California’s Owens Valley is home to the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range to the west and The White Mountains to the east. Some of the tallest peaks in the country are here.  Two weeks ago, a winter storm was blasting through the area and as happens frequently, was unable to move further east to Owens Valley or Death Valley. That’s why these 2 valleys are so dry, especially Death Valley. Located near Lone Pine is the Alabama Hills Recreation Area which is a haven for rock climbers because of the steep and vertical rock formations.  The movies Gladiator and Iron Man were partly filmed there along with dozens of others.