| Note: | 06/07/1972
It was probably the most powerful and spectacular eruption that Rangers Pittenger & Hutchinson have seen or heard from Ledge in the two summers we have been here at Norris. The southeast vent behaved very much like Echinus for the first 15 minutes as it was throwing out fountain type “jets” of water in all directions to heights of over 40 feet. The small second vent immediately next (Southeast) to the main vent continually throughout {threw out} a mixture of fine mist but mostly steam to a height of 10-13 feet vertically. The other 2 small finger vents between those just mention were also shooting steam vertically – but at much shorter heights.
The main vent (or thumb) was throwing out vast amounts of water under great pressure. This main water phase lasted until 10:45 when it abruptly decreased with the southeast vent stopping its fountain like geyser eruption. Fountain type play started in again approximately 10:50 pm but of a much lower intensity. During all this time even up to 10:55 when we stopped observation the main vent was still in a strong water phase and no true steam phase of Ledge had yet been reached.
Tom tried to go out into Porcelain Basin beyond the main vent to determine how far it was shooting but was forced back on account of getting drenched. Both of us could easily hear the roar of Ledge geyser playing for over 75 minutes after the eruption began from the bedroom of the museum apartment even with the window tightly closed and the shades down. |
