An Attempted Assassination; a Coup d'Etat, and Now...a Yellowstone Eruption?

As if we Americans haven’t been through quite enough consequentially historic events over the last 26 days, an extraordinary eruption took place in Yellowstone National Park today.

Not, the whole damn Yellowstone Basin, which is basically one large sleeping volcanic caldera, didn’t blow, but at around 1:00 pm local time, the Biscuit Basin thermal pool area did shock visitors to the Park with an unprecedented eruption of its own:

Here’s the video of the event:

Yikes.

The family and I have visited the Biscuit Basin part of the Park several times over the last 25 years. We might want to avoid it from here on out, though.

Here’s an excerpt from a good story on the event from CowboyStateDaily:

A violent eruption of a Yellowstone National Park thermal feature Tuesday blew up a boardwalk and sent visitors scrambling to escape a powerful explosion of black water, mud and rocks.

Black Diamond Pool in the park’s Biscuit Basin erupted at 9:45 a.m., ejecting an immense amount of black water onto a nearby boardwalk, destroying it, and sending tourists running for their safety.

According to GeyserTimes, a radio message from the National Park Service reported a "large explosion" with "lots of debris (and) no injuries."

Biscuit Basin was closed after the eruption.

Sapphire Steam And Black Diamond Debris

The March family vising from California was touring the Biscuit Basin when Black Diamond Pool erupted. Steve and his wife, Vlada, were on the boardwalk with their two sons, Vlada's mother, and Issac Fischer, their guide from Casanova Guided Tours.

They had a video camera running at the time, capturing the spectacular eruption even as they retreated to a safe distance. Other visitors also are seen fleeing the violent thermal spew.

Steve March told Cowboy State Daily that the only indication something was brewing under Biscuit Basin was a large amount of steam emanating from the Sapphire Pool.

"We were walking toward Jewel Geyser when our guide pointed out the steam that suddenly shot out of Sapphire Pool," he said. "I guess that's never been witnessed before. And literally, a moment later, there was this massive explosion and a massive amount of rock (from Black Diamond Pool).”

Steve described the eruption of Black Diamond Pool as "a mushroom cloud" of black water and hard debris launched "hundreds of feet" into the air.

…

Steve said the explosion was so intense that it destroyed sections of the Biscuit Basin boardwalk.

"You could see pieces of wood sticking out and the ground underneath where you're not supposed to see it," he said. "The boardwalk covered in dirt, silt and rocks."

Yellowstone rangers arrived within five minutes of the eruption and closed the area.

Steve and Fischer gave eyewitness accounts to the rangers before departing the area.

"It was a unique experience, to say the least," Steve said.

[End]

One can only wonder what will be next in the days to come? I would say I can’t wait to find out, but really, I’m dreading it.

That is all.