| Comments: | In the process of taking monthly river temperatures it was noted that Link Geyser Bottomless Pit & the Chain Lakes were all turbid. Closer inspection revealed that North Chain Lake had had at least one major eruption earlier in the morning but definitely after midnight. This was based on the timing of 5cm of new snow fall & the very recent melting & breakup of old thick snow pack at the base of the slope to the west which showed no new snow on the fresh exposed surface. There was extensive fresh wash in all directions around North Chain Lake & porous sinter fragments were torn up from depth littering the surface. North Chain Lake appeared quite hot was overflowing strongly & had occsaional pulsations at its surface. Thus the decision was made to monitor the feature while taking temperatures of all the nearby springs in the group. At 1029 it burst into eruption reaching an estimated maximum height of 12m & lasting 2m27s. Its water as an opaque muddy medium buff tan discolor M1 Middle Chain Lake N2 & Bottomless Pit through direct contact & S1 S2 & Link Geyser subterraneously. Maximum extent of wash beyond the pool margins was 9.4m to the east & 10.7m to the west. The geyser’s eruptive style was a blend like that of Fountain & Morning Geysers with water heaved in all directions massive flooding & a rapid drop in water level {35cm } at the conclusion of the eruption. Muddy water at a common level in M1 Middle Chain Lake & bottomless Pit then cascaded into the crater of North Chain Lake and within 20 minutes Link Geyser had ebbed approximately 15cm. An interesting optical effect was noted briefly in Middle Chain Lake where its convection formed a light blue circle of water surrounded by the opaque buff tan blanket of turbid water from the eruption. High hopes were present in observing & photographing the next eruption of North Chain Lake. It was monitored continuously from about 1330 to 1730 until forced to leave by an advancing storm front with strong winds falling temperatures & poor light. A marker was placed near the spring & was gone when checked again on 3-26-84 at 1000. Only 1 or 2 eruptions are believed to have occurred during this period. No eruptions have occurred since then so the whole series consisted of possibly only 3 to 5 events. |