Here we go again...another photography-based adventure! No, not back to Iceland (though I'd love to). No, not to some exotic, foreign destination (though I do have some on my bucket list). This time it’s closer to home, well, relatively speaking. This time I’m heading to Death Valley. In fact, one week from today will be my first day in this amazing National Park!
But isn’t Death Valley just a big desert, you ask? Well, yes and no. It technically qualifies as a desert, but it isn't just a bunch of sand dunes (though there are some of these) or a big, flat plain with tumbleweeds blowing around (though there are some areas like this too). Unquestionably, Death Valley is desolate, but it has some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in the United States, including dry lake beds, salt flats, canyons, colorful geological formations, volcanic craters, waterfalls (well, one waterfall to be precise), mountains (some with snow!), Joshua trees (largest concentration of Joshua trees outside of Joshua Tree National Park) and even wildflowers. Just Google Death Valley images and you'll see what I mean. Also, look at the screen shot below from Google maps to get an idea of the vastness (Death Valley is the largest National Park), ruggedness and diversity of landscapes.
Ok, but Death Valley is really, really hot, isn't it? Yes, it can definitely get extremely hot there (the average high in July is 116 degrees), but in winter and early spring it is quite bearable, and at certain times and elevations you actually need to wear a coat. I had hoped to go a little sooner, but things didn't work out, so I opted for early April versus waiting till next winter. The average high in April is 91 F, so I expected the temperatures at the beginning of the month to be in the low to mid-80's However, based on the 10-day forecast it looks like they will be hitting the average temp's right off the bat. So, I will need to take it slow, wear a hat, use plenty of sunscreen and drink copious amounts of water!
I won't be staying in the park (the hotels are too expensive and camping is not practical given that I am flying in), and I won't be renting a campervan like I did in Iceland. Instead, I am staying at a quirky little motel in Beatty, NV called the Atomic Inn, which is about 45 minutes from the center of the park. Below is a picture. Classy, huh?
As in the case of my Iceland trip, I hope to blog every day during the 5-day trip and include some some photos, though I won't have my laptop and will be doing everything from my iPad. That should work OK, however. So, check in every day or subscribe to the blog to get e-mails. I know that some folks had trouble with subscribing last time, and it's a clunky process, so simply checking in periodically might be easier. I'll also try to post of Facebook each day or two as well.
Talk to you all soon from the Valley!
But isn’t Death Valley just a big desert, you ask? Well, yes and no. It technically qualifies as a desert, but it isn't just a bunch of sand dunes (though there are some of these) or a big, flat plain with tumbleweeds blowing around (though there are some areas like this too). Unquestionably, Death Valley is desolate, but it has some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in the United States, including dry lake beds, salt flats, canyons, colorful geological formations, volcanic craters, waterfalls (well, one waterfall to be precise), mountains (some with snow!), Joshua trees (largest concentration of Joshua trees outside of Joshua Tree National Park) and even wildflowers. Just Google Death Valley images and you'll see what I mean. Also, look at the screen shot below from Google maps to get an idea of the vastness (Death Valley is the largest National Park), ruggedness and diversity of landscapes.
Ok, but Death Valley is really, really hot, isn't it? Yes, it can definitely get extremely hot there (the average high in July is 116 degrees), but in winter and early spring it is quite bearable, and at certain times and elevations you actually need to wear a coat. I had hoped to go a little sooner, but things didn't work out, so I opted for early April versus waiting till next winter. The average high in April is 91 F, so I expected the temperatures at the beginning of the month to be in the low to mid-80's However, based on the 10-day forecast it looks like they will be hitting the average temp's right off the bat. So, I will need to take it slow, wear a hat, use plenty of sunscreen and drink copious amounts of water!
I won't be staying in the park (the hotels are too expensive and camping is not practical given that I am flying in), and I won't be renting a campervan like I did in Iceland. Instead, I am staying at a quirky little motel in Beatty, NV called the Atomic Inn, which is about 45 minutes from the center of the park. Below is a picture. Classy, huh?
As in the case of my Iceland trip, I hope to blog every day during the 5-day trip and include some some photos, though I won't have my laptop and will be doing everything from my iPad. That should work OK, however. So, check in every day or subscribe to the blog to get e-mails. I know that some folks had trouble with subscribing last time, and it's a clunky process, so simply checking in periodically might be easier. I'll also try to post of Facebook each day or two as well.
Talk to you all soon from the Valley!
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