May 11 - Death Valley

Monday, May 11– Down we went, from nearly 8000 feet, down into the town of Bishop. At noon we came into the town of Bishop, and at over 4000 feet, it was already 88 degrees. It was going to be a hot day in Death Valley.

Continuing to drive downhill, we turned off at Lake Owens at headed into the National Park. Lake is an overstatement. Like many of the lakes in Nevada and this part of California, the water had run dry years ago.

We continued into the park and started climbing the first of many mountain passes of the day. Driving up through Joshua trees, we summated at 4900 feet, and began to wind down into the Valley. At the first pull off with a view we stepped outside and were blasted with heat. Looking over the canyon leading down into the valley, we were suddenly surprised when a jet dropped down from the sky and flew into the canyon. A few seconds later it reappeared on the other side of the valley. As we left, another jet pulled the same maneuver.

We found a cool dirt road leading to what we believed would be an amazing lookout, but the road was really bumpy. We turned around after a few dozen yards, thinking if we got a flat tire we would die out in the sun. The temperature rose above 100 degrees as we continued the last feet thousand feet into Death Valley.

Pulling into what we believed was the registration and park information to receive a map, I went inside to find myself in the wrong spot. This was the Xanterra general store. Xanterra is the company that runs the concessions for the National parks. Don't let their association with beautiful places fool you. They are an evil corporation, and have even been ranked the number 1 worst employer. I had worked for them for two summer in Yellowstone, and they treated me as if I was a piece of meat. Eying the goods of the store, I noticed everything was double the price you would pay anywhere else. I headed back outside and noticed the thermometer on the side of the building reading 110 in the shade.

We pressed on, got maps from the real registration office, and headed down below sea level. Passing the Devils Cornfield, (grass clumps feet above the ground, the roots holding the structure together) we took a right and started heading south.

Deciding to try to take a little hike, we turned and drove down a long dirt road to Salt Creek, which is one of the only running water in the park. The only problem is it's just a trickle, and saltier than the ocean. Millions of years ago, this entire section of the country was a shallow sea. Pupfish were one of the dominant species. As the sea dried up, Pupfish have been retained in smaller and smaller areas. There is a sub-species of this pupfish that is surviving in this little creek.

As we walked the ½ mile trail along the creek, we could see the pupfish swimming. They used to be so big, and now they are reduced to inches. The hot sun beat down on us. We took off our shirts. The sun beat on our skin. Tyne's back starting blistering. Halfway through the hike, we had to turn back. It was too hot. The official temperature that day was 113 degrees.

Sweating even with the AC on, we continued to Badwater, which is the lowest point in the USA. At 282 feet believe sea level, this salt flat was as hot and desolate as Mercury. We took a couple pictures and rushed on to try to find relief from the blazing fire ball.

On the way out of the park, we stopped at the site of an old Gold Mill. 100 years earlier, the hardiest gold prospectors processed the ore right here in Death Valley. Money will make a man do some crazy stuff.

Finally heading uphill, we came to sea level, then up another 2000 feet. With the sinking sun and rising elevation, the temperature quickly dropped. We almost stopped at a hot spring campground, but figured that $16 was too much to spend on a crappy unshaded campsite, even though bathing in the hot spring was included in the price.

In the end, we drove another 50 miles into Nevada, and headed up into the National forest. With Vegas just over the hills, we found a decent campsite in the near dark and settled down for a quick night.

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