Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Let's Do Coffee, We'll Talk

Now we have access to the Death Valley Pictures. This is not the main entrance to the park, where a paved road takes you past some terrific sites, 'the Devils Golf Course', 'Badwater', 'Dante's Point', 'Death Valley Scotty's', but this is sort of the back door, entering a place called 'Saline Valley' which is between the main park, and the Owens Valley where 1/2 of California goes up highway 395 to ski at Mammoth Mtn. Stark contrast from the desert valley to the ski resort. Here we go in the entrance, :


(If you are an old time long board surfer you will recognize Bruce Jones from Sunset beach.

Do you have any Joshua Trees where you live? (I didn't think so!)


Looking down into Saline Valley from a mining site that we explored:


From a long distance we could see that something was unique at this spot. I thought the mesquite was 'greener' (meaning water) but it turned out the shadows were darker, meaning the mesquite was taller, (still meaning water). We were not the first to find the water in this spot. Others over the past 100 years have been piling up the rocks to minimize the exposure when the wind comes up. When the wind is blowing all you can do is hunker down and wait.



Far back in the rocks, being fed only for a few weeks each year by the snow melt in the White mountains, we found a water fall.



The first cup of coffee. Every voice is held to a whisper.



The road out thru 'Steel Pass':



The photos were of course taken to maximize the drama. We had fun, but in truth this is an easy road, we stayed in two wheel drive the whole way. Nothing like the Rubicon or other real tests that the die hards test themselves against. But we had a wonderful time.

I hope you enjoyed this diversion, and I hope no one minds the lack of 'on topic' amazing charts content.