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California: Death Valley National Park

130 images Created 3 Jun 2018

During our visit 19-21 April 2018, some refreshing sprinkles formed a rainbow over Death Valley's colorful geology. Parting clouds revealed fresh snow whitening Telescope Peak (11,043 ft), impressively high above Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Cresting the Panamint Range, Telescope Peak has one of the greatest vertical rises above local terrain of any mountain in the contiguous United States. At our feet, evaporation from Badwater Basin concentrated crystalline mounds of sodium chloride (table salt), plus calcite, gypsum, and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams). Artist's Drive was worth the short side trip to explore the colorful geologic formation of Artists Palette. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals which chemically altered into a colorful paint pot of elements (iron, aluminum, magnesium and titanium).

We were delighted to photograph sunrise illuminating a tapestry of golden yellow striated landscape patterns at Zabriskie Point. Next, driving around to Golden Canyon Trailhead begins a great hiking loop uphill to Red Cathedral then back downhill via Gower Gulch (6 miles with 800 ft gain), our favorite walk in the park. Around lunchtime, I enjoyed photographing pioneer-era mining and transportation machines outdoors at the Borax Museum at Furnace Creek Ranch. To escape increasing heat, we drove up Emigrant Canyon Road to 4100-foot Wildrose Campground, where faucets provided tasty drinking water. Along the winding road, we luckily spotted some Desert bighorn sheep with lambs. Campground quiet was suddenly shattered with the loud hee-haw braying of an alpha donkey keeping his herd in line.

Near Stovepipe Wells, the first light of sunrise spectacularly highlights Mesquite Flat Dunes. Then, along the hike to Fall Canyon's dry waterfall (6.7 miles with 1250 feet gain) I photographed some feisty Zebra-tailed lizards, some lusciously creamy yellow flowers of the desert rock nettle (desert stingbush) clinging to shaded canyon walls, plus some intriguing rock patterns.

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  • Sunrise on Mesquite Flat Dunes, near Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. This dune field includes three types of dunes: crescent, linear, and star shaped. Polygon-cracked clay of an ancient lakebed forms the floor. Mesquite trees have created large hummocks that provide stable habitats for wildlife.
    1804SW-2926.jpg
  • In Death Valley National Park, snow-dusted Telescope Peak (11,043 ft) rises high above Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Inyo County, California, USA. Millions of visitors have compacted a wide white salt walkway across the brown-dirt-dusted crystal formations. Through concentration by evaporation, Badwater Basin accumulates mostly Sodium Chloride (table salt), plus calcite, gypsum, and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams). Cresting the Panamint Range, Telescope Peak has one of the greatest vertical rises above local terrain of any mountain in the contiguous United States. Its summit rises 11,325 feet above Badwater Basin in about 15 miles, and about 10,000 feet above the floor of Panamint Valley in about 8 miles, to the west.
    1804SW-2217.jpg
  • Hike Golden Canyon to see colorful geologic patterns in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
    1804SW-2755.jpg
  • Badwater Road H178 entrance sign for Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
    1804SW-2123.jpg
  • Badwater Road, H178 entrance to Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
    1804SW-2129.jpg
  • Water in salt pans along Badwater Road in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
    1804SW-2148.jpg
  • Orange rock patterns in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals which chemically altered into a colorful paint pot of elements (iron, aluminum, magnesium and titanium).
    1804SW-2171.jpg
  • Orange rock patterns in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals which chemically altered into a colorful paint pot of elements (iron, aluminum, magnesium and titanium).
    1804SW-2177.jpg
  • Orange rock patterns in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals which chemically altered into a colorful paint pot of elements (iron, aluminum, magnesium and titanium).
    1804SW-2180.jpg
  • Orange rock patterns in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals which chemically altered into a colorful paint pot of elements (iron, aluminum, magnesium and titanium).
    1804SW-2185.jpg
  • Millions of visitors have compacted a wide white salt walkway across the brown-dirt-dusted crystal formations in Badwater Basin, which is the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Death Valley National Park, California, USA. Through concentration by evaporation, Badwater Basin accumulates mostly Sodium Chloride (table salt), plus minerals such as calcite, gypsum and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams).
    1804SW-2188.jpg
  • Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America: 282 feet below sea level. Death Valley National Park, California, USA. Through concentration by evaporation, Badwater Basin accumulates mostly Sodium Chloride (table salt), plus calcite, gypsum, and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams).
    1804SW-2196.jpg
  • Millions of visitors have compacted a wide white salt walkway across the brown-dirt-dusted crystal formations in Badwater Basin, which is the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Death Valley National Park, California, USA. Through concentration by evaporation, Badwater Basin accumulates mostly Sodium Chloride (table salt), plus minerals such as calcite, gypsum and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams).
    1804SW-2201.jpg
  • In Death Valley National Park, snow-dusted Telescope Peak (11,043 ft) rises high above Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Inyo County, California, USA. Millions of visitors have compacted a wide white salt walkway across the brown-dirt-dusted crystal formations. Through concentration by evaporation, Badwater Basin accumulates mostly Sodium Chloride (table salt), plus calcite, gypsum, and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams). Cresting the Panamint Range, Telescope Peak has one of the greatest vertical rises above local terrain of any mountain in the contiguous United States. Its summit rises 11,325 feet above Badwater Basin in about 15 miles, and about 10,000 feet above the floor of Panamint Valley in about 8 miles, to the west.
    1804SW-2203.jpg
  • In Death Valley National Park, snow-dusted Telescope Peak (11,043 ft) rises high above Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Inyo County, California, USA. Cresting the Panamint Range, Telescope Peak has one of the greatest vertical rises above local terrain of any mountain in the contiguous United States. Its summit rises 11,325 feet above Badwater Basin in about 15 miles, and about 10,000 feet above the floor of Panamint Valley in about 8 miles, to the west.
    1804SW-2206.jpg
  • In Death Valley National Park, snow-dusted Telescope Peak (11,043 ft) rises high above Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). Inyo County, California, USA. Millions of visitors have compacted a wide white salt walkway across the brown-dirt-dusted crystal formations. Through concentration by evaporation, Badwater Basin accumulates mostly Sodium Chloride (table salt), plus calcite, gypsum, and borax (famously mined 1883-1889 with Twenty Mule Teams). Cresting the Panamint Range, Telescope Peak has one of the greatest vertical rises above local terrain of any mountain in the contiguous United States. Its summit rises 11,325 feet above Badwater Basin in about 15 miles, and about 10,000 feet above the floor of Panamint Valley in about 8 miles, to the west.
    1804SW-2209.jpg
  • Colorful mountains reveal complex geologic forces above Artists Drive, in Death Valley NP, California, USA. Orange rock patterns in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals which chemically altered into a colorful paint pot of elements (iron, aluminum, magnesium and titanium).
    1804SW-2225.jpg
  • Colorful mountains reveal complex geologic forces above Artists Drive, in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
    1804SW-2231.jpg
  • Colorful mountains reveal complex geologic forces above Artists Drive, in Death Valley National Park, California, USA.
    1804SW-2245.jpg
  • From Artists Drive, look south across the harsh desert landscape to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level), which is surrounded by high mountain ranges. Death Valley National Park, California, USA. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1804SW-2260-62-Pano.jpg
  • Artist's Palette geologic formation on Artists Drive, Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals across the landscape, which chemically altered over time into a colorful paint pot of elements: iron, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium.
    1804SW-2276.jpg
  • Artist's Palette geologic formation on Artists Drive, Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals across the landscape, which chemically altered over time into a colorful paint pot of elements: iron, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium.
    1804SW-2277.jpg
  • Artist's Palette geologic formation on Artists Drive, Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals across the landscape, which chemically altered over time into a colorful paint pot of elements: iron, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium. This image was stitched from multiple overlapping photos.
    1804SW-2287-2300-Pano.jpg
  • Artist's Palette geologic formation on Artists Drive, Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals across the landscape, which chemically altered over time into a colorful paint pot of elements: iron, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium.
    1804SW-2303.jpg
  • Artist's Palette geologic formation on Artists Drive, Death Valley National Park, California, USA. More than 5 million years ago, multiple volcanic eruptions deposited ash and minerals across the landscape, which chemically altered over time into a colorful paint pot of elements: iron, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium.
    1804SW-2306.jpg
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