Each time I visit Death Valley it rains! It wouldn't be so bad if there were some dramatic skies, but for me it is always grey alto stratus.
But occasionally when the sun did break through the lighting could be quite dramatic.
The white patches in the two pictures right are salts and minerals leached out of the ground by rain water which was then evaporated by the sun leaving this sharp crystalline mess behind. Known as the Devils Golf Course, it is unfortunately a victim of its own infamy.
It is quite normal to see parties of youngsters playing on the surface which has been mostly reduced to the dry barren soil that you see in the middle distance.
The sky below shows lenticular cloud which we watched for a while, hoping the wind would pick up and give us some exciting skies and weather.
Below are the sand dunes near the western exit. The only sand in Death Valley, it is quite striking, and, as with the Devils Golf Course, you can walk out there, if you are minded to.
I did. I climber the dunes here, about 1/2 mile from the car, at around 5.30 pm. It is very hard work climbing those dunes, even the small ones become quite demanding after a while.
If you are going to do it, take water. Always take water. I know you don't need it, but take it for all the other idiots who didn't need it.
Bad Water at bottom right is quite interesting, there are animals/fish in there and birds wade and catch food from the very brackish water. Sea level is about half way up the hills on the right.
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