When you visit Yellowstone National Park its a reasonable expectation to see some of the more that 4000 bison that freely roam the park but its rather rare to catch a glimpse at one of the resident grizzly bears.
Early this summer a large group of tourists were lucky enough to witness a momma grizzly and two cubs strolling through Old Faithful. Old Faithful has been drawing crowds since Yellowstone was established as the world’s first national park in 1872. Due to it’s predictable eruptions, visitors can accurately time their trips to witness spectacular display. The entire encounter was captured on a live webcam which streams a view of Old Faithful Geyser and the Upper Geyser Basin.
Thankfully a Yellowstone National Park ranger with bear spray in hand was on scene ushering the tourists away from the grizzly family. The entire encounter concluded peacefully 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 uncommon to be able to predict geyser eruptions with regularity and Old Faithful has lived up to its name, only lengthening the time between eruptions by about 30 minutes in the last 30 years.
The average interval between eruptions of Old Faithful Geyser changes; as of February 2019, it is 98 minutes ± 10 minutes, with intervals ranging from 79 to 109 minutes. Old Faithful can vary in height from 106 to more than 180 feet (32.3–54.8 m), averaging 130 feet (40 m). Eruptions normally last between 1½ to 5 minutes and expel from 3,700 to 8,400 gallons (14,000–31,800 l) of water. At the vent, water is 203ºF (95.6ºC).
Thermal features change constantly and it is possible Old Faithful may stop erupting someday. Geysers and other thermal features are evidence of ongoing volcanic activity beneath the surface and change is part of this natural system. Yellowstone preserves the natural geologic processes so that visitors may continue to enjoy this natural system.
Old Faithful Wildlife:
Hydrothermal basins provide important habitat for wildlife in the Old Faithful area. Bison and elk live here year-round. In the winter, they take advantage of the warm ground and thin snow cover. Both black and grizzly bears are seen, especially during the spring when winter-killed animals are available. In summer, yellow-bellied marmots are frequently seen in the rocks behind Grand Geyser and near Riverside Geyser. Thermophiles live in the runoff channels of hot springs and geysers, providing food for tiny black ephydrid flies. The flies, in turn, lay their eggs in salmon-colored clumps just above the water surface where they are then preyed upon by spiders. Killdeer also feast on the adult flies.
