Yellowstone National Park Snowmobile Tour

Ann & I went on a snowmobile tour with Scenic Safaris to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.

Crossing into the Park

Our sleds

Blue sky coming

First stop Yellowstone Lake overlook 

Eruption is at 11:19

11:18

The Dancing Baby!

Location & Discovery: Located in the Upper Geyser Basin of Wyoming, it was named by the Washburn Expedition in 1870 due to its frequent, reliable eruptions.

Eruption Details: Eruptions typically occur every 50 to 127 minutes, with an average of 90-94 minutes between them

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Water Output: Each eruption sends 3,700–8,400 gallons of boiling water (203∘F/ 95.6∘C at the vent) into the air.

Height: The water column reaches heights of 106–184 feet (32–55 m).

Why It's "Faithful": Unlike other geysers that share water sources, Old Faithful is believed to have an independent plumbing system, making it more consistent.

Past Uses: Early visitors and soldiers in the late 19th century sometimes used the geyser to wash clothes, as the hot, mineral-rich water acted like a washing machine, though this is now strictly prohibited.

Observation: A large, popular viewing area with benches surrounds the geyser, and it is a centerpiece of the historic Old Faithful Inn, constructed in 1904.

Evolution: While highly predictable, earthquakes and geothermal changes have slightly altered its eruption intervals over the past century.

Average Duration: 1.5 to 5 minutes

Steam Temp at Vent: Up to 350∘F350∘F (176∘C176∘C)

Ring side seats!

"Th-th-th-th that's all, folks!"

Why did the Bison cross the road?

To stop traffic;

To get greener pastures;

Because Bison always have the right of way!

Waiting for the all clear. 

More Bison

Our guide Anthony - he was awesome!

Bison Bulls

Next stop: Fountain Paint Pots (Lower Geyser Basin).

These are hot, acidic springs where microorganisms break down rock into clay, forming boiling, bubbling, and colorful mud pools, often surrounded by fumaroles and geysers.

Yellowstone National Park's iconic yellow, orange, and green colors are primarily created by thermophilic (heat-loving) cyanobacteria and other microorganisms that thrive in. These microbial mats, which can exist in water up to 167°F (73°C), produce pigments to protect themselves from intense sunlight.

Celestine Pool is one of the most beautiful hot springs on this trail. No documentation exists of how this spring was named - but its blue color does seem to match the deep blue of the sky.

Silex Spring

Silex Spring is named for its silica-lined bottom (Silex is Latin for silica). The spring’s hot waters dissolve silica from the underlying volcanic rocks.

Silex Spring overflow creates an environment where thermophiles thrive.

Thermophilic bacteria are heat-loving microorganisms that thrive in high temperatures, typically between 45°C and 80°C (113°F and 176°F), found in environments like hot springs and deep-sea vents. They possess unique adaptations, such as heat-stable enzymes and specialized proteins, that allow them to survive and function in extreme heat, making them valuable in biotechnology for applications like PCR and industrial processes. Examples include Thermus aquaticus and Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Fountain Paint Pot

Fountain Paint Pot—one of the park’s many mudpots—changes thickness with water availability.

The mud is composed of clay minerals known as kaolinite and fine particles of silica.

Red Sprouter

Fumaroles: The hiss and roar comes from gases—steam, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide—rushing through the vent. This system contains very little water, which flashes into steam and expands 1,500 times when it contacts the hot rock below.

Jet Geyser

Jet Geyser plays in the hours leading up to an eruption from Fountain Geyser. During its active period, Jet Geyser erupts every few minutes up to 20 feet (6 meters).

Steam vent next to Jet Geyser

Clepsydra Geyser—Greek for water clock—constantly splashes from several vents; sometimes stopping during Fountain Geyser’s eruption. Its steam can be seen widely. Before the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake, it erupted every 3 minutes.

Fountain Geyser—normally a placid blue pool—gives little warning of its pending eruption, but when it does blow, it is one of the most beautiful geysers in the park. It erupts 10-50 feet (3-15 m) for 20 minutes or more.

Lunch time!

Chicken Salad wraps with kettle chips and chocolate chip cookie 

Firehole Falls

Firehole Falls is a 40-foot (12 m) waterfall located in the Firehole Canyon of Yellowstone National Park. It is a popular roadside stop found along the 2-mile, one-way Firehole Canyon Drive, which follows the Firehole River through ancient 800-foot-thick rhyolite lava flows.

Raven

Last stop

Lewis River

Lewis Falls

Lewis Falls is a 30-foot (9.1-meter) cascade waterfall located in the southern section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Named after explorer Meriwether Lewis, it is one of the most accessible waterfalls in the park, situated right along the South Entrance Road (Highway 191) between the South Entrance and Grant Village.

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