Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

From the Geyser Hill, to the other parts of Upper Geyser Basin, to Midway Geyser Basin, we continue moving North from the Old Faithful Lodge to Lower Geyser Basin in the Fountain Paint Pot area.

Bacterial Mat, Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park

Silex Spring, Yellowstone National Park

As I have mentioned in the earlier posts, bacteria and other heat loving microorganisms provide the color palette you see in Yellowstone hydrothermal areas. The green, brown, and orange mats are cyanobacteria, which can live in waters as hot as 167F ( 73C ). Their colors depend on the temperature. The Silex Spring is one of the attractive hot spring on the Fountain Paint Pot nature trail, its brilliant blue color is so deep matching the sky. 

Fountain Paint Pot, Yellowstone National Park 

Fountain Paint Pot, Yellowstone National Park

Fountain Paint Pot is one of many mudpots found in Yellowstone. In early summer the mudpots are thin and watery from abundant rain and snow then it thickens by late summer. The mud is composed of clay minerals and fine particles of silica. In the Fountain Paint Pot area the rock is rhyolite, which is composed primarily of quartz and feldspar.

Clypsedra Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Clypsedra Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Clypsedra Geyser, Yellowstone National Park

Clypsedra Geyser is a constant performer at the Fountain Paint Pot area. It splashes from several vents and its steam can be seen throughout the Lower Geyser Basin. Its name is Greek for water clock, and was given because the geyser used to erupt regularly every three minutes. Since the 1959 Hebgen earthquake, however, Clepsydra erupts almost without pause. Sometimes it quits during Fountain's eruption. Since we did not see the Fountain Geyser erupt, we were able to witness the non stop eruption of Clypsedra Geyser.

Fumarole

The fumarole above gave non-stop hissing and roaring that come from gases - steam, carbon dioxide, and a little hydrogen sulfide - rushing from the earth through the vent.

Dead Lodgepole Pine Trees

These dead lodgepole pine trees were actually pioneers but did not survive. They established a toehold in thin new soil, enriched themselves through natural recycling of minerals and organic material. The increasing humus would have nurtured a mature forest - but then, the hot springs shifted, and these pioneering lodge pole pines got drowned in the hot spring environment. Silica also penetrated the trees and hardened their bases. Though these trees are dead, but they do tell a lot of stories of the cycle of life.

source: http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/virtualtour.htm
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You may want to check out also the Upper Geyser Basin ( part 1 and part 2) and Midway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone which I had written previously.

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