When visiting Yellowstone National Park, you can expect to see some of the more than 4,000 bison that roam freely in the park, but catching a glimpse of the resident grizzly bears is a rare occurrence.
Earlier this summer, a large group of tourists were lucky enough to see a mother grizzly bear with two cubs strolling through Old Faithful. Old Faithful has attracted many visitors since Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park in 1872. Because the eruptions are predictable, visitors can plan their trips carefully to witness the spectacular spectacle. The entire encounter was captured by a live webcam that broadcasts a view of the Old Faithful geyser and the Upper Geyser Basin.
Fortunately, a Yellowstone National Park ranger was on site with bear spray and guided the tourists away from the grizzly family. The entire encounter was peaceful and without incident.
ABOUT OLD FAITHFUL:
Old Faithful is one of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone and one of six that park rangers currently predict. It is unusual that geyser eruptions can be predicted on a regular basis, and Old Faithful has lived up to its name by only increasing the time between eruptions by about 30 minutes over the past 30 years.
The average interval between eruptions of Old Faithful Geyser varies; as of February 2019, it is 98 minutes ± 10 minutes, with intervals ranging from 79 to 109 minutes. Old Faithful’s elevation can vary from 106 to over 180 feet (32.3 to 54.8 m), with an average of 130 feet (40 m). Eruptions typically last between 1½ and 5 minutes and eject 3,700 to 8,400 gallons (14,000 to 31,800 L) of water. At the vent, the water has a temperature of 203 °F (95.6 °C).
Thermal features are constantly changing and it is possible that one day Old Faithful will no longer erupt. Geysers and other thermal features are evidence of ongoing volcanic activity beneath the surface and changes are part of this natural system. Yellowstone preserves the natural geological processes so that visitors can continue to enjoy this natural system.
The old, faithful animal world:
Hydrothermal pools provide important wildlife habitat in the Old Faithful area. Bison and elk live here year-round, benefiting from the warm soil and thin snow cover in winter. Both black and grizzly bears are sighted, especially in spring when winter-killed animals are available. In summer, yellow-bellied marmots are commonly seen in the rocks behind Grand Geyser and near Riverside Geyser. Thermophiles live in the outflow channels of hot springs and geysers and provide food for tiny black ephydride flies. The flies, in turn, lay their eggs in salmon-colored clumps just above the water’s surface, where they are then preyed on by spiders. Wedge-tailed plovers also feed on the adult flies.
