For double intervals on Grand, I've been trying to get out around the 14 hour mark. So I arrived at Grand about that time, finding West Triplet in eruption. Almost immediately there was a Turban eruption, followed by a long Turban eruption interval lasting over 30 minutes. The pool didn't drop but kept rising, and stayed high when Turban started to erupt. No Vent overflow, however, until a moment before the One Burst Grand Eruption started. It was steamy, but nicely backlit and visible from the north end of the walkway.
2026-Sep-12 : 09:46:18 D0/T1Q 09:46:03 Turban -0m14s 09:46:17 Vent Ovfl -0m00s 09:46:18 B1 --- d=10m56s 09:49:15 Vent 2m57s 09:57:15 P1 10m56s 09:58:14 V&T Quit 11m56s ΣD=10m56s * * * * * 09:19:21 d=03m41s 09:16:52ie West Triplet 10:00:51ns Rift Turban: 26m42s
Right at the end, with West Triplet still erupting, Rift started. I did not stick around to receive the blessings from Lord Rift, but headed back in order to go to the Lower Geyser Basin for the first time this visit. Got to Great Fountain in time to encounter people returning from there, and over in the Fountain Group the large steam cloud showed there was no reason to battle the parking there. Returned to the Upper Basin and got to enjoy getting through the parking areas at Midway and Fairy Falls.
For double intervals on Grand, I've been trying to get out around the 14 hour mark. So I arrived at Grand about that time, finding West Triplet in eruption. Almost immediately there was a Turban eruption, followed by a long Turban eruption interval lasting over 30 minutes. The pool didn't drop but kept rising, and stayed high when Turban started to erupt. No Vent overflow, however, until a moment before the One Burst Grand Eruption started. It was steamy, but nicely backlit and visible from the north end of the walkway.
Right at the end, with West Triplet still erupting, Rift started. I did not stick around to receive the blessings from Lord Rift, but headed back in order to go to the Lower Geyser Basin for the first time this visit. Got to Great Fountain in time to encounter people returning from there, and over in the Fountain Group the large steam cloud showed there was no reason to battle the parking there. Returned to the Upper Basin and got to enjoy getting through the parking areas at Midway and Fairy Falls.
Saw the noontime Beehive eruption following the radio call. Was windy, but steady so after the initial dousing, no one got wet.
Later went out to Grand with the expectation of having to wait until dark. Instead it erupted on the first opportunity after my arrival. It was another One Burst Eruption, but being able to go back in and having the evening free and wind-free was nice.
2026-Sep-12 : 16:32:30 G1C 16:32:30 B1 --- d=09m35s 16:32:59 Vent Ovfl 0m29s 16:33:16 Turban 0m46s 16:36:18 Vent 3m48s 16:42:05 P1 9m35s Vent & Turban continue ΣD=09m35s * * * * * 16:11:36 d=03m45s 16:40:29 West Triplet Grand: 20m54s
And being set free, went over to Sawmill Group to wait for Uncertain. It took over an hour of waiting, but we were finally rewarded with a dual eruption with Sawmill.
Back in the cabin, I put together a response to a flag on the Giant eruption entry from the other night. It seems some of the NPS personnel objected to being officially called out on their behavior that night. I didn't post anything about that at the time, as I try to let such annoyances slide off me any more. Problem is that I was recording the eruption, and caught audio of them talking amongst themselves, laughing at some of the inappropriate things they had done or do. Here's what I posted in the comment--
1) This is an inappropriate and malicious use of a flag, and should have been a comment.
Flag text as of 19:27:
Giant was such a spectacular eruption. I am glad everyone was able to experience the joy. Even if others want the natural beauty to themselves, as it seems by this interesting comment. It’s funny how many NPS employees were running that .9 down the bike path yet you drag everyone by saying these things. The two vehicles were ON DUTY, IN uniform pertinent NPS employees that are able to use this road. I am thankful we were all able to experience this amazing event together.
GeyserGAYser
2) I recorded this eruption starting with the Mastiff surge, through the hot period, and the start of the eruption. I let the camera run until the battery finally ran out of power, about 75 minutes later. At one time when I went to check on the camera to see how much power was left I noticed a "gaggle of giddy" NPS employees gathered nearby in the Cage. There were at least a dozen, gathered in a circle, with few to none actually looking at the waning moments of the Giant eruption. I noticed no one in uniform, but it was dark and I didn't look specifically for that. I never did see anyone in uniform that night.
I ended up recording clear audio of them, so loud that it seemed to overwhelm the sound of the geyser at times. I also picked up a number of them loudly boasting, to laughter, of their sarcastic responses to visitors, to insulting visitors, to intentionally misleading visitors, and generally inappropriate or offensive behavior while performing their official duties. At this point, they were "experienc[ing] this amazing event" only because they were physically in the Cage, blocking others from enjoying the eruption due to their boorish behavior.
(Also note that they were there only due to the efforts of gazers, since the NPS will not allow access to their electronic recording devices.)
According to the recording timestamp, they arrived at this location by at least 21:50, 35 minutes into the Giant eruption, and stayed there the rest of the recording (22:17). I expect to capture conversations in the audio of my videos, but not for this length of time.
I said nothing at the time, but I was annoyed that their behavior was ruining my recorded audio of a rare and spectacular geyser eruption. It was an example of their inappropriate behaviors toward visitors in this national park. This behavior and the comments are especially inappropriate if coming from persons in uniform.
(I can make this video publicly available to anyone upon request).
I was asked to take that comment down from GeyserTimes, and have done so. But it will remain here as I don't want this to slide all the way down the Memory Hole. And that video may still appear sometime later this year...