Giant Geyser, the Largest in Yellowstone Nat. Park, Wyo.

Publication

Giant Geyser, the Largest in Yellowstone Nat. Park, Wyo.

Description

GIANT GEYSER, YELLOWSTONE NAT. PARK, WYO. Of all the monster gushers in the Upper Basin, the Giant, in eruption, is the greatest. Its cone, 10 ft. high, which would be quite symmetrical but for the fact that one side of it is broken off, stands about 500 ft. S. E. of the Grotto not far from the W. bank of the Firehole River. In activity the Giant for an hour or more will eject a column of boiling water the diameter of its 4-foot vent to a height which at the maximum attains 250 feet, or 50 ft. more than is credited to any other geyser in the Park. Unfortunately this paragon of geysers appears to be displaying its pwers with lessening frequency. Whereas earlier records show that it used to blow off at intervals of between 6 and 14 days, Park Rangers found that during 1926-7, its average intervals had increased to 91 days. In view of the infrequent activity of some of the Yellowstone geysers and the great irregularity of others, we are indeed fortunate in being able in this tour to see so many of the most important ones in eruption and hence at their very best. Immediately N. of the Giant, and only a few yards from it, are two boiling caldrons or small geysers in constant eruption, called the bijou and the Mastiff. Despite the proximity of their big neighbor, they display no connection with the latter, remaining quiet during eruptions of the Giant. On the other hand there are three springs on the opposite side of the Firehole River which quite as obviously are related to the Giant, their normally quiet waters lowering rapidly when the great geyser becomes active. (View looking E. Elev. 7,300 ft. Lat. 45° N.; Long. 111° W.)