So, now that life is calming down a little, I've got some time to organize and post pictures from our last trip (just in time, before our next trip, to San Diego this weekend!!). That's life isn't it? :)
Anyway, last month we went up to Death Valley NP and spent a few days camping. Both of us wanted to see it, and figured April would be more temperate than later in the year. Was still in the upper 90s while we were there, but could've been so much worse!
When people think of Death Valley, they really think of Furnace Creek and of Badwater Basin, even if they don't think of the names specifically. Those are the areas in the valley itself, all the below-sea-level areas. The visitor center at Furnace Creek is 190 feet below sea level, and where we camped right nearby was 189 feet below. So, we've now camped below sea level! (If you look closely at the picture below, you'll see the temperature is nearly 100 in the shade!)
Anyway, last month we went up to Death Valley NP and spent a few days camping. Both of us wanted to see it, and figured April would be more temperate than later in the year. Was still in the upper 90s while we were there, but could've been so much worse!
When people think of Death Valley, they really think of Furnace Creek and of Badwater Basin, even if they don't think of the names specifically. Those are the areas in the valley itself, all the below-sea-level areas. The visitor center at Furnace Creek is 190 feet below sea level, and where we camped right nearby was 189 feet below. So, we've now camped below sea level! (If you look closely at the picture below, you'll see the temperature is nearly 100 in the shade!)
The visitor center was very interesting, actually. There's a lot more history in Death Valley than I thought. I thought it was more like the Mojave - more natural interest than historical. Death Valley actually has a mix of both. There was a lot of mineral work done in Death Valley, with borax in particular being mined from the valley floor. The valley is particularly mineral rich, as it was once a sea floor, and with high evaporation leaving behind the salts on the valley floor. Borax mining in Death Valley is where the Borax 20 Mule Team logo comes from - it took carts with 20 mules (well, 18 with 2 horses) to cart the partially-refined minerals down to one of the train stations south of the valley.
The unique shape of the valley, besides being tied to the source of the mineral deposits, is also why the valley gets such high temperatures. The valley is surrounded by steep mountains (not like the hills surrounding our post, just south of Death Valley). Telescope Peak, the highest point in the park is approximately 11,000 feet above sea level, and directly overlooks Badwater Basin, at -282 feet. Such high mountains block rain from entering the valley, and at the same time trap the warmer air from the valley, which just keeps circulating within the valley, creating an effect like an oven.
There are several spots around the world which have similar conditions, the very high temperatures and points below sea level. All have to be in arid environments, so that the land is exposed (instead of being a lake or inland sea). There are others of these points further below sea level than Death Valley (the lowest is the Dead Sea), but this is the lowest in North America. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the park at 282 feet below sea level (named because the water at the spring was so salty that the surveyor's mule wouldn't drink - he marked it on his map as 'bad water'). You really get a sense of how far down this point is in the picture below. The road is at the bottom of the picture, and the small sign at the top of the picture marks where sea level is. Standing where I was to take the picture, I was still maybe 10 feet above Badwater at the parking area, and I had to really try hard to get both in the same shot!
The unique shape of the valley, besides being tied to the source of the mineral deposits, is also why the valley gets such high temperatures. The valley is surrounded by steep mountains (not like the hills surrounding our post, just south of Death Valley). Telescope Peak, the highest point in the park is approximately 11,000 feet above sea level, and directly overlooks Badwater Basin, at -282 feet. Such high mountains block rain from entering the valley, and at the same time trap the warmer air from the valley, which just keeps circulating within the valley, creating an effect like an oven.
There are several spots around the world which have similar conditions, the very high temperatures and points below sea level. All have to be in arid environments, so that the land is exposed (instead of being a lake or inland sea). There are others of these points further below sea level than Death Valley (the lowest is the Dead Sea), but this is the lowest in North America. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the park at 282 feet below sea level (named because the water at the spring was so salty that the surveyor's mule wouldn't drink - he marked it on his map as 'bad water'). You really get a sense of how far down this point is in the picture below. The road is at the bottom of the picture, and the small sign at the top of the picture marks where sea level is. Standing where I was to take the picture, I was still maybe 10 feet above Badwater at the parking area, and I had to really try hard to get both in the same shot!
Interesting little story: how Death Valley got its name. A wagon train tried to find a shortcut across the valley as they were heading west, and got lost. There was actually only one death, someone who was already sick from the journey west, but those in the train with him were in dire circumstances when they were finally rescued. As they were being guided out of the valley, one of the travelers turned back and said "Farewell, death valley." And the name stuck! Here's the full story on the NP website.
More later, as I get some more pictures sorted :)
More later, as I get some more pictures sorted :)
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