The main pathway into Yellowstone's Norris Geyser Basin. The heat and smells noticeably heat up as you enter.

"Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone's thermal areas. The highest temperature yet recorded in any geothermal area in Yellowstone was measured in a scientific drill hole at Norris: 459°F (237°C) just 1,087 feet (326 meters) below the surface! There are very few thermal features at Norris under the boiling point (199°F at this elevation).

Norris shows evidence of having had thermal features for at least 115,000 years. The features in the basin change daily, with frequent disturbances from seismic activity and water fluctuations. The vast majority of the waters at Norris are acidic, including acid geysers which are very rare. Steamboat Geyser, the tallest geyser in the world at 300–400 feet (91–122 m) and Echinus Geyser (pH 3.5 or so) are the most popular features." nps.gov

Thank for taking a look! Always appreciated.

Tags:   Norris Geyser Basin geothermal geysers thermal pools Yellowstone

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Mt. Bachelor looming above Oregon's snow-covered Elk Lake.

Another "cool" image for a hot summer day. Walking thru the snow and slush this day is a refreshing memory.

Mount Bachelor is so called because it "stands apart" from the Three Sisters, a group of three volcanic mountains that are northwest of Mount Bachelor.

Mount Bachelor ski area operates a chairlift during the summer as well as during the ski season making it the only major Cascade volcano with a chairlift to the summit. Nationally known, the resort is one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Tags:   snow slush ice Mt. Bachelor Elk Lake Cascade Lakes Scenic Highway Bend Oregon volcano

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With close-up views of the massive Emmons Glacier, and hundreds of acres of meadows bursting with wildflowers; Sunrise rivals the more popular Paradise when it comes to scenic splendor. And situated in the park’s drier northeastern corner thanks to Mount Rainier’s rain-shadow effect, Sunrise as the name suggests is also one of the first places in the park to capture morning’s early light.

This morning was special as the skies lit up beautifully with a rosy glow for a spell.

The peak to the left is Tahoma peak. Little Tahoma Peak, also called Little Tahoma, is a satellite peak of Mount Rainier. It is a volcanic remnant. It was part of a larger Mount Rainier which has eroded. If considered on its own, Little Tahoma would be the third-highest peak in Washington.

Happy Friday!

Tags:   sunrise dawn daybreak rosy skies Mt. Rainier volcano Washington Emmons Glacier glaciers explore

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Looking west over a portion of the lava field toward Mt. Bachelor and South Sister in the distance.

Like Pilot Butte in nearby Bend, Lava Butte is one of the hundreds of cinder cones, fissures and vents populating the slopes of the massive Newberry Volcano, and it is a part of one of the most volcanically active geological areas in the country. Standing roughly 500 feet above its surroundings, Lava Butte was created when gas-charged basalt spewed from a fissure, and as the debris cooled in the form of cinders, it gradually piled up.

Thanks for taking a look, and for any comments, faves and suggestions.

Tags:   Lava Butte cinder cone volcanic Newberry Volcano Bend Oregon

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Looking S from the edge of Lava Butte's crater.

"Lava Butte is a cinder cone in central Oregon, United States, just west of U.S. Route 97 between the towns of Bend, and Sunriver in Deschutes County. It is part of a system of small cinder cones on the northwest flank of Newberry Volcano, a massive shield volcano which rises to the southeast. The cinder cone is capped by a crater which extends about 60 feet (20 m) deep beneath its south rim, and 160 feet (50 m) deep from the 5,020-foot (1,530 m) summit on its north side. Lava Butte is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

In July 1966, twenty-two astronauts trained in Central Oregon for the upcoming Moon landings, at sites including Lava Butte, Lava River Cave, and Newberry Crater." Wikipedia

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Tags:   Lava Butte Lava Butte Crater volcano Newberry National Volcanic Monument Bend Oregon

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