Air Date: Week of February 14, 2014

Yellowstone Lake half frozen over (photo: 21708aud, Flickr, Creative Commons 2.0)

For over a century, visitors have marveled at the unearthly sounds "like a vast pipe organ" near Yellowstone Lake as it freezes. Reporter Jennifer Jerrett has this audio postcard.

Transcript

CURWOOD: Well, we visit another national park now - the oldest, and among the most iconic - Yellowstone, established by President Ulysses S. Grant back in 1872. The park covers nearly 3,500 square miles, and contains one of the largest high altitude lakes in North America, Yellowstone Lake. It's that lake we're headed for, as it's been the scene of a mystery to visitors for over a century.

In the winter the lake sings, though exactly why is uncertain. Scientists think it's caused by the ice expanding as it freezes. Some say it sounds like a vast pipe organ or the humming of a swarm of bees or the ringing of telegraph wires. Reporter Jennifer Jerrett got the chance to visit the lake with a guide who knows the place well.

SEFTON: I’m Bruce Sefton; I’m with the Maintenance Division, National Park Service, here in the Lake District. This is my 26th winter; every day’s fun.

[WALKING ON SNOW]

We’re going to take you down to listen to the lake sing. Come on down!

[WALKING ON SNOW; SOUNDS OF LAKE RUMBLING, WIND]

Yeah, this doesn’t happen all the time; it’s fairly rare. So not many people hear this, ’cause if there’s even the tiniest bit of snow, the deal’s off, the sound’s all muffled.

[EERIE LAKE SOUNDS]

As this stuff freezes and tightens, there’s movement underneath, so this crackle starts and the crack just goes, takes off.

[LOUD RUMBLING SOUNDS]

And you’ll hear this thing that’ll sound just like an F16 just coming right at you.

[CONTINUED RUMBLING]

When the sun comes up it begins in earnest, when the sun goes down, it peters out. The activity’ll subside and stop, and be quiet.

[SOUND CONTINUES]

I’ve tried singing along but it just doesn’t work too well.

[SOUND CONTINUES]

CURWOOD: That's Yellowstone National Park worker, Bruce Sefton who took reporter Jennifer Jerrett to the park's singing lake.

[MORE EERIE SOUNDS]