by Bobby Akart
“All right, you asked for it,” said Jake with a sigh. “But I’ll keep it simple because it is. I grew up with my parents and younger brother in Northern California, Silicon Valley to be exact. My dad created a microchip, which turned out to be something Intel wanted very badly, so they purchased his company for a bazillion dollars, or something like that.
“Anyway, I had just graduated from high school and I planned on going to Humboldt State University, a small rural school near Eureka.”
“I know the area,” interjected Ashby. “It’s beautiful up there.”
“It is. However, Dad had other plans for me, which was no surprise. As part of the buyout, he was required to stay on with Intel for five years. They needed him at their offices in New York City, and rather than commute, he decided to uproot all of us and move cross country.
“I wasn’t interested in living in New York, so I moved into a dorm at Humboldt and studied forestry for a couple of years until, on a dare, some of my friends encouraged me to try out for Survivor. Like I said earlier today, I made it on the show, and it changed the direction of my life somewhat, including a stint in Hollywood.”
“How so?” asked Dusty. “You still found a career in forestry, sort of. And you love the outdoors.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” replied Jake. “I love what I do and how my life turned out. It’s just, well, things were rocky getting here.”
Ashby had been listening intently to Jake’s story, and she moved from the fireplace to the sofa next to Dusty to get closer to Jake.
Jake continued. “After Survivor, I got caught up in all of the reality-television-star crap. I went to events all over the country, signing autographs at car dealerships and posing with fans. A couple of times a year, there would be reality-show events for charity. I’d go just to see the new friends that I’d made after Survivor. It was like a fraternity, you know?”
“You mentioned something about Hollywood,” said Rita.
“Oh yeah, Hollywood. Here’s what happens. You go on these reality shows, and it goes to your head. All of a sudden, all of these people who were made famous just because they met a certain physical profile or filled a certain psychological niche for the show thought they were actors and actresses. I fell into that trap too.”
Rita perked up. “An actor? Did you appear on any shows or in a movie or something?”
“Not really. Actually, yes. I wasn’t an actor, but I was used as both a stunt double in the movie Troy as well as one of the Trojan warriors who fought alongside Orlando Bloom. My only speaking role was to yell arrrggghhh!”
Jake started laughing, and then Dusty gave it a try. He raised his beer in the air and yelled, “Arrggghhh!”
This caused the group to laugh even harder.
“You sound more like a pirate than a Trojan warrior,” needled Rita.
Ashby playfully wiggled her empty beer bottle and Jake hopped out of his chair. He returned from the kitchen with another round for everyone.
“You know, I didn’t do much to earn my royalties, but I still get a check for eight hundred to a thousand every month for the work I did back then.”
“Pays for the beer, right?” said Dusty with a laugh.
“You bet, and the hot dogs we need to eat. Can I recruit you guys to help me? I’m thinking, since it’s a beautiful night, we’ll cook outside. Are you up for it?”
“Absolutely,” said Dusty enthusiastically. The girls agreed, and everyone stood to receive their assignments. Jake showed Ashby and Rita around the kitchen. He was going to give Dusty a brief orientation on the great outdoors, which would include a quick lecture about the danger of the forest. Bears were abundant and not receptive to human contact.
As everyone started on their preparations for a campfire weenie roast, Jake went to the bathroom to rinse his face off. His eyes were sad and somewhat teary as he recalled the reason he’d come to Yellowstone. He was glad he didn’t have to tell that part of the story.
Chapter 27
Jake’s Cabin
Yellowstone
“These were the bomb dot-com!” exclaimed Dusty as he and Rita shoved the last of their hot dogs into their mouths. “This reminds me of undergrad. What about you, Rita?”
“Are you kiddin’? I’ve been broke since I started college. Oscar Mayer all-beef hot dogs were for rich people. I was lucky to afford the mega pack of mystery meat from Walmart.”
Ashby laughed at Rita’s statement. “Jake, I’m convinced that’s the only reason these two applied for the VIPER program and my projects. NASA pays all of our expenses while on the road. I’m certain they’d starve if I didn’t have an expense account.”
“True dat!” said Dusty. “Say, Jake, I don’t have any cell service up here. Would you mind if I tap into your internet?”
“Not at all, but I have to warn you, it’s HughesNet and it’s much slower than what you’re used to.”
“I’ll take it,” said Dusty. “I have our portable satellite system in the van, but it’s dark, and I don’t wanna dig it out.”
“You’re afraid of the dark, aren’t you?” joked Rita.
“No, I’m afraid of Mama Grizzly and her pals roamin’ around in the dark,” Dusty replied in all seriousness. “I smell like roasted weenies, every bear’s favorite.”
Everyone sat in Adirondack chairs, which encircled a fire pit made of large stones and smaller ones to fill in any gaps. The fire crackled as the water trapped inside the wood turned to steam, exerting its pressure on the burning wood. The intense heat caused the water to vaporize, demanding that the logs give way to allow its escape.
Ashby’s mind wandered to the ground beneath them. She chuckled to herself at the juxtaposition of the fire in front of her and the boiling cauldron underground. Project Hydro was likely having the same impact as this burning wood. The water turned to steam, creating energy and demanding to be released.
POP! POP! SIZZLE!
The sudden sound of the wood expanding and sparks flying out of the campfire startled Rita and Dusty. Both Ashby and Jake were mesmerized by the flames and appeared to be deep in thought, but for different reasons.
Jake just blurted it out. “I think I saw magma or a lava flow.”
Dusty looked away from his laptop and leaned forward to see Jake better. “What?”
The mouths of the scientists fell open in unison. Jake turned to Ashby. “I may be wrong, okay. But my reason for going to the YVO this morning was to report what I saw while fighting the fire a week ago.”
“Lava? Are you sure?” asked Ashby. “Magma is what’s contained below the ground—the molten rock. Once it comes to the surface, it’s called lava.
“Okay, lava, then. But no, I’m not sure, which is why I took so long to say anything. Here’s what happened. I’m not a firefighter, but I was doing what I could to help create firebreaks while the guys who knew what they were doing actually fought the damn thing.
“I got separated from the group and was making my way down the trail when an orange-red glow caught my eye. Listen, I was sweating, my eyes were burning, and my mask was covered with soot. Visibility was horrible because of the smoke and ash flying around.”
“What makes you think it was lava?” asked Ashby, who was intent on following Jake’s explanation.
“When it first caught my eye, I was curious. No, curious isn’t the right word. Beckoned is better. I swear, something came over me. My brain demanded to confirm what it was. I started to climb the mountain, and the closer I got, the more it glowed. Guys, the heat was intense too. I was in the middle of the fire at times that day, and I know what a hundred fifty degrees feels like. No, this was twice as hot or more.
“I got as close as I could without getting scalded. Maybe twenty or thirty feet away before it started to hiss and fizzle. A brief gust of air caused an updraft and I got a better look. It had to be lava oozing out of the crevice in the rock outcropping.”
Everyone sat in silence for a moment to allow Jake’s words to soak in. Then the
barrage of questions came flying at him.
“Was it flowing?”
“Have you been back?”
“Did you happen to take a picture?”
“Could you find it again?”
Jake leaned back in his chair and shook his head. He finished his beer and turned it upside down to allow the last few drops to sizzle into the fire. It was a familiar sound, not unlike what he’d heard on the mountain that day.
Finally, he replied, “I haven’t been back, but I’m sure I could find it.”
“Tomorrow, right, Doc?” asked Dusty.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I can’t think of a better place to start,” added Rita.
Ashby leaned forward onto the edge of her chair. “Jake, I can’t stress enough the scientific implications of what you may have seen. You’ve got a job to do, and we don’t want to take you away from your duties.”
“I understand and it’s not a problem. I’ve got years’ worth of sick time and vacation days available. In fact, I went back to work today even though my vacation doesn’t end for another week and a half. If you think this is important, I’ll devote my time to helping you guys.”
Ashby smiled and held out her hand to shake Jake’s. “Welcome aboard, Jake Wheeler.”
Chapter 28
Jake’s Cabin
Yellowstone
Despite the late hour, after Jake’s revelation, the group was energized. Dusty and Rita raced to the truck and brought back their NASA-designed satellite hookup, which gave them internet speeds faster than anything HughesNet ever dreamed of. Rita was trying to pinpoint the GPS coordinates of where the fissure was located, which allowed the lava to seep out. Dusty was scouring news reports to find the latest information on the day’s seismic activity.
Ashby remained somewhat calm because of a slight bit of skepticism. She didn’t want to discourage her team or make light of what Jake thought he saw, but the fact of the matter was lava had never been seen at Yellowstone. Ever. And if Jake did in fact see it, they had bigger problems than a small tsunami and a landslide.
She shared a fourth beer with Jake and was completely relaxed. While Dusty and Rita chatted back and forth about what they’d discovered online, Ashby explained some of the recent scientific discoveries related to the Yellowstone Caldera.
“Dr. Peake’s team, along with researchers from the University of Texas, found a column of hot volcanic ash known as a magma plume beneath the caldera. From their study, it could stretch as far as New Mexico, creating an underground fountain of magma between the Earth’s core and the mantle. Under the right geologic conditions, this magma plume will rise through the mantle into the crust.”
“This is new?” asked Jake.
“To a degree, yes. It’s been debated for decades as to whether or not a mantle plume lies beneath the Yellowstone Caldera. Using new imaging techniques, seismic activity around Yellowstone was analyzed using GPS-tied listening stations across North America. Based upon the readings, it’s been determined that a forty-five-by-thirty-five-mile-wide channel exists beneath us.”
Ashby paused as Rita and Dusty picked at each other until the satellite was hooked up.
After the bickering subsided, Ashby continued. “Anyway, the jury is out on that one. Some scientists claim the new technology has allowed its discovery while a small minority believe it’s a fundamental change in the dynamics of the caldera.”
Jake sighed and sat back in his chair. He studied the fire for a moment as its dancing flames began to die out. “If it means a recent expansion of the magma chamber, how would you know?”
Ashby was quick to respond. “Increased surface activity within the park, for one. I’m sure you are aware the Steamboat Geyser has erupted for the ninth time in three months, twice in the last week. This is a geyser that goes years with no activity, and all of a sudden it puts on a show for the ninth time in a short period of time?”
“Could today’s earthquake, and the recent one in Montana, be part of this?” asked Jake.
“Maybe, although not definitively. The Montana quake could be coincidental. Today’s quake could be coincidental, or it could be a result of the drilling by Project Hydro. We’ll have to monitor the region for aftershocks in the coming days. There’s still a helluva lot of strain energy in the ground. Time will tell.”
Jake was perplexed. “But my magma sighting was before both recent quakes.”
“Yes, and that’s why it would be astounding if your eyes didn’t betray you. Jake, I know what you think you saw. If you’re right, then magma is near the surface of Yellowstone and it’s been undetected. This could have grave consequences beyond comprehension.”
Jake nodded but was still concerned about what he was learning. “Ashby, in all of our orientation classes and briefings, the USGS has assured us that while active, Yellowstone has not yet shown signs of erupting. They tell us we’ll have weeks, months, and most likely years to prepare. Do you disagree?”
“I do, Jake. Unlike my colleagues, I believe a reawakened Yellowstone has been building toward an eruption for nearly seventy years. Periodic earthquake activity in 1959, 1975, and through the most recent major swarm of 2008 is one indicator. Increased ground swelling throughout the caldera is another. This newly discovered magma column is a third. We shouldn’t be waiting for the signs to begin. The scientific community needs to accept that signs of an eruption have been occurring for decades.”
“Quakes happen a lot around here. Plus, that’s a much longer time period between major events than where we are today. Wouldn’t these two recent quakes be too early?”
Ashby looked to the ground and shook her head. Then she smiled as she considered Jake’s question. “It is too early unless it’s being prompted by the drilling. Project Hydro is nothing more than a giant fracking project. Do you remember all of the earthquakes in Oklahoma and Texas, places were there has been little or no seismic activity in recorded history? These geologists, like Rick Younger, working with the energy companies, such as Union Oil and ExxonMobil, pushed the fracking experiment too fast, too hard. I believe they knew what would happen and they wanted to move quickly before the geologists forced them to stop. The government slowed them down, but fracking continues all over the country nonetheless.
“Make no mistake, what they are doing with Project Hydro is the functional equivalent of fracking except they are extracting geothermal energy instead of oil and natural gas. Jake, it’s one thing to mess with the subsurface rock in the middle of Oklahoma. It’s something else to go after the fire-breathing dragon of hell that lies underneath Yellowstone. If they’re wrong, or if they push too hard, they’ll compromise the caldera and cause an eruption, which I firmly believe is already in its formative stages.”
Ashby paused and sighed. “It’s very simple, Jake. All of the signs you’ve experienced today—the unusual animal activity, the earthquake, tsunamis, and landslides—when coupled with your lava sighting, the increased geyser activity and sporadic ground swelling that has been reported of late are indicators Yellowstone has had enough. The caldera is taking a stand and it’s saying don’t mess with me.”
Chapter 29
Sentinel Creek at Jake’s Cabin
Yellowstone
Jake’s cabin was located on the Firehole River near the confluence of two tributary creeks. The Firehole River flows through the western part of Yellowstone. Its course includes trips through several geyser basins, including Old Faithful and the Upper Geyser Basin. As it traverses the mountains, it runs through three major waterfalls, including the Kepler Cascades, Firehole Falls, and the Cascades in Firehole Canyon.
Several tributaries feed the river, and as the river flows between Madison Junction and the Continental Divide, all of these streams and creeks bring cooler water to the river, which has measured as high as eight-six degrees due to the geothermal features surrounding it.
This morning, Jake rose at the crack of dawn, as he always did. He snuck outside and took in the cool ai
r, allowing his guests to get some much-needed rest. He and Ashby, the old folks of the group, had turned in first, followed by the more energetic duo of Dusty and Rita. They had clearly enjoyed the action created by yesterday’s events and stayed up well into the night pounding away on their MacBooks.
Jake decided a little fly-fishing would give him an opportunity to clear his head and process everything that had happened yesterday, including the introduction of these new friends to his life. He grabbed his fishing gear and slipped on a pair of nylon fly-fishing pants and a pair of neoprene socks. Then he pulled on his wading boots and made his way down the rock path to the creek.
He didn’t like to wear the customary vented-back, linen fishing shirt worn by anglers and which was a mainstay of fly fishermen. He didn’t like the way it restricted his cast, and he preferred to fish shirtless anyway. Typically, despite the temperature, he liked to soak in the morning sun, especially in the summer. He wore a plain black tee shirt as he left the house, but after the descent to the creek, he removed his shirt and left it on a nearby rock.
Sentinel Creek was not that different from the Mad River outside Arcata, California, where his parents had a place. On rare occasions, his dad would pull himself away from work and they’d make their way up there for a weekend. This had been Jake’s favorite part of growing up. As a teenager, unlike other kids his age, when it came time for these family outings, he’d enthusiastically join in. Other kids did everything they could to avoid the proverbial family vacation. Not Jake, who, upon receiving his driver’s license, would venture up to the getaway on his own to fish, hunt, and relax.
During the summer months, the Firehole River got very warm. As a result, trout would move upstream into the tributaries like Sentinel Creek. These fish were usually much larger, at nine to twelve inches, than the resident fish of Sentinel Creek, like the rainbow, brown, and brook trout, which averaged six to nine inches.
