Out Of Order... But I'm Trying To Finish Montana

Anyone who follows this thing will realize I don't always enter events in temporal succession; don't bother griping about that because I won't listen. Everybody I care about knows that the space-time plane means little or nothing to me these days anyway. Unpaid (and worth every penny!) journalists are not highly motivated for either deadlines or proper authentication of sources (although, having typed that and being too lazy to delete it, my Loyal Readers should note: I always double-check myself before posting anything of historical, geographic or geological importance).

WHATEVER. In September, my Mom flew from Denver to Billings for a trip to Yellowstone, and we went over the Beartooth Highway into the park for about four days. We took it easy, stayed in B&Bs just outside the park boundaries every night, and had a GREAT time. Here are some photos of that trip, in no particular order, and not very ambitiously edited for relevance...

By the way, these were all taken with our Hi-Def camera, and most are worth a click to get a closer view. As always, just hit your 'back' button to return to the post.

Mom at Plateau Lake, About 12,500 Feet Beartooth Plateau:


Giant Bull Elk NOT In Danger Of Being Gratuitously Shot:


Mirror Springs Volcanic Pool:


Geyser Basin Long View: Very Dante-esque:


Us At Lower Falls, Yellowstone River:


For those of my readers unaware, and who never watch Discovery (and I know you're out there, you Philistines!), you should know that Yellowstone and the surrounding area comprise what may be the largest active volcano on Earth; the magma chamber below the park is known to contain at least SIXTY CUBIC MILES of molten rock, all of it under inconceivably titanic pressures and strains. The last release, or 'super-eruption', by this monster covered areas in North America as far away as where St. Louis is now with 10-20 feet of abrasive, smothering crystallized rock... and altered the Earth's climate for thousands of years afterward. AND... the caldera's next burp is now forty thousand years overdue, based on historical behavior. DEEPLY, VISCERALLY COOL!

The whole park is covered with seismometers and GPS sensors monitoring ground movement; this place shakes, rattles and rolls like an exotic dancer with the hiccups all the time. That's why it's covered with geothermal features; the hot spot below is constantly trying to release pressure from high to low. ENTROPY RULES!

Volcanic Debris Field:


Bulging Crust By Firehole River:


Magma Curtain On Firehole River, See Note Below:


NOTE BELOW: If you read this thing at all, you will recall the pics from Devil's Tower in Wyoming. See the Black Hills post if you don't remember. Anyway, note the six-sided shape of these formations; they are exactly like (but smaller in scale) the ones that form the Tower... and there are sites like it all over the world.

Heck with it, I'll make it easy for you. Here's a link to a site that shows what I mean:
http://giantcrystals.strahlen.org/europe/basalt.htm

Hot Spring Dumping Into The Firehole River:


A Better, Unobstructed View Of Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone:


Firehole River Valley:


Side Note: The Firehole River is so named because the valley through which it flows is COVERED with hot springs, geysers, mud pots, and large stretches where the ground is so hot that nothing can grow there. These hotspots migrate, by the way. All the time. We saw fully-grown, live (momentarily) trees ON FIRE because the dirt they grow in got so hot it exceeded the ignition point of their wood. CRAZY!

Mud Volcano:


Finally, Obligatory Old Faithful Photo:


I'm done. We're outta here this Wednesday, November 13th. Going home for Thanksgiving. Allison deserves some time off. And it's getting COLD here. Gotta get out before we have a zero night.