Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Outpost Geyser (2023)
Geysers are hot springs that episodically erupt columns of water. They occur in few places on Earth. The highest concentration of geysers anywhere is at the Yellowstone Hotspot Volcano (northwestern Wyoming, USA).
Outpost Geyser is a fountain-type geyser in the northern Sapphire Group (Biscuit Basin) of Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin. It is located about 36 meters ~northeast of East Mustard Spring. Its basin is 4 to 5 meters across. Eruptive activity at Outpost has varied over the years. In 2013, it had eruptions with 4 to 6 minute intervals (= eruption start to eruption start). In August 2014, a 21 minute long eruption was reported. 2015, 2016, and 2017 had one reported eruption each - this may have been due to near-dormancy or a lack of observations. 2016 activity did include at least some frequent spitting and very low spouting. No Outpost eruptions were reported from 2018 to spring 2023 (~dormancy or lack of observations?), but some light steaming, grumbling, blipping to 6-8 inches, and intermittent light splashing were noted during those years.
In 2023 and 2024, Outpost was erupting regularly, with alternating long and short eruptions in 2023 and a more erratic long-short pattern in 2024 (e.g., in four hours, 69% were shorts and 31% were longs). “Short” eruptions are less than 1 minute in duration and “long” eruptions are ~3 to 4 minutes long. Intervals after a “long” range from 9 to 12 minutes. Intervals after a “short” range from 2 to 5 minutes.
Sapphire Group / Biscuit Basin videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dL6UmmXTBXWzs6aSkN3E9WgIyT8pbgi
Clips 1-3 - Outpost Geyser’s 2:56 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023.
Clip 4 - Outpost Geyser’s 3:11 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023. (time stamp 1:32)
Clip 5 - Outpost Geyser’s 3:24 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023. (time stamp 1:48)
Clips 6-8 - Outpost Geyser’s 4:04 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023. (time stamp 2:24)
Clips 9-11 - Outpost Geyser’s 2:55 to 2:59 PM eruption (long) on 5 August 2023. (time stamp 3:10)
Clip 12 - Outpost Geyser’s 3:06 to 3:07 PM eruption (short) on 5 August 2023. (time stamp 4:05)
Clips 13-14 - Outpost Geyser’s 4:10 to 4:14 PM eruption (long) on 5 August 2023. (time stamp 4:13)
Clip 15 - Outpost Geyser’s 5:22 to 5:26 PM eruption (long) on 13 August 2023. (time stamp 5:51)
Clips 16-17 - Outpost Geyser’s 6:34 to 6:38 PM eruption (long) on 13 August 2023. (time stamp 6:22)
Clips 18-20 - Outpost Geyser erupting the evening of 13 August 2023. (time stamp 6:53)
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Outpost Geyser (2023)
Geysers are hot springs that episodically erupt columns of water. They occur in few places on Earth. The highest concentration of geysers anywhere is at the Yellowstone Hotspot Volcano (northwestern Wyoming, USA).
Outpost Geyser is a fountain-type geyser in the northern Sapphire Group (Biscuit Basin) of Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin. It is located about 36 meters ~northeast of East Mustard Spring. Its basin is 4 to 5 meters across. Eruptive activity at Outpost has varied over the years. In 2013, it had eruptions with 4 to 6 minute intervals (= eruption start to eruption start). In August 2014, a 21 minute long eruption was reported. 2015, 2016, and 2017 had one reported eruption each - this may have been due to near-dormancy or a lack of observations. 2016 activity did include at least some frequent spitting and very low spouting. No Outpost eruptions were reported from 2018 to spring 2023 (~dormancy or lack of observations?), but some light steaming, grumbling, blipping to 6-8 inches, and intermittent light splashing were noted during those years.
In 2023 and 2024, Outpost was erupting regularly, with alternating long and short eruptions in 2023 and a more erratic long-short pattern in 2024 (e.g., in four hours, 69% were shorts and 31% were longs). “Short” eruptions are less than 1 minute in duration and “long” eruptions are ~3 to 4 minutes long. Intervals after a “long” range from 9 to 12 minutes. Intervals after a “short” range from 2 to 5 minutes.
Sapphire Group / Biscuit Basin videos:
youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8dL6UmmXTBXWzs6aSkN3E9WgIyT8pbgi
Clips 1-3 - Outpost Geyser’s 2:56 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023.
Clip 4 - Outpost Geyser’s 3:11 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023. (time stamp 1:32)
Clip 5 - Outpost Geyser’s 3:24 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023. (time stamp 1:48)
Clips 6-8 - Outpost Geyser’s 4:04 PM-onward eruption (long) on 15 June 2023. (time stamp 2:24)
Clips 9-11 - Outpost Geyser’s 2:55 to 2:59 PM eruption (long) on 5 August 2023. (time stamp 3:10)
Clip 12 - Outpost Geyser’s 3:06 to 3:07 PM eruption (short) on 5 August 2023. (time stamp 4:05)
Clips 13-14 - Outpost Geyser’s 4:10 to 4:14 PM eruption (long) on 5 August 2023. (time stamp 4:13)
Clip 15 - Outpost Geyser’s 5:22 to 5:26 PM eruption (long) on 13 August 2023. (time stamp 5:51)
Clips 16-17 - Outpost Geyser’s 6:34 to 6:38 PM eruption (long) on 13 August 2023. (time stamp 6:22)
Clips 18-20 - Outpost Geyser erupting the evening of 13 August 2023. (time stamp 6:53)
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