Thursday Sept 8 - at Yellowstone

Thurs Sep 8 Day 11 Nice day, mid to upper 70’s, clear, sunny, a 2 min shower late PM
We headed to the West Thumb area of Yellowstone which is on Yellowstone Lake. We missed the first 15 mins of the 1½ hour Ranger walk but got the rest. As usual there was lots of interesting facts & information we would not have got by just following the boardwalk looking at the thermal features, including about one person who went off the boardwalk to a hot pool & stuck his hand in, - - third degree burns! There are signs everywhere, the Rangers are telling everyone the temp is 170 to 204 Fahrenheit and that water boils at this altitude at 199 so some water is super heated underground, there is steam coming of the pools everywhere plus they are often bubbling & boiling. The Ranger Walk was right on the edge of Yellowstone Lake with the hot water running into the lake. However the Lake is at about 50 F so it might get warmed by the edge to maybe 60 F. After the walk we had lunch at a picnic table then off to the Keplar Cascades where the river runs down a series of small falls all in a straight line so you can see them all. We went over the Continental divide, twice each way, once at 8262 feet & again at 8391 feet. On route home we stopped at the Fountain Paint Pot area where there is a mud pot and a roaring steam vent, plus the usual crystal clear blue & green hot pools and an erupting fountain geyser, Clepsydra. Then back to camp for supper. After supper, Yvonne, Vicki, & both of us went to the local theatre group at the Pinecone Playhouse for “GI Jukebox”. It was a fun show.