Blogs from Death Valley National Park, California, United States, North America

C'est le réveil qui nous sort du lit ce matin, il est six heures trente. C'est tôt, mais on va visiter et traverser un des endroits les plus chaud du globe, Death Valley. Aussi, on va essayer d'éviter les trop grosses chaleurs. On range nos affaires et surtout on rempli notre glacière d'eau et on prend la route. Au fur et à mesure qu'on se rapproche du parc, la végétation disparait. Il ne reste plus que la pierre nue, écrasée de soleil. On arrive au premier point de vue, Zabrisky Point vers huit heure. il fait déjà trente-trois degrés. On se range sur le parking, à coté d'autre compatriotes. Il n'y a bien que des français pour visiter un tel lieu ! Il faut monter un peu à pied pour atteindre le point de vue. La ... read more

In late December, Anne and I traveled to southern California for a bit of hiking in Death Valley National Park and the Mojave National Preserve. On our last day there, we did one short hike in the Red Rock National Conservation area in Nevada near Las Vegas. This will be an abbreviated report just to keep it short and save a brief record for reference when we try to remember what we have done when. On Thursday, Christmas Eve 2020, we flew into Las Vegas and drove to Beatty, NV for our motel. Due to the worsening pandemic in California, we were forced to cancel earlier reservations at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley and stay at the Death Valley Motel in Beatty. We were there for three nights. On Christmas day we tackled our most strenuous ... read more

I wake up and check the old man has survived the night, despite his encounter with a power cable. He is feeling better so we set off for Death Valley. The road climbs and climbs until we reach the top of Towne pass. We’re at 4956 feet and it’s zero degrees. Then we descend into the valley on a road that it is more like a roller coaster. By the time we reach the bottom, we’re below sea level and the temperature has risen by 18 degrees. The variation in the landscape is astounding. We pass the sand dunes of Mesquite Flat, walk through the yellow rocks of Golden Canyon to Red Rock Cathedral and wander across the salt flats of Badwater Basin. Next, the stunning Artists Palette with layers of rock in every imaginable colour. ... read more

Nous voilà partis pour notre grand tour. Départ de Berkeley où nous avons passé 2 excellents mois. Notre voyage commence par la vallée de la mort. Départ aux aurores pour éviter les grosses chaleurs pouvoir au moins sortir de la voiture. A 7h du matin, il faisait déjà 40 degrés et on a vu 48° au plus haut. C'est un endroit vraiment magnifique : dunes de sable, roches de couleur, un oasis... Cela donne envie de revenir à un autre moment de l'année pour pouvoir en profiter car, après 10h, on sort pas de la voiture trop longtemps et même pour quelques minutes pas sans eau.... read more

Geo: 36.5604, -117.025Today proved to be another day packed full of sightseeing andexploring. We started off early to try and avoid activities in the extremeheat. First stop, Mesquite Sand Dunes. Off I went, tromping through the sand headedtowards the tallest dune I could find. Windswept and appearing smooth from the distance, these large piles of sand arenatures artwork as the shadows of early morning create a painted scene.Admiring the dune field from atop, it was time to return to the car and moveon. The Death Valley heatup was already starting. Approaching a bit of an Oasisin the desert, called Furnace Creek, a small area consisting of a hotel, desertgolf course, general store, and gas station we prepared to stop for breakfast.Just as we approached, a very sporty car turned in front of us from a sideroad. ... read more