Sunday, Jan 29, 2012 Death Valley

After breakfast in our RV, we headed out to explore some of the closer areas of the park. Our first stop was Badwater. This is the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere at 282 ft. below sea level. Although two other spots in the Valley can at times sink to a few feet below this, Badwater holds the record because of it’s consistency in it’s elevation. This is also the hottest place in the world. Beating Libya’s high of 136 degrees in 1913, Badwater tipped the mercury at 140 degrees!!!

Or next stop was Ashford Mill. This is where they processed gold ore from the nearby mountain in 1913. We wondered why so very few structures were left at any of the old mines and camps. The ranger told us that wood is a very precious commodity in the desert. When a town closed up, any structure made of wood was taken down and used at a new location for fuel.

Back on the road again, we came upon the Devil’s golf course. This area was a huge salt pan that rivals Badwater for the lowest elevation in the Western hemisphere. Depending on the upheaval and salt deposited and eroded each year, the elevation comes within a few feet plus or minus that of Badwater. As the groundwater rises to the surface carrying salt with it, evaporation and crystallization buckle the crust and form strange orbs and pinnacles. Because of wind and rain erosion, theses formations become razor sharp. If you stand very quietly, you can hear the snapping sounds of the growing formations. As we started back out, two coyotes crossed the road! We stopped to get a picture and they kept running back and forth around our car. I think they were waiting for a handout! The picture you see on this entry is not just a dog, but the real deal!!

Our next stop was the Artist’s Pallet. In this area the rocks are formed by ancient volcanic ash. The colors are rich blues, violet, pink and green. Although the chemistry of this ash is all the same, the effects of erosion (whether it’s wind or rain) on the mica minerals explain the color differences.

On our way back to Furnace Creek, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center to do some shopping. Back at camp, we all pooled our food for making Taco’s.

Tomorrow we head out into the depths of Titus Canyon, and the ghost town of Rhyolite.