March 28-29 2013 Death Valley

 

Death Valley is the hottest, driest, lowest spot in the western hemisphere. The sign is from the new visitors  museum. The monitoring dehydration sign is from the new visitors center bathroom. Tells you what color your urine should be if you are properly hydrated and what color it is if you are dehydrated. Plus all the dire symptoms  of dehydration. Seemed a little bizarre to me.

the historic gateway to Death Valley monument. Furnace Creek Inn from the desert.

Grave marker by the highway? Sunset.

On the way out of Death Valley were patches of wildflowers. There was not enough rain for there to be good flowers down in the valley this year, but up at 3,000 feet there were nice ones. Judy’s truck with flowers in the foreground.

Close-ups of the flowers. The sunset light reflecting off the pool in Shoshone.

March 27, 2013 Gower Gulch, Death Valley

The rest of the group set off to sight see things we had seem many times already. So we hiked Gower Gulch.

John and Judy on the beginning of the trail at Zabriski point. Judy and John on a side canyon to a couple of mines.

Judy photographing one of the mines. The view from the mine. The white veins on the hillside are some kind of borax.

Looking up canyon. We had lunch in the shade of one of the other mines.

Borax ore. The colors in the canyon.

More colors. The rock in this area is volcanic ash that is colored with minerals that seeped down into the ash as it turned to rock. Judy and John in the narrow part of the canyon.

Judy and John hiking.

Judy and John hiking. You can see the valley floor out the mouth of the canyon.

At the mouth there is a bit of cliff to traverse. Then half a mile of flat, 92 degree heat to the car.

Colorful cliffs.

This bougainvillea is in the garden at Furnace Creek Inn. I have never seen one this color. Suep on her way to the pool in the robe provided by the Inn for the pool.

The garden at the Inn is a lush desert oasis. The pool is wonderful.

John and Neils enjoying  the pool.

The Inn at sunset. Our group waving from the balcony by our suite.

Happy hour at sunset on our balcony. John, Laurie, Lou Ann, Judy, Burt and Neils. The second one has me and not Burt.

Sunset looking east of the Inn.

March 26, 2013 Desolation Canyon, Death Valley

Judy, John and I hiked Desolation Canyon.

Judy hiking, John putting Judy’s pack over the fall.

Judy hiking, John climbing the last pitch.

John and Judy at the top. The view from the top looking south.

View north. Judy hiking back down.

Hiking back down.

And down.

Hills near the mouth of the canyon, Cairn.

We saw this Jucy RV rentals in the parking lot. The ‘penthouse’ is a pop up. After hiking in 90 degree weather we went to the pool at Furnace Creek Inn.

Pool and gardens.

Happy hour on the patio in front of our room . The full moon rising.