Colter's Hell is an area of fumaroles and hot springs on the Shoshone River near Cody in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The thermal area covers about one square mile (2.6 km2) at the mouth of the Shoshone's canyon. Its thermal activity has declined since its description by mountain manJohn Colter, who parted from the Lewis and Clark Expedition prior to its conclusion, and passed through the region in the winter of 1807–1808. Colter's account of the features on what was then called the Stinkingwater River has subsequently been confused with the much more extensive and powerful geysers in Yellowstone National Park, which Colter may not have actually visited.[2]
Other early descriptions of Colter's Hell date back to the trapper Joseph Meek in the year of 1830, as well as to Plenty Coups (Alaxchíia Ahú), a principal chief of the Crow people, who camped with his tribe at the thermal area in 1840. Meek had seen geyser basin in Yellowstone and described Colter's Hell in similar terms, implying that there were active geysers at his visit. Today, the area consists of hot springs and steam vents.[2] Several extinct geyser or hot spring cones stand up to 30 feet (9.1 m) high on the riverbank. Other hot springs were located near the confluence of the north and south forks of the Shoshone, now drowned under the reservoir created by Buffalo Bill Dam.[3]
The notion that Colter's Hell referred to one of the geyser basins of Yellowstone first appeared in Hiram M. Chittenden's 1895 book Yellowstone National Park. However, Chittenden went on to describe a "tar spring" on the Stinkingwater as well under the same name. Chittenden's speculation contradicts the earliest published description of the site, in Washington Irving's account of Captain Benjamin L.E. Bonneville's journals, of Bonneville's scouts' visit to the location in 1833, the same year that another of Bonneville's survey parties discovered the geyser basins of Yellowstone along the Firehole River.[3]
^ abFrost, Ned (December 19, 1969). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Colter's Hell". National Park Service. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
^ abMattes, Merrill J. (1962). . Colter's Hell and Jackson's Hole. Yellowstone Association & Grand Teton Natural History Association. Archived from the original on December 31, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
External linksEdit
National Park Service on the naming and location of Colter's Hell
Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office article
August 29, 2023
colter, hell, area, fumaroles, springs, shoshone, river, near, cody, state, wyoming, thermal, area, covers, about, square, mile, mouth, shoshone, canyon, thermal, activity, declined, since, description, mountain, john, colter, parted, from, lewis, clark, exped. Colter s Hell is an area of fumaroles and hot springs on the Shoshone River near Cody in the U S state of Wyoming The thermal area covers about one square mile 2 6 km2 at the mouth of the Shoshone s canyon Its thermal activity has declined since its description by mountain man John Colter who parted from the Lewis and Clark Expedition prior to its conclusion and passed through the region in the winter of 1807 1808 Colter s account of the features on what was then called the Stinkingwater River has subsequently been confused with the much more extensive and powerful geysers in Yellowstone National Park which Colter may not have actually visited 2 Colter s HellU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of WyomingShow map of the United StatesLocationPark County Wyoming USANearest cityCody WyomingCoordinates44 30 53 N 109 7 2 W 44 51472 N 109 11722 W 44 51472 109 11722NRHP reference No 73001937Added to NRHPAugust 14 1973 1 Other early descriptions of Colter s Hell date back to the trapper Joseph Meek in the year of 1830 as well as to Plenty Coups Alaxchiia Ahu a principal chief of the Crow people who camped with his tribe at the thermal area in 1840 Meek had seen geyser basin in Yellowstone and described Colter s Hell in similar terms implying that there were active geysers at his visit Today the area consists of hot springs and steam vents 2 Several extinct geyser or hot spring cones stand up to 30 feet 9 1 m high on the riverbank Other hot springs were located near the confluence of the north and south forks of the Shoshone now drowned under the reservoir created by Buffalo Bill Dam 3 The notion that Colter s Hell referred to one of the geyser basins of Yellowstone first appeared in Hiram M Chittenden s 1895 book Yellowstone National Park However Chittenden went on to describe a tar spring on the Stinkingwater as well under the same name Chittenden s speculation contradicts the earliest published description of the site in Washington Irving s account of Captain Benjamin L E Bonneville s journals of Bonneville s scouts visit to the location in 1833 the same year that another of Bonneville s survey parties discovered the geyser basins of Yellowstone along the Firehole River 3 Colter s Hell is just to the north of US 14 16 20 on the west side of Cody It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 1 References Edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 a b Frost Ned December 19 1969 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Colter s Hell National Park Service Retrieved July 29 2009 a b Mattes Merrill J 1962 Chapter IV Colter s Hell A Case of Mistaken Identity Colter s Hell and Jackson s Hole Yellowstone Association amp Grand Teton Natural History Association Archived from the original on December 31 2009 Retrieved July 29 2009 External links EditNational Park Service on the naming and location of Colter s Hell Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office article Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Colter 27s Hell amp oldid 1168958328, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
