Ear Spring (early afternoon, 3 June 2014) 4
Ear Spring is a lobe-shaped hydrothermal feature in the northern Geyser Hill Group of Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin. It usually has boiling-hot to superheated water with overflow. Orangish-colored microbial mats are present in the overflow channels on the southern and southwestern sides of the crater. Geyser eruptions are extremely rare. Low eruptions were reported in 1986, 1992, and 2004. Fifteen to twenty feet high eruptions occurred in 1957 and September 2018. The latter event was recorded by the Old Faithful web camera (see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLJlMCNmecs). This was a ~half-minute long eruption that resulted in rocky debris being strewn about. Decades-old trash was also ejected - this was purposefully thrown in by nature-hating tourists. Park personnel have since removed the garbage - it included coins, cans, a pacifier, a partial cinder block (!), cigarettes, foil, part of a shoe, paper, a pencil, a cup, a funnel with tubing, an old bear warning sign, various types of plastic, etc. Part of Ear Spring's geyserite border was fractured during this eruptive activity. Subsequent boiling action has since removed part of the border.
The 15 September 2018 Ear Spring eruption coincided with rare geyser activity in the same area of Geyser Hill. Pendant Spring, Doublet Pool, Exclamation Point Spring, and multiple unnamed features were observed erupting the same evening and/or the next day. North Goggles Geyser also commenced a days-long series of minor eruptions. A new geyser appeared under the boardwalk near Pump Geyser. This activity resulted in the park closing most stretches of boardwalk in the area.
Location: 44° 27' 52.25" North latitude, 110° 49' 49.32" West longitude
Ear Spring (early afternoon, 3 June 2014) 4
Ear Spring is a lobe-shaped hydrothermal feature in the northern Geyser Hill Group of Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin. It usually has boiling-hot to superheated water with overflow. Orangish-colored microbial mats are present in the overflow channels on the southern and southwestern sides of the crater. Geyser eruptions are extremely rare. Low eruptions were reported in 1986, 1992, and 2004. Fifteen to twenty feet high eruptions occurred in 1957 and September 2018. The latter event was recorded by the Old Faithful web camera (see: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLJlMCNmecs). This was a ~half-minute long eruption that resulted in rocky debris being strewn about. Decades-old trash was also ejected - this was purposefully thrown in by nature-hating tourists. Park personnel have since removed the garbage - it included coins, cans, a pacifier, a partial cinder block (!), cigarettes, foil, part of a shoe, paper, a pencil, a cup, a funnel with tubing, an old bear warning sign, various types of plastic, etc. Part of Ear Spring's geyserite border was fractured during this eruptive activity. Subsequent boiling action has since removed part of the border.
The 15 September 2018 Ear Spring eruption coincided with rare geyser activity in the same area of Geyser Hill. Pendant Spring, Doublet Pool, Exclamation Point Spring, and multiple unnamed features were observed erupting the same evening and/or the next day. North Goggles Geyser also commenced a days-long series of minor eruptions. A new geyser appeared under the boardwalk near Pump Geyser. This activity resulted in the park closing most stretches of boardwalk in the area.
Location: 44° 27' 52.25" North latitude, 110° 49' 49.32" West longitude