Melting Road Closes Attractions in Yellowstone NP

[magnusfide]

Several popular attractions at Yellowstone National Park are temporarily off-limits because of a melting road, officials said Thursday.

Extreme heat from surrounding thermal areas created a hot spot that melted asphalt on Firehole Lake Drive, a 3.3-mile loop that takes tourists past Great Fountain Geyser, White Dome Geyser and Firehole Lake.

As park officials examined possible fixes, they warned visitors not to hike into the affected area, where the danger of stepping through solid-looking soil into boiling-hot water was high.

http://www.weather.com/news/yellowstone-national-park-closes-popular-geysers-attractions-due-melting...

[dave54]

tatest wrote:
I wonder who else is thinking about the implications of an increased heat flow from the giant volcanic caldera that is the whole park? That's what I first thought of, not that a melting road is an inconvenience. Geologist thing.

Beachfront property in Nebraska!!!

[dodge_guy]

HMMM! that sounds like "everything is just fine, don`t panic" as the signpost it`s on is slowly dropping into the ground! LOL

[scroller95969]

This was posted on the NPS site on July 14th:

Date: July 14, 2014

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

Yellowstone National Park
P.O. Box 168
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2014 14-047

Al Nash or Dan Hottle
(307) 344-2015
YELL_Public_Affairs@nps.gov

------------------------------------------------------------------------
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Firehole Lake Drive Open To Travel


Temporary repairs have been completed, allowing Firehole Lake Drive in Yellowstone National Park to open to travel.

The 3.3 mile scenic loop drive is located off the park’s Grand Loop Road, halfway between Old Faithful and Madison Junction.

This side road travels through an active thermal area with normally high ground temperatures. The addition of high air temperatures last week resulted in damage to the blacktop surface.

"Park road crews removed some damaged sections of pavement and used a mixture of sand and lime to soak up some of the thick oil which had bubbled to the surface of the roadway. These actions have successfully mitigated most of the impacts, allowing the road to reopen to traffic.

There is no indication of increased hydrothermal activity in the area.

Updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117.

- www.nps.gov/yell -"

[time2roll]

I just returned from Yellowstone and I think that drive was reopened as we drove back through after a few days at Rushmore. Or I could be mistaken.
Plenty of Bison still in the park... they have certainly not all left. Some bison even hanging out at the thermal features.

[jefe_4x4]

I had better visit Yellowstone one more time....before IT BLOWS!
Not in my lifetime.
jefe

[scroller95969]

Well I'll be at ground zero for the first 2 1/2 weeks of September. Hope it holds off blowing till after then.

[magnusfide]

The Mad Norsky wrote:


But, on a serious note, and possibly connected with topic at hand here, is reports in the last few years of the steadily uplifting, swelling, of the lake bottom underneath Yellowstone Lake.

Well, we are due. An eruption every 640,000 some odd years according to those in the know about Yellowstone, and they say the last one was over 640,000 some odd years ago.

The earth is aging and there's no getting around that. It's getting creaky joints and high blood pressure like the rest of us.

Animals do pay attention to weather and geological events better than the rest of us. It could well be the buffalo are sensing something going on just like my dog who starts yowling just before an earthquake hits.

[The_Mad_Norsky]

You folks remember the ruckus raised last winter (I believe) when there was a photo posted of the buffalo supposedly leaving Yellowstone???

A regular, Chicken Little and the sky is falling, affair.

But, on a serious note, and possibly connected with topic at hand here, is reports in the last few years of the steadily uplifting, swelling, of the lake bottom underneath Yellowstone Lake.

Well, we are due. An eruption every 640,000 some odd years according to those in the know about Yellowstone, and they say the last one was over 640,000 some odd years ago.

[magnusfide]

buta4 wrote:
Head for Australia!

and be stung by a giant ray.

[buta4]

Head for Australia!

[PotKorn]

"I don't know where I'm a-gonna go when the volcano blows."

[newk]

magnusfide wrote:

tatest wrote:
I wonder who else is thinking about the implications of an increased heat flow from the giant volcanic caldera that is the whole park? That's what I first thought of, not that a melting road is an inconvenience. Geologist thing.

I did. If it blows, it'll make several states difficult if not impossible for living in.

If/when it blows, it's going to make living difficult for the whole planet! (Can you imagine the CO2 levels THEN!) 😉

[magnusfide]

tatest wrote:
I wonder who else is thinking about the implications of an increased heat flow from the giant volcanic caldera that is the whole park? That's what I first thought of, not that a melting road is an inconvenience. Geologist thing.

I did. If it blows, it'll make several states difficult if not impossible for living in.

[Cubey]

tatest wrote:
I wonder who else is thinking about the implications of an increased heat flow from the giant volcanic caldera that is the whole park? That's what I first thought of, not that a melting road is an inconvenience. Geologist thing.

Yes, I thought about that too actually. Makes me weary of visiting it now... haha