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VP Pence visits Old Faithful in push for park maintenance funding

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Relying on a spectacular display of mother nature to drive his point home, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday called for additional funding for America’s national parks, saying they are “extraordinary treasures in the life of our nation.” Pence was joined in Yellowstone National Park by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly. The Vice President spoke in front of a well-timed, routine eruption from the reliable Old Faithful Geyser to push for a Congressional appropriation to address deferred maintenance in America’s national parks. The Trump administration is backing a bipartisan bill that would set aside an estimated $6.8 billion over 10 years to be spent on a $16 billion maintenance backlog at Interior. Nearly $12 billion of that is needed by the National Park Service to repair campgrounds, roads, bridges, visitor centers, trails and other infrastructure. Continue Reading →

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U.S. Mint to release commemorative Yellowstone dollar coin in 2016

The design for a new coin commemorating the National Park Service centennial (left) is similar to a Yellowstone National Park quarter (right) issued in 2010.

In a preview of what is sure to be a diverse range of events and promotions next year celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the U.S. Mint on Thursday released designs for three new coins, including one featuring Yellowstone National Park. The commemorative coin designs were showed off at a Washington, D.C. ceremony at the Department of Interior attended by Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis and U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios. Designed to help fund more than 400 national park units around the country, the coins will be marketed to collectors and park supporters willing to pay a premium for them. Proceeds go to the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. “When fully realized, the potential impact derived from the commemorative coin sales will be tremendous,” National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth said in a statement released by the U.S. Mint. Continue Reading →

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Recycled tires used for new walking path at Old Faithful

Volunteers help resurface a walking path near Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

The best way to get the most out of a visit to Yellowstone National Park is to park the car and explore some of the many paths and trails that wind through a range of unique wonders. So it's fitting that one of the newest paths in Yellowstone is built from recycled car tires. Working with corporate sponsors, volunteers and park boosters, Yellowstone has rebuilt an existing pathway at Old Faithful with a paved surface that is porous, allowing rain and snow to percolate to the water table below. That helps maintain the groundwater system that recharges geysers and other thermal features in the area. Continue Reading →

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‘Geyser Gazers’ patiently wait for Yellowstone eruptions

Self-described 'geyser gazer' Ryan Maurer takes notes after the eruptions of Lion Geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone is home to two-thirds of the world’s geysers, attracting visitors from around the world. Most catch Old Faithful and may wander the boardwalks and accidentally witness other eruptions. Some look at the schedule in the visitor’s office listing the times for the six predictable regular geysers, Great Fountain, Grand, Castle, Daisy and Riverside along with Old Faithful, and plan their day in hopes of catching those in action. But a dedicated few devote weeks, and sometimes entire summers, to waiting, watching and recording eruptions. These are geyser gazers and members of the Geyser Observation and Study Association. Continue Reading →

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Panel urges caution in developing, preserving Old Faithful area

Rising steam from Old Faithful hangs in the frigid air as seen from Observation Point in Yellowstone National Park during February 2014 cold snap.

Old Faithful is the most popular destination in Yellowstone National Park, but it's also one of the park's most fragile natural wonders, and one still not fully understood by researchers and managers charged with protecting the iconic geyser and other nearby thermal features. A newly released report written by a panel of scientists advises caution in how the Old Faithful area is developed and managed, and recommends additional research meant to better grasp the complex forces driving the Upper Geyser Basin hydrothermal system. Continue Reading →

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A frigid winter trip through Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin

Old Faithful Inn is visible in the background as winter travelers in Yellowstone National Park head out for a trip to Black Sand Pool.

My husband Ken and I have made a point of visiting Yellowstone Park in the winter for a number of years. This year we were accompanied on a February trip by four friends from Cincinnati who had joined us on one previous winter trip several years ago, when temperatures were much warmer than normal. This year, they had expressed the desire for more winter-like conditions. It turns out they were not disappointed. Continue Reading →

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Yellowstone’s Giantess Geyser erupts for more than 40 hours

Yellowstone National Park's Giantess Geyser has burst into life again after 2 years, 139 days and 12 minutes of silence. This was big news for geyser gazers and fans of Yellowstone. Normally, Giantess erupts once or twice each year, so the latest 2.4-year pause was one for the record books. Giantess is a favorite geyser among enthusiasts. Its eruptions can be heard a mile away and can last more than a day. Continue Reading →

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Experts seek to unlock mysteries of Old Faithful, other Yellowstone geysers

Researchers and Yellowstone National Park staff members are meeting at Old Faithful this week to review the current scientific understanding of the park's hydrothermal systems. The group will eventually develop suggestions for new research projects and design standards that could help inform and guide management of and development near Yellowstone's thermal features. Continue Reading →

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‘Today’ co-hosts Geist and Roker discuss upcoming trip to Yellowstone

When NBC's "Today" broadcasts a live, 3-hour morning show from Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday, millions of viewers around the country will get a chance to learn about grizzly bears and geysers, gray wolves and wilderness survival. But like many "Today" viewers, some of the show's anchors have either never visited Yellowstone, or done so only briefly, and years ago. Continue Reading →

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