Death Valley is one of my very favorite places. A special project will find me there one day each week for a short time. Last Tuesday was one of those days. One of the best things is the color of the geography which changes with the time of day. This is the highway going to the valley. Looks like there had been a shower during the night. I love the reddish-orange of the rocks.
In the late afternoon on the return trip snow was falling in the higher elevations. By the time I reached the top of the pass at 3,000' it was sleeting but lasted only 3-4 miles.
In the late afternoon on the return trip snow was falling in the higher elevations. By the time I reached the top of the pass at 3,000' it was sleeting but lasted only 3-4 miles.
Unbelievable! We were here for "the" winter event, the following morning. The Amargosa Valley saw 1" of the fluffy white stuff Wednesday morning - the first measurable snow since the mid-1990's. Although the mountains still have snow at the higher elevations and will have until spring the snow here on the refuge was mostly gone by 11 a.m.
One of our staff saw children out playing in the snow at 7 a.m. and the mom was out taking pictures of them. Clark County which includes Las Vegas closed all schools. This is the second largest school system in the country.
Below is King's Pool at Point of Rocks, one of the 30 seeps or springs here on the refuge. Endangered pupfish live here. The rocks behind are often where desert bighorn sheep can be viewed.
This is Crystal Spring which keeps a near constant 86F temperature. Steam can be seen rising from the water. The spring is 24' deep and has a flow rate of 2600 gallons per second. This is also home to an endangered pupfish.
A pretty site near the two Bradford Springs.
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