Taking Flight 16 May 2020

I took another survey flight over the park on Saturday. I do love this genre of photography, but they are a bit difficult to get. With each trip, though, I’m learning a bit more. In this post, I’ll share some “overviews” of what I saw in the geyser basins. NOTE: All images were taken from a plane using a telephoto lens. Drone use is not allowed in Yellowstone.

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Before getting started here, I wanted to remind you that while I’ll be in the park today (on the ground), I’ll share as I can on Instagram if you want to follow along. I also share links to new blog posts on my Facebook page. Also, sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the page. The June issue will be the first to go out.

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I can see why there aren’t more people embracing aerial photography. Delays, timing, and motion sickness issues make land photography more appealing to many. This time, low clouds delayed this flight until the early afternoon, making for a bumpier flight. Once again, though, I am grateful for my rock-solid stomach, but got a taste of what others experience. While I was still okay, I forgot to eat enough beforehand, and partway through, I was starving and a bit woozy. Despite not being 100% on my game, I captured some shots needed and others that were requested. But lesson learned – don’t forget to eat (but also don’t overeat).

West Thumb Geyser Basin

The first geyser basin to check was West Thumb. The ice still covers the lake, but it’s getting closer to ice out – I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see it starting Monday or Tuesday – a couple of days predicted to be warm. I wanted to capture this shot that shows that West Thumb Geyser Basin extends into the lake where you can see the locations of some underwater hot springs.

There wasn’t anything very exciting to report here.

• Percolating Spring is no longer overflowing.
• Abyss Pool is cool and dark green.
• “Waterfall Geyser” has water, but not a lot.
• Ledge Spring has low water that’s clear and blue.
• Twin Geyser still appears to be empty.
• King Geyser looks hot but has microbes in the overflow channel, so it doesn’t seem active.

Here’s a photo of Potts Hot Springs – an area far too fragile to put boardwalks. Grateful that I can occasionally monitor it this way, though I’m not an expert on this batch of hot springs.

Upper Geyser Basin

In a few minutes, we arrived at the Upper Geyser Basin. It was odd not seeing any human activity. Photographing the Upper Geyser Basin is a challenge simply because you only have a few seconds for each area. Keeping tabs of where you are as you shoot, look up, find out where you are now and what you need to shoot next makes for a flurry of activity. I never really know if I’ve captured what I need until I get home and take a look. A few photos I thought I had captured turned out too blurry for publication, so I keep at it as my business funds allow.

I don’t notice any significant changes on Geyser Hill since going through for a full photo inventory last fall. You can also compare these photos to this one.

But at Black Sand Basin – wow – take a look at recent overflow from Rainbow Pool! It’s doing something. The microbes still intact make me wonder if there’s just heavier overflow or if it’s erupting. Whistle Geyser is also overflowing, and possibly Emerald Pool has had recent heavier overflow. I want to check that out on the ground this week.

Mugwump and Three Sisters Spring area.

For Grand through Oblong Geyser:

• Beauty Pool seems to be in charge of the water right now.
• Economic Geyser looks quite hot again.
• Oblong Geyser still supports quite a growth of microbes – will they ever get washed away with killingly hot water?

I didn’t see anything highly unusual happening in the Daisy Geyser area.

In the area from Grotto Geyser to Fan & Mortar Geyser, Marathon Pool looks hot with lower water levels, and the Chain Lakes are almost full. Link Geyser looks fairly hot based on how far away from the vent microbes start to grow, but it’s color still has a greenish tint.

No big changes noted at Biscuit Basin.

Midway Geyser Basin

I did get the shot a customer has requested: Grand Prismatic Spring with little steam and no people. Glad to capture that with this rare opportunity. Also, Opal Pool seems to be heating up but doesn’t look like it’s erupted as it did a few years back.

Lower Geyser Basin

In the Lower Geyser Basin, we missed Firehole Lake Drive but did get the Thud Group of geysers and Fountain Paint Pots area. Leather Pool looks a bit darker than I recall from last fall. We were between Fountain Geyser eruptions, and Clepsydra Geyser was on.

Norris Geyser Basin

At Norris, Ledge Geyser was in eruption – or at the least in a steam phase. Steamboat Geyser was steaming gently, having erupted a couple of days prior. Cistern Spring looked like it was already in overflow. I documented more of Norris but was ready to call it a day. We headed to Canyon for a quick shot, but the light wasn’t what I want for that shot, so headed back to Cody.

So, that’s the summary of my fifth flight over Yellowstone. I’m sure there will be another flight or two this summer – one out east to capture this gorgeous country’s geology and maybe one more for images slated for the next guide book.

Be Outside • Take Notes