More hot spots on another day off

© 2011 Lydia Hinshaw

Firehole River near Old Faithful

Looks harmless, but don't step in it

 OLD FAITHFUL, WY  -- On a cold day like Monday was, it's good to hike amid geysers and hot springs, mud pots and fumaroles.
 When we could stay downwind of these thermal features, we got a nice, warm, steamy breeze.  Otherwise, we were stuck with temperatures in the high 20s and a wind chill of goodness knows what.
 The top photo shows a view along the Firehole River.  The orange color always makes me think of flaming lava, but it's actually made up of thermophiles, microorganisms that thrive in extremely hot conditions.
 The small "puddle" in the bottom photo shows the orange color too, and is nothing you'd want to wade into.