Winter in Death Valley

[Curmudgeon]

Had to chain up to get to the Charcoal Kilns at around 6,400 feet elevation back at Christmas. It was unusual to see these in the snow as I had shot them in the summer time before.
Cheers,
Bill

[mtngal]

Interesting that you can reach the kilns in winter - didn't know it would be possible even with chains. Looks like a neat idea, and you obviously weren't the first to do it.

[calr]

Winter in Death Valley? I thought that was prohibited! Snow--I thought that violated at least one of Newton's laws! Also, I thought all of Death Valley was below sea level?? Great shot.

Cal

[mtngal]

Death Valley National Park encompasses more than just the valley, it also incorporates the mountains surrounding it. Telescope Peak is the highest mountain in the park at 11,331 feet. While the charcoal kilns is lower than that, they are still in the same range of mountains and pretty high (over 5,000 feet). I had always assumed they closed the road into the kilns in winter.

This past winter I took a picture of a sunrise taken at Badwater, the lowest point in the park, looking toward the Panamint Mountains and perhaps Telescope Peak (wasn't sure), showing both the snow on the mountains and Manly Lake, the lake that's in the valley floor. It was a wet winter and there was a fair amount of water in it - very pretty.

P.S. Here's a link to the picture. Everything you see in it is within the national park boundaries.

http://mtngal.zenfolio.com/img/v18/p110227398-4.jpg

[Curmudgeon]

I must have been shooting beside you Mtngal. This is an extraordinary place. It is the largest National Park in the lower 48 and is comprised of over 3 million acres of land.

I have shot in the Tetons, Glacier, Utah, Grand Canyon etc.. but no where else have I been able to stand at 283 feet below sea level and look at a peak over 11,000 feet high. It is so cool.

Here is my shot of water on the valley floor Mtngal.

[mtngal]

WOW! Yours puts mine to shame - that's an awesome shot! I don't suppose this was taken in January, 2011, was it? Like at the full moon? If so, it's entirely possible we were shooting side by side - there was a photo workshop taking pictures at the same time.

[Curmudgeon]

Mtngal, it was shot early on Christmas day 2010. I was in the valley until around New Years eve then went to Mt. Whitney.
Loved your Zenfolio site. Some very nice work there!

Cheers,
Bill

[mtngal]

Thanks, glad you liked my photos. One of these days I'd like to explore more of the Eastern Sierras and around Mt. Whitney, but there never seems to be enough time! I'll definitely head back to Death Valley again - we only had 2 nights there but I seriously fell in love with the place. There's a lot more to see and do than what we managed in the short time we were there this past winter.

[pj1974]

Great shots Bill

I particularly like the 2nd one... it is "Wow, awesome"! The mix of colours, and panoramic composition of lake, mountains, snow and sky is so powerful.

The kilns are interesting... the first half second I thought they were big stacks of hay (I think because I often saw hay stacks that colour / shape in Romania when I lived there).

Thanks for sharing!

I agree that mtngal, your photos are also beautiful. It's so interesting to hear you & Bill were in the same area around the same time - and captured some of that natural beauty. Makes me want to do the same....

Paul