Arrived at the Lodge just as Old Faithful erupted. We were checked in, unloaded and the cabin organized by the time of the next Old Faithful eruption. Right after that, went out to Grand. We knew that Rift had been seen in eruption, and it was still erupting as we arrived. But we also knew that there was a good chance that Bulger and Bulger's Hole would be active, too.
Sawmill started after we'd crossed the bridge, and then we saw Bulger was in eruption, too. It was a major and we hurried over there in time to see water in Bulger's Hole. The pool dropped, then came back and it erupted weakly for about half a minute. It was shortly after that that the Rift eruption ended.
About a half hour later, Bulger had another 5-1/2 minute long major eruption, and once again Bulger's Hole erupted with it. The duration was the same, but this time the eruption was strong, with a height of about three meters (above eye level while I was standing watching it.
During a brief interruption in our wait for Grand, Turban had a long Delay Interval lasting over 33 minutes. That was followed by seven more Turban eruption intervals before we finally got our first One Burst Grand of the year. At first I was going to illuminate the start, but there was still enough light, and a strong wind from the northwest so that the eruption was easily visible, with a distinctly bluish cast.
2025-May-22 : 21:40:46 D7/G1C 21:40:46 B1 --- d=09m48s 21:41:26 Turban 0m40s 21:43:53 Vent 3m07s 21:50:34 P1 9m48s Vent & Turban continue ΣD=09m48s * * * * * 18:40:11 d=04m37s 18:58:48 Int: 18m37s d=03m52s 19:32:03 Int: 33m15s d=05m06s D0 19:49:58 Int: 17m55s d=03m36s D1 20:06:58 Int: 17m00s d=03m26s D2 20:25:59 Int: 19m01s d=03m33s D3 20:43:44 Int: 17m45s d=03m17s D4 21:02:08 Int: 18m24s d=03m25s D5 21:20:55 Int: 18m47s d=03m30s D6 Grand: 19m51s
During that long wait, there were a couple more Bulger eruptions, at half hour intervals, but all Bulger's Hole really did was fill and splash maybe as high as the rim. During one Bulger eruption, there were two such fill episodes. The Bulger stopped erupting and all that was seen were a few splashes.
Also shortly before Grand Castle finally had a major eruption. It was rumbling nicely in the dark as we were untieing our bikes.
The "brief interruption" meantioned above was the appearance of a grizzly bear and her new cub on the boardwalk down by Beauty Pool. They continued down the boardwalk until they reached the northernmost Turban runoff channel. By that time, I'd shoved everything back into the pack, after getting out the bear-spray. The mother bear looked like she wanted to continue up the hill behind Grand, but then returned to the boardwalk when she wasn't followed. They passed right next to the benches where I always wait for Grand, then by the little boardwalk tree got back onto the ground headed southwest.
By that time I was over by Bulger, and able to take some video of the pair as suddenly the mother started running toward Churn and Scalloped. Now the bears that had been headed toward me were now headed away, so I stopped my retreat. The bears got back on the boardwalk by Scalloped, crossed the bridge, and went up the walkway between the railings. That was the last I saw of them. Someone on the radio reported them over by Castle.
Based on their behavior, the mother knew exactly where she wanted to go, where there was a way to cross the river without getting wet. A while later, I heard on the NPS radio that the two had been sighted in the trailer rows of the government area. Also learned that a similar pair had been sighted by Lynn Stephens in the Lower Basin near Labial around noon-time.
In all my waits at Grand, this was the first time I've felt the need to move due to animal behavior. A few times I've had bison herds suddenly appear and pass around me either going up the hill or coming down. I've also seen a bear, briefly, on the hillside.