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Yellowstone National Park a Great Place for a Winter Get away
Warm waters, algae, mineral deposits, and trees.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Sled dogs waiting for their chance to run and be timed.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Indian artifacts on display at the IMAX theater in West Yellowstone.
© Oak Park Journal photo
December 2004
 An American Bald Eagle looks over America's First National Park © Oak Park Journal photo |
by Ed Vincent
Yellowstone National Park in the winter is one of the most exciting places on the face of the earth. The park which was
our nation's first is also held by many to be one, if not the best of all the parks. It is recorded that of all the geysers on this planet we call Earth, 75 per cent are found in Yellowstone Park.
It is also said that of all the thermal features on our planet,
things like hot springs (often around 190 degrees fahrenheit),
mud pots (where the mud is actually dissolved surrounding
rock material that is exposed to thermal heat and sulfuric
acid H/2 SO/4), fumaroles (an opening in a volcanic region
where hot gases escape) and last but not least - those
famous geysers, more than half are in Yellowstone.
I find it entertaining to always remember that a visit to Yellowstone National Park is always a trip to an active
volcano, where there are numerous earthquakes every
year and many new hot springs and geysers appearing
after several of those events. This area of our planet, where
the Earth's crust is at its thinnest and the molten mantel is
only a few miles beneath where you are walking, has been
an active producer of violent eruptions for millions of
years. Since the earth's plates are always moving, the region
of activity has also been on the move. The area where Yellowstone is now has the thin separation from the mantel beneath it, but millions of years ago the thermal features that
we now have beneath at Yellowstone, were miles and miles
away causing thermal activity elsewhere.
today, Old Faithful is the best know, but Steamboat is the
one which explodes its force higher than any other in the
park, but not once an hour. There are also geysers with names
like Grand, Castle, Giantess, Beehive, and Lion. They
all erupt at different intervals and with varying degrees of
altitude. The Old Faithful Visitor Center, as well as other
museums in the park will have the posted times of when the
geysers may perform their shows.
Early Morning sun brings light to the majesty of Yellowstone and illuminates the myriad of thermal interactions with the wintery season.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Yellowstone's thermal environments, the hot springs
specifically are home to bacteria and fungi in addition
to special algae that are incredibly rare. Life is a powerful
force and seeing this ecosystem and being aware of the other
strange places that life is found helps put a perspective on
explorations for life in our solar system. The winter time
in Yellowstone is a great time to be in a select group of visitors
who travel here for the wonders of nature and some of the
best snow sledding around.
Here a group of winter explorers ventures along a wooden walk to view
the steamy drama of the world's most unique thermal regions.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Mud pots made with heat and sulfuric acid.
© Oak Park Journal photo
The thermal features of Yellowstone are to be enjoyed from
a safe distance. People have died in the past trying to save
their dogs that jumped into a scolding spring. Many of these
water features are near boiling, have sulfuric acid in their
liquid composition, or are extreme base in their Ph, very few
are neutral in their Ph (neutral is water). One form of
organism is known to cause childhood meningitis, if it enters
the sight of a wound or opening in the skin. It is therefore
best to keep your distance.
Elk, deer and American bison spend a good part of the day during the winter in the geyser basins of Yellowstone. They
come here because the snow is kept in check, not too deep
and therefore food is easier to find. The grazing animals are
also safer in less snow, the more snow the more they sink
into it. The predators weighing a little over a hundred
pounds and with big feet can do better moving in deep
snow that animals that can weigh a ton or more and have
hoofed feet.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Old Faithful, right on time and as glorious as ever.
© Oak Park Journal photo
© Oak Park Journal photo
A smaller hot spring with forms of algae surrounding
and growing nearby.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Hot Springs melting snow and ice.
© Oak Park Journal photo
© Oak Park Journal photo
Mammoth Hot Springs, near the Park Headquarters.
© Oak Park Journal photo
Thermal activity keeps this river flowing in the range of 50 degrees fahrenheit even during the colder times of the year.
© Oak Park Journal photo
West Yellowstone was our entrance during our winter voyage
and I would suggest it to one and all for their snow sledding
(snowmobiles) and knowledgeable staff that host their escorted
tours.
The park has done well since the fires of 1988, things take
time but all is doing well.
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Old Faithful in Real Time
