All language subtitles for The.World.From.Above.S04E07.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-AlfaHD_track3_[eng]

(wind whirling)

(upbeat music)

(lively music)

(light music)

- Our journey
begins at the east entrance

of Yellowstone National Park,
exploring Yellowstone Lake.

We continue tracking the Yellowstone River

and catch our first glimpse of the park's

geothermal features in
the Mud Volcano area.

As we look north, we
discover why the views

of the Upper and Lower Falls
had such a dramatic impact

on the park's creation.

Following the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone,

we head to the open
planes of Lamar Valley.

At the northwest corner
of Wyoming we understand

why the park is a national treasure,

starting with the Mammoth Hot Springs.

Venturing southward, exploring
the geothermal basins

of the Yellowstone crater,

we arrive at its most
famous feature, Old Faithful

in time for a spectacular
finale to our journey.

(tinkling music)

With five entrances to
Yellowstone National Park,

we approach from the east, following

along the Shoshone River
in the Wapiti Valley,

about 80 kilometers from Cody, Wyoming.

Because of the weather restrictions,

the east entrance to the
Yellowstone Park remains open

only from May to November.

On entering the park, there's a glimpse

of the towering peaks
of the Absaroka Range

of the Rocky Mountains.

Yellowstone, which became the
world's first national park

in 1872, hosts over three
million visitors a year.

(light music)

Access to the park from
the east is made possible

by the Sylvan Pass, maintained
to allow winter travel

by snowmobile or snow coach.

It was named after Sylvan Lake
which rests along the route.

As we continue along the pass,
we come to Yellowstone Lake,

the largest body of water in the park.

Its basin is part of the massive
Yellowstone crater carved

from the volcanic eruptions
over 600,000 years ago.

(birds twittering)
(summery music)

Yellowstone offers a splendid habitat

for over 60 species of large mammals.

Here we spot a small herd of elk.

The park hosts an
estimated 30,000 in total.

The lake's northern tip is where its fed

and drained by Yellowstone River.

A fishing bridge crosses
at this meeting point,

a spawning area for the
native cutthroat trout.

And nearby is a popular
recreational vehicle park.

Visitors wanting less
rustic accommodation stay

at the historic Lake Hotel.

Originally built in the late 19th century,

the hotel was restored to
its 1920s grandeur in 1990.

The Yellowstone River is a main tributary

of the Missouri River, and drains nearly

a 1100 kilometer stretch of the Rockies.

Within the park, the river
is used recreationally

for flatboat fishing.

The words, "Yellow stone" were recorded

by Lewis and Clark during
their famous expedition

after meeting with the Minitari Indians

near the river in 1805.

North along the river we
enter the mud volcano area.

These formations are
created from a geo-excretion

of iron and hydrogen
sulfide, which results

in a dark gray color and rotten egg smell.

(majestic music)

Flowing north out of Hayden Valley,

the first signs of rapids are present

as the Yellowstone River begins its decent

toward the park's Grand Canyon.

(water rushing)

The river first cascades
at the Upper Falls,

dropping about 33 meters.

Spectacular viewing
points along the trails

on either side of the
canyon, makes this one

of the favorite places in
the park among visitors.

And it's yet another example

of how Yellowstone's landscape was shaped

from volcanic events 600,000 years ago.

The Upper Falls marks a junction

where a hard lava flow met
with a softer altered flow.

In 1871, Dr. Ferdinand
Hayden, whose name was given

to the valley, led a US geological survey

into the unexplored Yellowstone region.

Joining the expedition were photographer

William Henry Jackson
and artist, Thomas Moran.

Their photographs and
paintings of the falls captured

the nation's attention
and inspired congress

to establish the national
park a year later.

The Yellowstone River continues to flow

another half kilometer before
taking a much bigger plunge

that will take it to the
mouth of the Grand Canyon.

The Lower Falls drop 94 meters
and is the tallest waterfall

in the park, nearly twice
the height of Niagara Falls.

It's also the largest volume

of falling water in the Rocky Mountains.

And this is the famous
vantage point along the canyon

that was immortalized
in the famous painting

by Thomas Moran, which now
hangs in the White House.

It was these majestic
falls that were the subject

of the almost mythic accounts composed

by prospectors venturing
into the Montana territory

in the mid 19th century.

Frontier newspapers printed claims

that the falls were
thousands of feet high,

and referred to it as the
most sublime spot on earth.

(light music)

Two scenic routes of Grand
Loop Road offer breathtaking

views of the canyon such as
Point Sublime on the south rim.

The other viewpoints take
visitors to the absolute brink

of the Upper and Lower Falls,

offering them a riveting encounter

with the powerful cascades.

Some 10,000 years after
the volcanic eruptions

in Yellowstone, lava
flow filled the region.

One of these was a canyon lava flow,

leaving a thermal basin
shaped from the hot steam

and gasses that altered
and weakened the lava.

Other flows blocked lakes
and created overflowing lakes

that further molded
the Yellowstone canyon.

(light upbeat music)

The park contains several
broad, open valleys,

such as the Lamar Valley in
the park's northeast corner.

Packhorse treks are very popular
for guided camping tours.

Organized trips can
last as long as 10 days

as visitors venture into the heart

of Yellowstone's tranquil wilderness.

Lamar Valley and the river stretches

for almost 10 kilometers
from its confluence

with the Yellowstone River,

just below the Grand
Canyon to its junction

with the Soda Butte Creek tributary.

A true treasure of Yellowstone,

the valley is remarkable in its scenery.

But it was also the stage for one

of the most significant
wildlife conservation projects,

the recovery of the American bison.

(somber music)

In 1903, there were less
than 50 bison in the park.

A century later, the
population was nearly 5,000.

The Yellowstone Park
bison herd is one of four

in North America that are free
roaming and genetically pure.

27 kilometers north of the canyon,

the small creek shoots
off the Yellowstone River

and flows south to the
park's third notable cascade,

Tower Fall, which stands 40 meters tall.

Named for the volcanic
formations that surround it,

the park offers a breathtaking view

from an overlook that
draws visitors in droves.

Flying northwest, we pass

over the Roosevelt Lodge history district.

Originally built in 1919
as an education center,

the lodge offers guests
rustic accommodation

and horseback tours,
exploring the area's wildlife.

The area was named in honor
of President Teddy Roosevelt

who camped near the site
prior to its construction.

Here we witness another
popular tourist attraction.

Stagecoach rides.
(coach rattling)

Once the primary mode of
transportation for guests,

who'd traverse the parks
for days along dusty roads,

stagecoaches offer a nostalgic adventure

through the sage-covered
fields of Pleasant Valley.

We are fortunate to capture
a rarely seen resident

of Yellowstone, the black bear.

The park actually has a sizable population

as opposed to the estimated
mere 300 grizzlies

that take residence in the park.

Although this bear is
seen in the open meadow,

black bears are usually
found in timber areas.

In our journey across the
northern valleys of Yellowstone,

we observe a playful bison.

These animals are quite
nomadic, migrating high

to these grassy plateaus
in the summer to mate.

They are vegetarians,
grazing on the grasslands

and the meadows and foothills

as well as during the colder seasons.

Bison are the biggest
of the park's animals,

and it is believed that the
Yellowstone bison habitat is the

only one in America to have
existed since prehistoric times.

Elk are high elevation mammals,

and are more often seen
in the early morning

or late afternoon in the summers,

grazing on the grasses of the meadows.

In 1988, wildfires damaged
36 percent of the park.

These areas eventually became a habitat

for the elk as lush vegetation developed.

For this reason, they also
graze in areas recently logged.

The elk bulls are symbolized
by their beautiful antlers.

The rack may have six to
eight branches on each side,

and weigh more than 13 kilos.

By March or April of each year the bull

completely sheds its antlers then begins

to regrow them starting
in May until August.

And nearby the Gardner River cuts

through the rugged Sheepeater Canyon,

named after the Sheepeater Indians,

who are believed to have
used these cliff edges

to herd and trap game.

Today a spectacular trail
along the canyon brings hikers

to one of Yellowstone's best
kept secrets, the Osprey Falls.

Nestled in the narrow
gorge, the spray created

by the waterfall provides
a welcome cooling mist

for visitors on a hot summer's day.

(majestic music)

The park sits on a plateau

at an average height of 2400 meters.

Bound by mountains that
soar as high as 3300 meters.

Often the plateau fills with clouds,

setting a very enchanting
tone for the visitors.

(flowery music)

Nestled between Mount
Everts and the Mammoth area,

about eight kilometers
from the north entrance,

is Yellowstone Park's headquarters.

A series of red roof buildings constructed

in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

For most of its early
existence as a national park,

Yellowstone was operated
by the US cavalry,

with this area serving as
an Army post for 32 years.

The stone buildings house 400 occupants.

In 1918 the Army turned
over control of the park

to civilians who have
maintained Fort Yellowstone

as the park's headquarters ever since.

The historic Army buildings now serve

as offices and resident housing.

Additionally, there is a medical clinic,

and the Albright museum
which chronicles a history

of the park's residents.

Adjacent to the Fort Yellowstone
district lies a magical

white hillside, blanketed
in calcium carbonate.

(soothing music)

This geothermal wonder of nature,

the Mammoth Hot Springs,
is a large complex

of limestone terraces, appearing in white,

tan and cream colored varieties.

A circuit a boardwalks
and stairs allow explorers

to navigate through
the impressive displays

of step-like sedimentary rock.

Each of these formations
exhibits individual character,

such as the now extinct Liberty Cap,

a 14 meter cone formed
from hot water emanating

from a single source.

(water gushing)

As heated water from the
Norris Geyser Basin moves

through a fault line and
escapes the earth's surface

through cracks and fissures,

dissolved limestone is
deposited onto the terraces.

Over 1800 kilos of calcium carbonate flow

into Mammoth each day.

The yellow, orange and brown
terraces get their color

from bacteria that are
able to grow in the waters.

We exit the northwest
region of Yellowstone

and continue our journey moving south,

back towards the crater rim.

It's here that we'll explore a basin

that boasts the park's
highest temperatures.

The extreme thermal conditions

of the Norris Geyser Basin result

from the junction of
two major fault lines,

and the ring of the fracture
zone of the Yellowstone crater.

For this reason, the
basin boasts the hottest,

most acidic and most dynamic
thermal features in the park.

Clear pools become
violently bubbly and muddy,

even temporarily
transforming into geysers.

Within this basin, we see a hot spring

with prismatic characteristics,

developed from the
pigmentation of the bacteria

that grows in this mineral-rich water.

Near the western entrance is the origin

of the Madison River at the confluence

of Gibbon's and Firehole Rivers,

overlooked by National Park Mountain.

(flowery music)

This place is known as Madison Junction,

and legend has it that this is the site

where leaders of the
1870 Washburn Expedition

first conceived the idea
of creating a national park

while sat around a campfire.

Continuing south we examine
the Lower Geyser Basin

with thermal features that are
scattered in small clusters,

spread out mostly on open
meadows along the Firehole River.

We concentrate on the fire lake

and the fountain groups known
for its multicolored mud pots.

The basin also delights spectators

with its fumaroles and geysers,

as well as bubbling pools and hot springs.

(lively music)

The white dome ejects water and steam

through a six meter
high pinkish-white cone.

The lower basin geyser has
many areas of high activity,

such as the Firehole and Hot Lakes

which drain from a tributary
of the Firehole River.

The aptly named Steady
Geyser is the largest,

constantly erupting geyser
in Yellowstone and the world.

The Fountain Paint Pot Group
is the most diverse cluster

of thermal features in the lower basin,

with hot springs, mud pots,
geysers and fumaroles.

The Clepsydra Geyser, a name derived

from the Greek word for water clock,

has four vents spewing water
in two different phases.

Clepsydra's wild phase can
last three to six hours.

The other notable feature of

this group is the Fountain Paint Pots

which derive their name from their red,

yellow and brown colors.

In the spring these mut
pots are most active

when an abundance source of water

from melted snow creates a
dancing effect in the bubbles.

During the warmer summer months

the mud gets drier and thicker.

In between the Upper and
Lower Geyser Basins is the

appropriately named Midway Geyser Basin,

nicknamed Hells Half Acre, by
the writer, Rudyard Kipling.

This is Excelsior Geyser,
once the largest in the world,

which releases 22 million liters

of water per day into Firehole River.

Excelsior is flanked by
the Grand Prismatic Spring,

the largest hot spring in the park

and third largest in the world.

The spring discharges over 2,000
liters of water per minute.

The color varies at times
depending on the pigment ratio

of the bacteria growing in the water

as well as the water temperature.

The deep blue color is so
intense due to the high purity

and depth of the water in the middle.

The Grand Prismatic Spring is yet

another famous Yellowstone
subject of artist, Thomas Moran.

Moving along to the Upper Geysers,

we focus on an isolated group
called The Black Sand Basin,

highlighted by its colorful hot springs

such as emerald and rainbow pools.

The basin got its name from
the black volcanic glass

that covers much of the area.

Another famous feature of
the Upper Geysers is the

most unusually shaped Grotto Geyser.

The gusher formed around stumps

of dead pine trees destroyed

by an earthquake thousands of years ago.

With a clear view of
the Old Faithful Geyser,

the inn of the same name has operated

as a hotel in the park since 1904.

Constructed of locally grown pine,

it is the largest log hotel in the world.

The foundation and the massive fireplace

inside were made from a volcanic stone

that is dominant in the park.

A short walk from the historic

inn is the Old Faithful Geyser.

Because of its predictability,
it is quite possibly the

most calculable geothermal
feature on the planet.

Thus, the cone-shaped geyser
is also the most visited

and anticipated attraction.

Like most visitors to the park,

the famous US Army expedition
that named Yellowstone

in 1870 count Old Faithful

as the first geyser they set eyes on.

Thus, she was also the first in the park

to receive a name.

The best indicator among locals

of the next eruption is to watch

for the benches around Old
Faithful to fill and overflow.

(exciting music)

Old Faithful begins each performance

with a prologue of
splashing and small-jetting

for a period of up to 20 minutes.

The jetting usually grows
over two to three steps

before reaching its maximum height.

Ranging 32 to 56 meters in height,

it shoots out between 14 and
32 thousand liters of water.

Predictions of Old Faithful's
next eruption are based

on the duration of its previous blast,

which average two to four minutes.

The intervals between eruptions
average about 90 minutes,

and times are estimated
one eruption in advance.

Old Faithful is indeed both
a symbol of Yellowstone Park

and an American icon.

A perfect place to end this journey.

(upbeat music)

(letters blasting)