Fine Art Portfolio | Mammoth Hot Springs Rock This rock is actually build up of travertine from a hot spring . At Yellowstone, the rain and melted snow seeps into the earth. The cold water gets warmed by heat from molten magma deep underground. The hot water with dissolved limestone rises up through small fissures. The spring is very old with a very slow water flow rate. The water flows from several vents on its top and side. The flow starts and stops quite often. Some days it does not flow at all. Once the water gets above ground, the dissolved limestone solidifies into a white, chalky mineral called travertine. Travertine forms the terraces at Mammoth Springs as well as other formations like this one, found nearby. Although algae on the Travertine tints it light shades of brown, orange, red, and green, I like it better without color.
The Back Story Capturing this image was supper simple. Just park in the parking lot at the upper terraces and follow the trails. There’s plenty of room to reposition for the best possible composition. Then, this image was a simple click. For more images and information about Yellowstone, see Yellowstone NP Wild | a 7 Image Story.
Details…
| Event | A Day Trip to Yellowstone NP |
| Location | Yellowstone NP on the Mammoth Hot Springs upper terraces |
| Date/Time | 11/08/2007 2:54 pm Local Time |
| Weather | Mostly Cloudy with scatter rain showers | 42°F | Light Winds |
| Method | Follow the road to parking area, wait for rain to stop, make a simple click. |
| Gear | Nikon D200 with 12-24mm lens |
