After Quartzsite eight rigs from the RV Forum group traveled to Pahrump, NV for a couple of days and then up to Death Valley.  It was wonderful to be up there with friends that included Brewers, Dobrins, Johnsons, Lawrences, Millers, Ray & Liza, Reiters, L. Schneider, T. Seiler.  Lorna’s cousin and her husband, Lois & Dave, joined us for a couple of days, too.  It was great to have them be with us even if it wasn’t for the whole time.  Of course, we had happy hour every night.  During the day we did some sightseeing together and other days we went in different directions.  Some of us went on to ranger lead talks with were special.  One was into Golden Canyon and the other was at Furnace Creek Inn.  Furnace Creek Inn was built by the Borax Company and is very plush with great views.  It better be with rooms starting $350 per night.

Death Valley is a very unique area with Telescope Peak at 11,049 feet to Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level.  It became a National Monument in 1933 and a National Park in 1994. The Park is about twice the size of the state of Delaware so you will need some sort of transportation to see the Park.  There is a fault line that runs through the eastern side of the valley.    Death Valley is the hottest spot in North America because of the low elevation and the valley’s enclosing mountains which recirculates the hot air and keeps it from dissipating at night.  During the summer the temperatures often reach 120 degrees plus and the lows may not drop below 100 degrees at night.

There so much to see there that you could spend a whole winter there and not see everything.  There are canyons to discover, hiking, four-wheeling, horse-back riding, ranger talks, museums and lots of different terrain.  You will want to start your visit at the Visitor’s Center in Furnace Creek to find out about the park and the many things to do and see.

To name a few of the places to see and do here is a list: Badwater Basin, Dante’s View, the Devil’s Golf Course, Harmony Borax Works, Zabriskie Point, Scotty’s Castle, Racetrack Playa, Ubehebe Crater, Artist Point(Palette), Mesquite Flat Dunes, and the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns.  We have been there twice and have seen most of those but there is so much more to see and do that we will probably go back again.

Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the valley, several thousand years ago was the site of a 30 foot lake that evaporated and left a one to five foot layer of salt in its wake.  A briny pond which is four times saltier than the ocean still remains during the winter.  Tiny Badwater snails survive in the pond and lives under the salt crust and feeds on algae.

Dante’s View, which is above Badwater Basin, is more than 5,000 feet above the valley floor.  It offers a rather spectacular view across most of the 110-mile-long Death Valley.

Devil’s Golf Course consists of gnarled crystalline salt spires and looks like coral reef run amok.  The lumpy salt pinnacles are the residue of Death Valley’s last significant lake which evaporated over 2,000 years ago.  You can walk into it but have to be careful not hurt yourself or damage the crystals.  We did discover a hole that had been blasted into the crystals and there was water in it.

Harmony Borax Works is a mining operation that goes back more than 120 years.  Three tons of borax was produced daily and used the famed 20-mule teams to haul it 165 miles to the railroad town of Mojave.  It was only in operation for five years when Colman’s financial empire collapsed.

Zabriskie Point has an unforgettable view of Death Valley’s wildly eroded and vibrantly colored badlands.  There is a short hike through the area and is a great place for viewing sunrises and sunsets.

Mesquite Flat Dunes should not be missed.  We have gone there twice to see them but have not done any hiking in them.  The dunes are at least 150 feet and surrounded by mountains on all sides.  The sand is made up of quartz and feldspar that began as much larger rocks that became sand through erosion.  The dunes are especially spectacular at sunset so be sure to take your camera along.  Unfortunately, we have never been there at sunset.

Scotty’s Castle is really remarkable and exotic edifice that rises from the dust like a desert mirage.  It was built by Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson.  It takes its name from Walter Scott, better known as “Death Valley Scotty”, who became a friend of Albert.  It is a must see when you are there.

Ubehebe Crater is a 770-foot steam-explosion crater ejecting a cloud of debris at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.  The crater is 3,000 years old.  Hiking into the crater will strike awe into those who clamber down its slopes, but it is a grueling hike back out so take plenty of water.

Our next visit will certainly include the famed Racetrack Playa where rocks seem to move by themselves.  Some of them weigh up to 700 pounds and no one really knows why or how they move despite decades of research.  No one has actually seen them move.

Artists Palette is located on Artist Drive and is made up of many different colored layers of volcanic deposits that have been colored by various mineral pigments such as iron salts, manganese, and decomposing mica.  It is a beautiful drive to Artists Palette.

While we were there we did drive out to Beatty for a fuel stop and to go to a store that has a very large assortment of candy.  WOW.  Our group bought lots of candy and then made the mistake of eating it, definitely not good for the diet.  On the way to Titus Canyon we stopped at Rhyolite, which is a ghost town that boasted nearly 10,000 people during its peak between 1905-1911.  Many ruins remain today, including the Bottle House, the train depot, the remains of a three story bank building and the jail.  Goldwell Open Air Museum is at Rhyolite and has some very unusual items.  The Ghost Rider and the Last Supper were constructed out of plaster-infused burlap over a live figure.  The Last Supper is modern day representation of Christ’s Last Supper.

Titus Canyon was a four-wheel trip through a very scenic canyon.  The group had their lunch in the canyon with a great view.  You would not want to be in this canyon when it is raining or had rained recently.  It certainly was a fun drive.

Golden Canyon is a two-mile hike some of our group did which included a ranger talk.  We were hiking through twisting narrows and colorful rock formations.  Another canyon that is a must is Mosaic Canyon, which is considered to be a geologic wonder and is a moderate one- to four-mile hike.  There is some really beautiful marble formations in this canyon.

The animals and plants that survive in this desert is unbelievable.  To name a few are the kangaroo rat, a Chuckwalla (the parks largest lizard), the Badwater snails, the Kit Fox and in the higher elevations-Desert Bighorn Sheep, Bobcats, and Mule Deer.  The plants that come to life after a little rain include the Desert Five Spot, Desert Gold and Desert Holly.  It is amazing that anything can survive in such high heat and less than two inches of rain per year.  It is truly and amazing place and worth going back many times.  To find out more about Death Valley go on the Internet and Google Death Valley.

We drove from Borrego Springs, CA, to Vista, CA, today to visit with friends and watch the NFC championship game.  The food was delicious, the company excellent, and the game was the highlight of the day.  The Packers are back in the Super Bowl!  Life is good. Tomorrow we head to Desert Hot Springs and will spend the afternoon with more friends in Palm Springs.  Wednesday we go to Quartzsite to join the RV Forum rally.