Image 4461
f 8.4 @ 1/1250, 58 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:00:40.
After a fairly long trip (150 miles, 240 km), we reached Black Sands Basin, in Yellowstone. Old Faithful had just gone off, so we didn't bother with it. Black sands, however, proved to be unexpectedly interesting. While we were prepared for the magnificence of the Grand Prismatic Spring or the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the wonders seen here took us by surprise. The clouds of steam, laced with a bit of sulphrous gas were quite new. Here, we're just entering onto the sands. Despite their name, most of them are white.
Steam and stream
f 6 @ 1/400, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:28:20.
Entering this area, one is struck by how different they are to just about everything else we've experienced. More wonders lie ahead.
Hot pool
f 6 @ 1/400, 23 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:29:26.
There are other hot springs to be found, but these were exceptional.
Image 4463
f 8.4 @ 1/2000, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:01:48.
Spouter Geyser. It goes off every 2 to 3 minutes, and shoots up as far as 10 feet (3 meters).
Image 4467
f 8.4 @ 1/2000, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:03:48.
Another eruption from Spouter.
Image 4465
f 7.6 @ 1/1600, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:02:37.
The edges of a host spring pool are encrusted with mineral deposits and mats of colorful, heat resistant bacteria.
Image 4466
f 7.6 @ 1/1250, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:02:49.
The runoff from the hot springs into a stream leave colorful streaks along the banks.
Image 4469
f 7.6 @ 1/500, 32 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:07:01.
These colorful formations are to be found nowhere but in Yellowstone.
Image 4470
f 7.6 @ 1/500, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:09:26.
More extraordinary coloration.
Image 4471
f 7.6 @ 1/500, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:15:06.
A small prismatic pool. The rainbow like colors are due to mats of heat resistant bacteria.
Image 4472
f 7.6 @ 1/1000, 84 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:15:35.
A closer look at the shore of that pool.
Rainbow pool2
f 6 @ 1/200, 36 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:42:03.
Kathie catches a slightly different view of that shoreline.
Image 4473
f 8 @ 1/500, 28 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:18:18.
Modern art as done by Nature. Vastly better than its human counterpart.
Image 4474
f 7.4 @ 1/1250, 102 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:18:22.
Kathie either tells me to get a move on or slow down. Can't remember which.
Tourist
f 6 @ 1/160, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:42:30.
She also got a shot of me.
Mini geyser
f 6 @ 1/400, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:34:36.
An almost continuous, but rather small geyser.
Image 4475
f 8 @ 1/640, 35 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:18:38.
The shore of a small pool.
Image 4476
f 7 @ 1/640, 98 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:21:11.
Be careful when you visit here!
Image 4477
f 7 @ 1/500, 65 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:21:16.
Black Sand Basin explanation.
Image 4478
f 8 @ 1/1250, 85 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:44:53.
Hot steam and cold water.
Image 4480
f 7.6 @ 1/1000, 97 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:45:28.
Where the hot water meets the stream.
Steam
f 6 @ 1/800, 29 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:37:15.
Image 4482
f 7.6 @ 1/500, 47 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:47:19.
These wonders bring plenty of viewers.
Image 4483
f 8.6 @ 1/800, 28 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:50:30.
Turquoise pool.
Image 4484
f 7.6 @ 1/1250, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:51:02.
Turquoise pool shoreline.
Opal pool
f 6 @ 1/320, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:19:01.
Opal Pool.
Image 4485
f 8.6 @ 1/1000, 32 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:52:37.
Another view of Opal pool
Image 4486
f 8 @ 1/1000, 55 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:53:48.
Mineral deposits in very shallow, hot water. I'm clueless as to what causes the ridges.
Image 4487
f 8.4 @ 1/640, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:53:57.
Another view of those ridges.
Grand prismatic description
f 6 @ 1/200, 30 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:23:34.
Grand prismatic shore
f 6 @ 1/200, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:21:59.
Kathie and I found the Grand Prismatic Spring to be awsome. We took plenty of photos to try and capture it. I had a hard time sorting them out, so I just left most of them in. You'll have to decide for yourself which ones are good.
Grand prismatic shore2
f 6 @ 1/320, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:23:59.
Grand prismatic shore3
f 6 @ 1/320, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:24:04.
Grand prismatic shore4
f 6 @ 1/500, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:24:45.
Grand prismatic shore5
f 6 @ 1/400, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:27:15.
Grand prismatic shore6
f 6 @ 1/320, 10 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:28:26.
Grand prismatic shore7
f 6 @ 1/320, 20 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:30:29.
Multi colored rocks
f 6 @ 1/160, 20 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:33:10.
Multi colored rocks2
f 6 @ 1/320, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:35:22.
Multi colored rocks3
f 6 @ 1/250, 23 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:44:20.
Multi colored rocks4
f 6 @ 1/250, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:44:57.
Multi colored rocks5
f 6 @ 1/200, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:21:45.
Image 4488
f 7.4 @ 1/800, 85 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:55:44.
The shore of the Grand Prismatic Pool.
Image 4489
f 8.6 @ 1/800, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 10:57:54.
The shore of the Grand Prismatic Pool. 2
Image 4499
f 8 @ 1/640, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 11:01:11.
The shore of the Grand Prismatic Pool. 3
Image 4500
f 8 @ 1/1000, 80 mm, taken 2017:08:26 11:04:12.
The shore of the Grand Prismatic Pool. 4
Image 4502
f 9 @ 1/1000, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 11:08:28.
Sulfurous cloud and hot water.
Image 4504
f 7 @ 1/400, 45 mm, taken 2017:08:26 11:14:13.
Grand Prismatic Spring explanation.
Blue pool
f 6 @ 1/500, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:33:44.
This pool lies just below the Grand Prismatic Spring.
Below gibbon falls
f 7.6 @ 1/80, 29 mm, taken 2017:08:26 14:27:44.
From Grand Prismatic Spring, we went to Gibbon falls. Here's the Gibbon river below the falls.
Image 4509
f 7 @ 1/500, 58 mm, taken 2017:08:26 11:59:47.
Gibbon Falls.
Image 4516
f 8 @ 1/1600, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:30:54.
From Gibbon Falls to Artist's Paintpots. Here's the Blood geyser at the base of the paintpot thermal area.
Image 4518
f 7.6 @ 1/800, 70 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:31:21.
Blood geyser explanation.
Image 4520
f 8 @ 1/500, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:34:06.
The trail takes you to a point directly above Blood geyser.
Image 4521
f 7.6 @ 1/1250, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:34:13.
The geyser itself is in almost continuous eruption.
Image 4525
f 7 @ 1/1000, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:37:53.
The mountains of northern Yellowstone are visible in the hazy distance.
Image 4530
f 8.4 @ 1/800, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:40:32.
Blue and red paintpots.
Image 4531
f 8.4 @ 1/2000, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:40:52.
A seething pool of hot mud. Volcanic gasses blow large mud bubbles...
Image 4532
f 8 @ 1/2000, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:40:54.
which quickly collapse.
Image 4536
f 9 @ 1/1250, 32 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:41:51.
Another view of the mud pool.
Image 4533
f 8.6 @ 1/2500, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:41:05.
Another smaller pool of bubbling mud.
Image 4539
f 8 @ 1/640, 24 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:48:18.
Kathie photographs a field of paintpots.
Paintpots2
f 6 @ 1/640, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 15:06:19.
Here are some of her images of this otherworldly place.
Paintpots3
f 6 @ 1/500, 20 mm, taken 2017:08:26 15:08:36.
Paintpots4
f 6 @ 1/400, 18 mm, taken 2017:09:01 14:28:51.
Paintpots description
f 7.6 @ 1/30, 34 mm, taken 2017:08:26 14:47:49.
Paintpots description2
f 6 @ 1/1250, 29 mm, taken 2017:08:26 15:04:04.
Paintpots overview
f 6 @ 1/320, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 15:04:25.
A view from the top of the path around the paintpot field.
Image 4540
f 9 @ 1/2000, 67 mm, taken 2017:08:26 12:48:56.
Another paintpot. If you look carefully, you can see it bubbling on its right side.
Image 4543
f 7.6 @ 1/400, 28 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:42:58.
The last on our "must see" list was the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It did not disappoint. Here's the Yellowstone river as it flows to the falls.
Grand canyon of yellowstone2
f 7.6 @ 1/50, 18 mm, taken 2017:08:26 16:12:23.
Another view of the upper Yellowstone river.
Image 4548
f 7.6 @ 1/1250, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:45:26.
The falls themselves.
Yellowstone falls
f 7.6 @ 1/100, 55 mm, taken 2017:08:26 16:12:05.
Kathie's view was almost identical to mine.
Image 4552
f 6.4 @ 1/500, 105 mm, taken 2017:08:26 13:46:29.
The falls from a view a bit northwest of the one above.
Image 4558
f 6.6 @ 1/1000, 309 mm, taken 2017:08:26 14:15:43.
We then decided to go home. However, as we drove along the Yellowston river, we found a herd of bison. Both Kathie and I took a few pictures.
Bison
f 7.6 @ 1/60, 300 mm, taken 2017:09:01 14:31:01.
Bison2
f 7.6 @ 1/80, 300 mm, taken 2017:09:01 14:31:53.
Bison
f 7.6 @ 1/60, 300 mm, taken 2017:09:01 14:31:01.
Bison2
f 7.6 @ 1/80, 300 mm, taken 2017:09:01 14:31:53.
Image 4560
f 6.6 @ 1/640, 600 mm, taken 2017:08:26 14:16:04.
