Yellowstone removes the petrified tree sign that falsely indicated an old-age process
The National Park Service took down their incorrect sign that had claimed petrified trees in two dozen different strata had proved that long ages had passed during the rise and fall of dozens of successive forests. But the petrified trees there had no root systems, and the trees had been transported by water and settled into rapidly and sporadically deposited sediments just as had occurred in Spirit Lake after Mount St. Helens erupted.
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As geology professor William J. Fritz put it (although with some exaggeration, still the point stands): "When I visited the Mount St. Helens area shortly after the eruption, it was just like Yellowstone! ... Both the mudflows and the appearance of the trees is identical."
Once the successive forest interpretation, which was almost universally held to prior to the Mount St. Helens aftermath, had been falsified, Real Science Radio's Bob Enyart had the honor of meeting with the head ranger at a National Park (had dinner at his home) to discuss how this sign could be removed. That Park Ranger corresponded with his colleagues at Yellowstone and urged them to remove the sign.
To see in full the photographs of the original "Fossil Forest" petrified tree exhibit, taken by a family on their 1983 family vacation to Yellowstone, see rsr.org/list#yellowstone. And see Petrified Trees in Yellowstone from Answers in Genesis and Real Science Radio's 3-minute YouTube video: