We went back into the Alabama Hills and took some more photos, this time with the sun behind us. Then we continued along the Mt Whitney portal road several thousand feet up in the eastern Sierra. There was a nice pine forest there plus a waterfall.
Then we went off to Death Canyon. We visited Father Crowley vista point before descending into the valley itself. The temperature rocketed as we descended. At Stovepipe Wells it was 109F - about 44C. The wind was very strong, at times sand blew across the road making it difficult to see. Tumbleweed bowled over the road and dust devils were dotted around.
We walked up through Mosaic Canyon. It was 107 but it wasn't too bad as it was so windy and dry our sweat dried pretty quickly. We just had to take enough water. The canyon was lovely with polished marble sides and paper thin layers of rock.
Afterwards we tried for a room in Furnace Creek but it was sold out so we went just outside the Park to Beatty in Nevada. We're in the El Portal motel there and had a nice swim (the water was surprisingly cold). Beatty is just like a frontier town. In fact it was a gold rusk town when miners flocked to Death Valley.
Tomorrow we'll visit an old ghost town,visit Zabriskie Poing, Artists' Palette and Golden Canyon before heading out towards Vegas. We have a gallon of water in the car as well as our usual 6 bottles.
The Arch, Alabama Hills
Then we went off to Death Canyon. We visited Father Crowley vista point before descending into the valley itself. The temperature rocketed as we descended. At Stovepipe Wells it was 109F - about 44C. The wind was very strong, at times sand blew across the road making it difficult to see. Tumbleweed bowled over the road and dust devils were dotted around.
We walked up through Mosaic Canyon. It was 107 but it wasn't too bad as it was so windy and dry our sweat dried pretty quickly. We just had to take enough water. The canyon was lovely with polished marble sides and paper thin layers of rock.
Afterwards we tried for a room in Furnace Creek but it was sold out so we went just outside the Park to Beatty in Nevada. We're in the El Portal motel there and had a nice swim (the water was surprisingly cold). Beatty is just like a frontier town. In fact it was a gold rusk town when miners flocked to Death Valley.
Tomorrow we'll visit an old ghost town,visit Zabriskie Poing, Artists' Palette and Golden Canyon before heading out towards Vegas. We have a gallon of water in the car as well as our usual 6 bottles.
The Arch, Alabama Hills
Mt Whitney and the Alabama Hills
Falls on Mt Whitney portal
View towards Lone Pine from Mt Whitney
Road winds down into Death Valley
Can you spot the coyote?
The road to Furnace Creek
MosaicCanyon
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