Yellowstone - Remnant of a Primordial Past, Portent of a Primordial Future.Yellowstone, the world's very first national park, remains as amazing a land today as it was in 1871, when the Hayden Survey of Yellowstone, including artist Thomas Moran and photographer William H. Jackson, confirmed many of the wondrous reports that had trickled in through the years prior to their expedition. Most of those reports were never published, considered by the reputable magazines of the day as unreliable. But Moran and Jackson brought back drawings and photographs of this unbelieveable land as proof and together, with the credible reports of the scientists who had been assembled by the Civil War veteran, Ferdinand V. Hayden, for this expedition to the land of Yellowstone, began to attract the country's attention to this marvelous place that would ultimately become the first of America's national parks.It’s unlikely that these early visitors to the park were aware of the violent past that resulted in the natural wonders upon which they gazed. Few of today’s visitors know that the land they are crossing over is atop one of the world’s handful of super-volcanos. The marvel that is Yellowstone owes it’s existence to this continuing volcanic activity ........ beauty from ashes so to speak. The geothermal areas of Norris Basin and the Middle Geyser Basin, among many others, are daily reminders of the lake of boiling magma that resides in the earth's crust below this amazing national park.
And
with sculpted landscapes of areas such as the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
and Tower Falls as evidence of the long term effects of this
continuing geologic activity, Yellowstone is proof that the hand of providence
is still at work in our world today. Therein lies the wonderful irony of this
marvelous corner of the world …… it’s beauty has risen from the ashes of
one of the worlds most destructive events. Furthermore, the creative forces at
work here are not finished. Scientists have charted the clock-like timing of the
area’s volcanic eruptions and the next one is due anytime, give or take 50,000
years. Given the timetable that we’re working with, imminent danger is
probably not a real concern for many generations to come but it does provide a
different perspective for this ever-changing landscape. And if we look carefully
we can see the cycle being mimicked throughout this region on a scale that is
much easier for us to comprehend. From
the clockwork timing of Old
Faithful to the changing face of Yellowstone that is still evolving as a result
of the monstrous forest fires of 1988, the cycle of destructive creation is
evident for all who take the time to ponder the magical land of the world’s
first national park. So take a moment or two for a virtual visit via the
following links and experience the enchanchment that is Yellowstone. Yellowstone Volcanic Observatory
A Yellowstone Gallery
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