Lonestar Geyser (Winter):

Another quick post. This was my hike today, out and back to Lonestar Geyser along with a stop at the Kepler Cascades. This geyser is known as Lonestar because it is located roughly 3 miles from any other major geyser, the closest being old faithful. It is one of the few geysers to be so isolated, most exist among a much larger network of springs, pools, and geyser (known collectivly as a basin). This was a great hike, waited about two hours to witness the eruption, it is always very fascinating to watch geysers build to eruption. Also, met a very nice pair of guests who seemed equally ensconsed in watching the geyser build to eruption. One thought worth keeping in mind when looking at these pictures, the geyser cone for Lonestar is about six feet high. Cones generally grow at about 1-2 inches in a hundred years.

Kepler Cascades are simply a small set of falls along the Kepler river, far more interesting in the winter than in summer. As usual, enjoy. The first pic is up river from the falls, the next two are the falls themselves.





Lonestar Geyser Cone (early stages of eruption):




Full eruption at various stages (going backwards from the end):

Steam phase near the end, took this as I was leaving the geyser, might be my favorite picture:


Steam/Water phase (about halfway through) up close:


Full water phase (about 5 minutes after it started):


Steam from geyser liquid run off, this was a couple hundred yards from the geyser, but as erupted the water grew warmer and warmer, producing more and more steam:


These last few are just dumb luck great timing shots of Old Faithful village (ie home) as old faithful erupted shrouding the entire area in steam/fog:

The tall plume is a geyser, the rest is just settling in all around the area:


This is literally 2 minutes later, you can see the growth. Tiny spot dead center just below the horizon is the OF Inn, this shot was incredible dumb luck. If I had stared any longer and not gotten my camera out I may have missed it.:

Biscuit Basin/Mystic Falls Winter

Here is the beginning of my (documented) winter adventures. Snowshoed out Biscuit Basin from Old Faithful. This was a hike I had done more than once this summer however, the snow brings a new dimension to the beauty of this place. It is also worth noting that these last two days have been the sunniest since I have been in the park. Not a whole lot else to say about this one, enjoy the pics.

Cliffs near the Falls:


The basin from an overlook:


Riverside Geyser (first time catching this):


Random tree:


Castle Geyser:


Old Faithful:


Mystic Falls (created by the Little Firehole River falling off the Madison Plateau into the Firehole valley):



Just a cool shot of the woods:

Grand Tetons - Ampatheater Lake

Long time no update, this was due to a very hectic end of last season, then a following two months of little internet. That aside it is time to update these pictures. For those not aware, I have returned to Yellowstone for the winter. The arrival of a camera and a good pair of cross country skis should mean even more pictures. This place is even more stunning with snow, the flight over Wyoming from Denver was like looking at something out of a dream The snow showed every wind pattern, river course, and rock slide in beautiful relief. All that aside here is my one hike completed in the Tetons, Ampatheater Lake. This was a long haul up a 9,800ft lake, and then for me a short jaunt to a saddle affording me a view of Jackson Hole (the geographic feature not the town), and down into Glacier Canyon. Absolutely stunning hike, and experience a Moose up close and personal was pretty great too. It is also worth noting that at some point I'm going to upload every single Yellowstone Hike picture (good and bad) to a online photo album, once I get to this I will share the link.

A moose:



Views into Jackson Hole

Surprise Lake (which lies right below Ampatheater):

Amphitheater Lake and Glacial Canyon from top of saddle:

Shore of Ampitheater Lake: