Dramatic Scene at Zabriskie Point

Winter heightens the drama at Death Valley National Park.

Certainly, this is known as the hottest place on earth, and contains the second lowest point in the western hemisphere, but most people are unaware that this is the largest national park in the lower 48 of the continental United States. The park also contains large portions of the Argus, Panamint and Amarcosa mountain ranges, with Telescope Peak reaching 11,049' in elevation.

The view from Zabriskie Point (named for a Vice-President of the Borax company, which mined here with their famous 20 mule-teams in the early twentieth century), captures the sandstone badlands of the Amarcosa in the foreground (including the Manly Beacon and Red Cathedral), Death Valley, and the Panamint Range as the backdrop.

On a chilly winter morning following an exceedingly rare rainfall, the skies are dramatic with the sun reaching through some of the cloud layers, but not others, to create drama and colors, not normally captured here.

Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)

Zabriskie Point in Death Valley could never be confused for a Norse setting, but the skies on this cold, dramatic December morning seemed as though they were put together by a Wagner opera set designer.

Much of the year, the skies above Death Valley are clear and crisp with little to no humidity, but that changes in winter. It is not uncommon for the Badwater Basin to receive its only rain of the year in a few short days during the winter. This year was no exception, and though it did not ultimately rain on this day, the skies were filled with heavy clouds and fantastic brooding colors as the sun began it's climb, shining through each layer individually, to reach the apex of the sky.

It Took Me By Surprise, I Must Say

Death Valley in winter was a great vacation spot. Much more vibrant and colorful than my imagination led me to believe possible.

One of the areas of the park that should not be overlooked is the Titus Canyon Road which enters the NP from the Nevada side. Winding its way through the Titanothere Canyon, seen here, the road climbs to Red Pass along the left side of this ridge in the Grapevine Mountains, where it descends into Titus Canyon, home of the 1920s boomtown, Leadfield, before exiting the Grapevine Range through a picturesque slot canyon.

The road is well maintained and attracts a fair number of visitors. As with all of Death Valley, it requires additional precautions in summer months due to heat and may be problematic if rain is anywhere in the forecast.

As beautiful as this location is in color, I thought I would first share it in a monochrome format, highlighting the rugged, spartan, landscape under a dramatic cloudy sky.

Cinnamon Sugar

At least that's what my 12-year old daughter thought it looked like.

It's salt, and lots of it. This is Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, the lowest point in North America and second lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. Though it does see rain from time to time, the 1.9" average annual rainfall falls far short of the 150" annual evaporation rate. As a result, whatever water does accumulate in the basin quickly evaporates off leaving only salt and minerals behind.

Visiting in winter, the basin is quite temperate, even cool after dark; however, during the summer this can be a deadly place with extended periods of time with daytime temperatures well above 100°F. The hottest ground surface temperature ever recorded at nearby Furnace Creek was 201.0°F - the only surface temperature ever recorded above 200°F on earth.

Death Valley is a diverse and magnificent place to visit. Go when the climate is right and you will be rewarded with some amazing sights, great opportunities to explore and wonderful memories.

Last Light in Badwater

Surreal. Majestic. Serene. Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282' below sea level, is all of that and more.

In winter it is cold, prone to flooding, and gives one a mental connection to ice covered snow. In reality, the white crystal salts form a relatively thin crust over mud. The freeze-thaw and evaporation cycles create these hexagonal shapes in the salt crust which makes the basin appear almost man-made.

Located between the Panamint and Amargosa Mountain Ranges, it is exceedingly dry, with an annual evaporation rate of 150", compared to an average annual rainfall of 1.9". What makes this even more impressive is the fact that Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous 48 United States (14,505'), is merely 85 miles to the northwest from this location.