Alabama Hills & Mt Whitney

 After touring Death Valley on Tuesday we checked in to a hotel in Lone Pine, CA. Lone Pine is the gateway to the Alabama Hills and Mt Whitney, the latter being the highest peak in the lower 48 states.  Why name the hills in California the Alabama Hills you might ask.  I did and here is what Mr Google has to say on the subject.  "The hills were named by Southern sympathizers for the Confederate warship Alabama after it sank the Union gunboat USS Hatteras off Texas in 1863. Now, a nonprofit environmental group wants to change the name."  There you have it.  

We were a little tired after all the driving and hiking in the heat and wind the past few days so a couple of short hikes was all we did and then spent the rest of the day relaxing in our room.

The Alabama hills in the foreground have been the setting for many a movie shoot.  How the West was Won, Tremors, The Gunfighter, Ironman, Firefly, Wagon Train, Have Gun will Travel, Star Trek Generations to name but a few.  The even have a museum about all the movies shot here.  

Mt Whitney is framed by the Mobius Arch if one gets in the right position for your shot.  Here is Lori going through some contortions to get in that right position. 

 

Here is my shot of what Lori was going for.

Some guy who wouldn't get out of my shot.  Tourists!!!!

We left the Alabama Hills and made the short drive further up the mountain to the Lone Pine Campground and a short, steep hike to get a view.  This is the view to the west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The view to the east with a roaring creek filled with melting snow from the mountains and lined by nice green trees. You can just make out our car if you squint.  Beyond that is the Alabama hills, not so big when viewed from the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains.  And then another mountain range in the distance. 

No wind or dust storm today.  Just the usual haze in the distance.  

The creek provides some refreshing shots. 

That's it for now.  We have a couple driving days ahead with a final stop in Port Angeles, Wa and then the ferry over to Victoria.

Till then. 

Death Valley

 On Tuesday we left Henderson and headed to Death Valley.  We were greeted with high winds and a sand storm that significantly reduced visibility.  It was like looking through a veil which was a shame because the scenery was amazing.  I have had to dehaze and bump up the vibrance a bit on the pictures to make them look more like what we saw, or would have seen absent the dust and sand in the air.  

If they ever want to rename Death Valley a couple of replacements come to mind.  Rainbow Valley or Pastel Valley would both nicely describe the views.  Although given the extreme weather we experienced in our visit Death Valley is certainly appropriate. 

We had to purchase a pass at a cost of $30 for a 7 day pass which I was able to upgrade to an annual National Parks Pass once we reached the visitors centre.  We will be able to use that pass until next April 30.  

Once in the park our first stop was at Dantes View with an elevation of 5475'.  It was quite the drive up a winding road but the view was quite stunning even with the gales force winds blowing sand down the valley.  The mountains on the other side of the valley were partially obscured.  Hats were best left in the car and staying well back from the edge was advised lest the wind catch you off balance and pitch you into the valley below. 

Our next little foray off the main road was a drive through 20 Mule Team Canyon.  A one way road winding its way through what at times seemed like the bottom of a huge gravel pit.  As we continued our drive the views rewarded us for getting the car completely covered in a fine layer of yellow dust. 

Next up was Zabriskie Point.  A lookout just off the main road.  With the temperature  climbing and the wind and dust still blowing Lori decided the views couldn't be any different than what we had already seen and decided to stay in the car.  She was wrong.

See the hiker at the top of the peak.  Some people just have to take the trail less traveled. 

A shot taken from the main road again showing the desolate foreground with the colourful mountains rising from the flat valley floor

On the valley floor we came upon an area titled The Devils Golf Course.  The ground is made up of crystalline salt formations deposited over the centuries and constantly being reformed by periodic floods and the near constant heat.  They are jagged and sharp to the touch so one must be careful not to scrape against the formations.  

We drove out to Badwater Basin which at an elevation of 282' below sea level is the lowest point in North America.  From Dantes View to Badwater Basin the change in elevation was 5757'.  To say we had an up and down day would be an understatement. 

We didn't walk out to the basin as the temperature was now reading 107F so even short treks were getting difficult.  Although with humidity in the low teens its much easier to take for short periods than the 90F temperatures at home with 80 percent humidity.  One does need to stay hydrated though as you can almost feel the air pulling moisture from your body and while you sweat it evaporates so fast my t-shirt never really got wet.  

While the temperatures on the valley floor were over 100, up on Dantes View it was a cool 64F.

Our next drive was to the Artists Palette which given the colours in the rocks is aptly named.  

Our last stop was at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.  On the way we passed a truck outfitted with a big blade on the front.  At home we would use it for clearing roads of snow drifts. Down here its sand drifts that need clearing.  

It was a great day and one we would like to repeat.  Less wind and lower temperatures would allow us to  explore many of the sights we drove by. 

Oh, by the way.  Price of gas in Death Valley $8.15 per gallon.  That will kill you if the harsh weather conditions don't get you first. 

Valley of Fire

As we continued along our journey from Lake Mead we entered the Valley of Fire.  It got its name for pretty obvious reasons.  We went on a few of the hikes.  Most of which were relatively short and flat compared to many of our hikes this past winter however the footing consisted of soft sand and the temperatures were reaching the mid 90's by early afternoon.  Would be nice to come back again for a more thorough exploration but perhaps February would be a better choice.

In all our hikes we keep searching the cliffs above us for a sighting of the mountain sheep.  Drive into Valley of Fire and we see one munching a bush at the side of the road.  Seems somewhat anticlimactic.

Ancient cabins.  Rooms available 

For lunch we asked for a table with a view.  They delivered.  Lori is down in the shadows preparing our delicious meal of peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  

Black mountains in the background.  Remnants of volcanic activity

This area is reserved for weddings.  A pretty nice backdrop.

So many colours and they don't show up as well in the pictures as real life.  

These little critters move like greased lightning.  Usually just a blur as they scurry out of sight.  This one posed for a picture as he basked in the sun.

White limestone, red sandstone and the black mountains.  

That's it for our stay in Henderson.  No we didn't do the strip.  Next up Death Valley and Lone Pine.