Dilemma consists of two vents. Eruptions in the mid 1980's, when it was first noticed, through the early 1990's were hardly worth noting, often sending up a few drops that barely reached above the surrounding grass. The "dilemma" was how such small eruptions could have formed the well formed runoff channels that were seen around the geyser. In 1989 the dilemma was solved when larger eruptions were seen that while still fairly short, produced a large runoff.
In the early 1990's, Dilemma was rare and when it was active, you had to be watching extremely closely just to see the beads of water through the grass and generally only one vent was active. Intervals ranged from minutes to hours. Later in the 1990's it became a frequent performer, with intervals ranging from 2-10 minutes. Durations ranged from seconds to minutes. Most heights were 1 to 2 feet, although one spring it had eruptions up to about 10 feet. In the mid-2000's it became less frequent. From 2007 through 2009 occasional puffs of steam and gurgling were the only activity observed. |
