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Yellowstone Park's Great Lake
And the West Thumb Geyser Basin
At an elevation of a mile and a half above sea level, Yellowstone Lake is the largest Alpine lake in North America, and one of the largest in the world.
A family gathers at the beach and skips stones across the water. This is a pretty conventional way to spend an afternoon, except for the fact that we are all a mile and a half high.
Gathering more stones is legal as long as they stay in the park. Removing so much as a leaf or a pine cone from the park is a federal offense.
There are several small beaches scattered around the lake. The are are narrow and short, as the land here is not level anywhere for very long. Here the beach quickly gives way to a rise merging with the surrounding mountains.
Our campsite, and home away from home. We stayed at this site (Grant Village) for a few days, and then moved to a different section of the park.
The parking area near the West Thumb Geyser Basin. This basin is adjacent to the lake, and actually runs under it. There are submerged features that no one has ever seen.
Walkways keep us out of dangerous thin spot in the crust of the basin. These take us out onto the West Thumb Basin.
Still looking out past the West Thumb Basin, and across Yellowstone Lake.
A look up the slight ridge, running along the lake. The depression is the edge of the geyser basin.
An adventurous pine sets it's roots alongside of part of Emerald Springs.
A look out from the edge of the woods.
A lengthwise shot of Emerald Springs. The West Thumb Basin does not really have any geysers, though it features some of the best hot pools in the park.
Another look at the numerous small pools in the basin. Most of these share the same "plumbing" underground.
A look straight down into Emerald Springs. The different colors show differing temperatures.
One last look across Emerald Springs, and the score of other pools scattered across the basin.
The landscape here is kind of erie. You have toe wonder what mountain men and other such solitary individuals were thinking when they first stumbled across these areas.
Twin Geyser bubbles up through a pair of submerged vents.
A close up of the waters of Twin Geyser
The walkways leading to abyss pool.
Abyss Pool, the deepest in the park.
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