNOW the Yellowstone Posts have been long but it has been incredible and just want to share what I was fortunate enough to see through the lens.
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