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Death Valley National Park

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Death valley is a unique habitat. Its lowest point is 282 feet below sea level, and not very far away you can see the telescope peak at over 11000 feet with its snow. Death valley routinely reaches 120 F in summer. Feb-Apr is the best time to visit.

It is several tens of miles long and on its two sides are the Amargosa and the Penamint mountains. There are many variedly shaped hills and mountains, as seen in the picture below.


Sand Dunes

Sand is created in the desert making process. The sand here is trapped over a region of few sq. miles and forms the dynamic dunes. These keep shifting and cover plants, and uncover others. The shadows in the morning and evening are a treat to watch.


Mosaic Canyon

There are many canyons formed by faults and water flooding through them. Flash floods are still a danger even though the annual rainfall here is under 2 inches. Mosaic canyon has ample marble in its sides and has mosaics of small broken stones. A very expansive view of the north valley is available from here.


Devil's cornfield

Lake Manly occupied the plains long time ago. The rivers flowing in dried up and left their salt behind. This point near Stovepipe village is at sealevel.


Salt creek

Life thrives whereever it can. Pupfish here have adapted to the salinity. This creek has flowing salt-walter which is uninhabitable for all other fishes.


Harmony Borax mine

Death valley is so named because about a 100 people from Seattle wanting to get to California for the gold ended up here and most of them died (they had to burn their carts to roast the meat of their oxens in order to survive). Since then many mines have dotted this landscape. Hardlly any gold was found here, but Borax turned out to be profitable and was called "white gold". This mine thrived for a few years until Borax was found in other more accesible places.

A panoramic view from the mine site

Devil's golf course

Salt crystals keep forming here over the earth. Various physical forces lead to the formation of nice holes. The earth gets baked by the sun and brakes into geometric cakes.


Artist's Palette

Various oxides and other oars create beautiful patterns in the hilly region. Reds, yellows, greens and so many other hues can be seen close to each other. Artist's palette is the best example. Late afternoon sun highlights the colors.


Sunset at Zabrisky point

Beautifully colored peaks and varied struttation ensures that sunrise and sunset make for a dynamic landscape here.


Rhyolite ghost town

A remnant of a town which once hosted 6000 people and even an Opera house.


View from Nevada

We stayed at "Phoenix Inn, Beatty, NV". On our way to Stovepipe, this view of the sub-sealevel is from about 3000 ft. Sand dunes, Stovepipe village and the quickly receding shadow of the mountains is seen in these early morning snaps.



Crater's and Scotty's castle

Ubehebe and Hebe craters are near Scotty's castle built in the 1930s.
A mosaiced view of Ubehebe


Titus Canyon

This canyon is several miles long and has steep walls deeper in the part we did not get to.


Natural bridge

Faults lead to slipping of material below the bridge. A view of the valley is also seen. What you see is not water but salt.