Jan 8, 2011 Death Valley

We wanted the drive up 20 Mule Team Canyon, but it was closed from the water that came down with the rains. The ranger said we could ride our bikes up as long as we only rode on the road. Oooh, that rhymes. We hiked up a the upper part of the canyon, off the road

John riding on the road-pretty washed out. hiking up the the upper canyon

red blooming flowers, the canyon going up


A view looking down canyon. I climbed up one of the  ridges, they are way steeper than they  looked and I had a hard time coming back down. Here is the top of the ridge, with the borax crystalize on the surface-and look how steep. A 20 mule team wagon for  transporting the borax out of the valley. With a water tank on the back for the mules. and Palms, at Furnace Creek.

Sunset at Furnace Creek. Above is the observation house above the Inn, the bus at Texas Creek with the hills behind. The observation house is on the peak at the far right, and a stone spiral with Furnace Creek Ranch in the back ground

a dead palm tree, the Panamints across the valley, and the Ranch with the Panamints behind.