Desert – Page 3

Marble Canyon Rainbows

Rainbows over Marble Canyon during probably the last of the monsoon storms for this year.

Buttes, Plateaus and Mesas- What’s the Difference?

The images below shot last week along the Arizona/Utah border show buttes, plateaus and mesas, geologic land forms that permeate America’s Desert Southwest. In general terms, buttes are smaller than mesas and mesas are smaller than plateaus. Buttes were probably once mesas but shrunk in size due to erosion. Plateaus are bigger than both mesas and buttes. But specific sizes of each land form are not normally defined.

Mesas, Buttes and Plateaus make up the landscape near Fredonia, Arizona

Storm clouds hover over Gooseberry Mesa in Southern Utah. The smaller hills at the base can be categorized as buttes.

Desert Flora at Sunset

Desert Southwest, Flowers, Utah

While mountain biking this week near Gooseberry Mesa in Southern Utah, I captured some pics over a few evenings of the changing colors of the flora and the sunsets.

Glen Canyon Moonrise/Sunset

Desert Southwest, Utah

Glen Canyon is that canyon that pretty much disappeared once construction started on the Glen Canyon Dam in 1956. It was finished in 1966. But the Colorado River was backed up into the canyon which later formed Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. There still is a canyon but not nearly as deep as it was. The two images here were shot within 5 minutes of each other. More images from the area to follow.

Leftovers From Death Valley

California, Death Valley, Desert Southwest, National Parks

Leftovers can be good. Like pizza or Chinese food, leftovers may be better than the originals.

Visitors explore the Stovepipe Wells Sand Dunes at Death Valley National park, California — Visitors explore the Stovepipe Wells Sand Dunes at Death Valley National Park, California. I don’t walk on these dunes because of the extreme foot traffic it receives. Doesn’t make for good photos except from a distance.

The Furnace Creek Inn at Death Valley rents for a cool $499 per night. They also charge a $13.44 per day resort fee. Really?

The bright colors of Mustard Hills at death Valley National Park, California — The bright colors of Mustard Hills at Death Valley National Park, California

Death Valley’s Panamint Valley

California, Death Valley, Desert Southwest, National Parks

Another large valley at Death Valley National Park is Panamint Valley. It is 65 miles long and up to 10 miles wide and stretches from Panamint Dunes, located inside the park, to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center. It is also home to the Barker Ranch, infamous as the temporary home of the Charles Manson gang in the late 1960s.

The wide expanse and elevation changes are the predominant features at Panamint Valley at Death Valley National Park, California — Wide expanses and elevation changes are the predominant features at Panamint Valley. That’s snow-covered Telescope Peak, at 11,043 feet, the highest point in Death Valley NP.

Wide Valleys and tall mountain peaks are the predominate features at Death Valley National Park, California — The main road meanders through the valley and has some incredible elevation changes.

Panamint Dunes were formed when high winds forced sand into the north end of Panamint Valley at Death Valley National Park, California — Panamint Dunes was formed when high winds forced sand into the north end of Panamint Valley.

Brightly colored Zinc Hill in the Argus Range at Death Valley Natioal Park, California — Brightly colored Zinc Hill in the Argus Range.

The Remote Eureka Valley

California, Death Valley, Desert Southwest, National Parks, Weather

Eureka Valley is located within Death Valley National Park and was added to the park when Death Valley became a national park in 1994. Death Valley NP is now the largest national park in the lower 48 states at over 3.3 million acres, 50% more than Yellowstone. Ninety One per cent of the park is designated wilderness and Eureka Valley is definitely wilderness. It is approximately 28 miles long and up to 10 miles wide. Eureka Valley could be its own national park. The valley is known for its soaring sand dunes, the colorful Last Chance Range and views to the snow-capped White Mountains that reach some 14,000 feet into the air.

Clouds pass over Eureka Valley at Death Valley National Park, California

Texas Spring, Marble Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, Stovepipe Wells Village, Stovepipe Wells Dunes, Devil's Cornfield, Scotty's Castle, Ubehebe Crater, Crankshaft Junction, Eureka Dunes. We camped at Eureka Dunes. 164 miles, 10 hours 24 minutes — Eureka Valley, upper left on map, is a 2 hour drive from the center of Death Valley NP, mostly on dirt and gravel roads.

Fog envelops the Last Chance Mountains at Death Valley National Park, California — Colorful strata are the predominate feature of the aptly named Last Chance Range.

The snow-covered White Mountains as seen from Eureka Valley at Death Valley National Park, California — The snow-covered White Mountains as seen from Eureka Valley.

Threatening clouds pass over Eureka Valley at Death Valley National Park, California — Lazy clouds pass over Eureka Valley.

A nearly full moon rises through the clouds over Eureka Dunes at Death Valley National Park, California — A full moon lights up the landscape over Eureka Dunes.

High winds kick up dust at Eureka Valley at Death Valley National Park, California — High winds kick up sand at Eureka Valley and eventually settles at the south end where the dunes reside.

The shapes and lines at Eureka Dunes at Death Valley National Park, California — The dunes rise up to 700 feet, amongst the tallest in North America.

The road to Eureka Dunes ar Death Valley National Park, California — The dunes look rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Threatening clouds pass over Eureka Valley during sunset at Death Valley National Park, California — Sunset over the valley.

Mammals burrow into the sand at Eureka Dunes at Death Valley National Park, California — Small mammals survive here by burrowing into the sand for relief. These nests are home to the kangaroo rat.

Rain makes an occasional appearance at Death Valley, but only a few inches annually.

It Never Rains In Death Valley

California, Death Valley, Desert Southwest, National Parks, Weather

Well, almost, it did a little this past Friday. Death Valley only receives 2 inches per year, mostly in the winter. In a lot of locations in this world, you can receive 2 inches of rain in less than an hour. The storm clouds gave Death Valley National Park a look I normally don’t see. The clouds and filtered sunlight produced some memorable images.

Paria Clay Beds

Desert Southwest, Utah

Also known in geologic terms as the Chinle Formation located at Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. This spot is located at the old Paria Movie Set where The Outlaw Josie Wales was filmed. I half expected Clint Eastwood to come walking out of the landscape. These were shot an hour or two before sunset and with the clouds, made for some great light!

Colorful clay beds of the Chinle Formation are revealed due to erosion at the The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Utah

One Amazing Little Rainbow

Arizona, Desert Southwest, Grand Canyon, National Parks, Weather

Caught this rainbow dancing along the desert floor near Marble Canyon at Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. It played with the monsoonal clouds passing through to provide some abstract images. A time lapse video of this rainbow and surrounding storms will follow soon. These images are available as prints or downloadable files for personal use at Dawn2dawnPhotography.com

A rainbow appears during a thunderstorm at Marble Canyon at Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

Tag: Desert

Marble Canyon Rainbows

Like this:

Buttes, Plateaus and Mesas- What’s the Difference?

Like this:

Desert Flora at Sunset

Like this:

Glen Canyon Moonrise/Sunset

Like this:

Leftovers From Death Valley

Like this:

Death Valley’s Panamint Valley

Like this:

The Remote Eureka Valley

Like this:

It Never Rains In Death Valley

Like this:

Paria Clay Beds

Like this:

One Amazing Little Rainbow

Like this: