ANOTHER, BETTER Five-Geyser Day

Yellowstone started opening for the summer season on a staggered schedule  April 20.  We can only get to Mammoth, Norris, Canyon, and Old Faithful this first week in May, but before the crowds start, let’s enjoy the Old Faithful area. Although there are a lot less people, spring weather has been elusive. Today’s forecast predicts partly sunny skies, very light wind, and temps to about 50°, so it looks like a spring day. Let’s go see some geysers!

Even long-time visitors to the Old Faithful area head to the Visitor’s Center. At the Ranger’s Information Desk we’ll check the anticipated eruption times for the more predictable geysers and plan our walk around that schedule. Old Faithful is the most predictable geyser. Currently they say eruptions every 98 minutes +/- 10 minutes, but that can change. Surprise, you can watch Old Faithful anytime online. Let’s head to Geyser Hill for a different view of Old Faithful. We have about 20 minutes so let’s go!

Onward . . .

Ride~About: Winter Gray on Gray

How exciting to be traveling into Yellowstone via snowcoach on this winter day, although a very gray winter day. Our trip has been planned for about a month so come what may, we are going. It is totally overcast, snowing occasionally, but not too cold–in the mid 20’s. Since we are all photographers, we hope the weather will improve, but ya pay for ya ride and take ya chances!

We left West Yellowstone traveling through the West Entrance. We will be driving to Madison Junction then to Old Faithful, with stops all along the way at the various thermal basins. As we drive along the Madison River, we are hoping to see a bobcat or the pair that have been hunting in the river over the last few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed. We’ll also hope for some sun as the day progresses, then again, there is never a bad day in Yellowstone!

snowcoach gray view

Here we go!

Five-Geyser Day

What an absolutely gorgeous day in the Old Faithful area. The sky is so blue it looks like God Photoshopped it! There is no wind making 50° feel much warmer. Most everything except the Visitor’s Center is closed for the season which translates into very few people and bring your own lunch. I want to check if the rangers are still noting eruption times for the most predictable geysers at the Information Desk in the VC. I’ve yet to see Castle Geyser erupt and I’m hoping today is the day. WOW, we are in luck. Old Faithful is due to erupt in two minutes give or take ten minutes. Castle Geyser is expected to erupt in 45 minutes . A beautiful day and very few people make for a quiet, relaxing stroll around Upper Geyser Basin. Thar she blows!

old-faithful-9166

Continue our geyser walk . . .

Firehole Sunrise

The three-mile loop road known as Firehole Lake Drive is amazing in the autumn. At sunrise we see the warmth of the sun battling the cold air, low clouds, massive amounts of thermal steam, and fog. It can take hours for the sun to finally break through. During that process, we meander through an eerie, cloaked landscape that envelops us. Welcome to a Firehole sunrise.

pre-sunrise

Making our way to the lake . . .