March 4, 2023 Death Valley California

 76, sunny with wind late.

We hiked Gnomes Workshop today. Water from the spring running though other worldly landscape. John picking his way through shape, pointy salt formations. Don't want to fall on these, you would be sliced to ribbons. 

The canyon deepens. Big waterfall. 

Formations of salt and dirt. wild alien looking moss in the water, rock salt sandwich, a small spring coming in from the side, salt stalactites, two different formations around big rocks and hoo doos. John above another waterfall. 

Above the canyon looking down. Last time we were here we saw this narrow yellow canyon below. John would not let me go down, said the wall were too steep. This year we found a way down. The canyon was lovely.

Yellow sculpted walls. 

Salt rimmed rocks, pillars of salt, and different salt formations. The stream cutting through wildly shaped hoo doos. 

Looking down one of the waterfalls on the way back. John walking around a waterfall. 

Down in the campground the wind came up and peoples tents were flattened. The tent up on the trailer is the only one that survived. The mountains in the north of the valley were obscured with blowing dust in the sunset. 

March 3, 2023 Death Valley

 70 degrees, sunny with a slight breeze.

We hiked with Tommy on the Gower gulch/Golden canyon loop. 4.3 miles. John and Tommy in Gower Gulch.

John waiting for us in the shade in the narrows. Tommy and John in the narrows. 

Tommy and John climbing around in the narrows.

Cool rock formation. John and Tommy with red cliffs behind them. 

Tommy and John on the down climb into Golden Canyon. 

Cool colors and formations on the way down. Part of the Red Cathedral. 

Manley Beacon.  John and Tommy ahead under the Red Cathedral. 

John and Tommy silhouetted in Golden Canyon. Side canyon in Golden Canyon.

John and Tommy nearing the mouth of Golden Canyon. Gibbous moon with last light on the Grapevine mountains. 

Sunset from camp.

March 1-2, 2023 Death Valley, California

 

We woke up to clear skies and high winds. Up to 60 mph. No power, cell service or internet. Then dust blew in and the rain started. 

Part of the storm in the north of the valley. We went up to Death Valley Inn to check with the Judy's about the plans for the day. The wind was blowing the tall palm trees around so much it didn't seem safe to walk through the garden. 

The Judy's were happy to be in their casita and not in their tents in this weather.  Usually when we are here we spend the day at the pool, but it was too windy, rainy and cold today. 

Susan and Donna came down to join in the festivities at the Inn. We all piled into the golf cart that comes with the casita and Judy drove us up to the Inn dining room for dinner.

Dinner at the Inn. High of 66, sunny and no wind. We hung out at the pool. My feet and the pool. 

Judy enjoying the sun. Reflections on the pond by the casitas.

 Judy once again drove us up to the dining room at the Inn for dinner. The power was down all day for scheduled maintenance. It was not back up in time for dinner so the dining room was closed. Sunset from the Inn.

 We drove down to the bus in our cars and John cooked us a lovely dinner. Two acquaintances from Switzerland Bettina and Katrina were going to join us for dinner at the Inn, since it was closed they joined us too. Judy, Judy, John, Bettina and part of Katrina.