Can you help identify this geyser?

The picture and caption appear in a book by G. S. Turrill called A Tale of the Yellowstone. It was apparently taken in 1898.

Elizabeth Dougherty of UltimateWyoming.com wrote in to suggest that it may be Ledge Geyser, and referred us to this picture.

Geyser gazer David Schwarz disagrees with Elizabeth. Writing to me in January 2007, he offers strong evidence that our mystery geyser is an early picture of Steamboat Geyser. This link takes you to a 1962 NPS photo of a minor eruption of Steamboat. As David points out, the knob in the geyserite formation at the right side of the 1962 photo is a close match for that shown in our old picture. Also, Ledge's vent is on an open cliff face and its eruptions nozzle into a narrow, nearly horizontal jet. Here are some more recent pictures of the now-elusive Steamboat. You can learn more about Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone Treasures, page 231.

If you'd like to venture your own opinion, contact Beth or Janet Chapple.