Wednesday, August 15, 2012

The road to Chloride City, Death Valley

Here we are on the road to Chloride City
We were surprised at the snow

This is just of the scenery along the way





You can see some of the old mining equipment at the top of the hill and the way the road winds down the hillside.



This is as far as we got.  The car is 4 wheel drive but none of us have done a lot of off road driving and things were pretty icy.  You don't see many people out here so it is best not to take chances.


When we got down to the valley in Nevada the ground was covered with hail stones.

The storm clouds were amazing.  Another fun ride in Death Valley

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Titus Canyon Death Valley


 

The entrance to Titus Canyon is in Nevada.  It is 27 miles long.  The road is almost all one way so you have to plan to go the distance if you get started.  They recommend high clearance vehicles and if there are stoms in the forecast it will be closed.  The first part is just flat desert then you get to the hills which are spectacular.

We usually bring a picnic lunch and plan on going to Scotty's Castle after we finish Titus Canyon.  Bring lots of water and snacks even if you don't bring lunch.

You get to see the town of Leadfield.  We always get out and walk around checking out the remnants of the town.
This is the old post office.

Remnants of an old mine.

Above is an old car, below Ken, Tricia (our daughter) and I are standing in front of a mine.                                               



This is looking into the mine.








This is just another view of the canyon.

Towards then end of the canyon the road gets really narrow.  Every day on this trip we would check to see if Titus Canyon was open and it was always closed do to flash flood danger.  On our last day it was open so we went on the drive then went to Scotty's castle.  We went to dinner at the Corkscrew Saloon in Furnace creek.  All in All a lovely day.  When we got back to the trailer there was a note on the trailer telling us we had gone beyond our reservation.  Oops, I get days wrong all the time, especially for dental appointments.  I got our days wrong so we loaded up and headed out.
I am glad I got the days wrong because if I had not then we would not have driven Titus Canyon or gone to the Castle.


Sunday, April 24, 2011

Scotty's Castle, Death Valley

We always like to go to Scotty's Castle after a drive through Titus Canyon.  We start early as it takes awhile to go through the canyon.  It is nice to bring a picnic lunch along.  There is a nice grassy area to lay out a blanket and have a picnic at the castle.
Albert Mussey Johnson was the one who actually built this place as a vacation home.  His friend, Walter Scott, who was quite a story teller claimed the place to be his.  Hence the name "Scotty's Castle"


This is in the courtyard where the tour starts.




 This is the living room.  The rock wall at the end is not a fireplace but a humidifier.  Water runs down the rocks into a small pool where it is pumped back up to the top.  I was always fascinated by this as a kid and wanted to have one in my own house some day.  I still don't have one.
Guns were a necessary part of the old west.  There are even holes in the outer walls for shooting out of.


 These curtains are made of leather.  It is amazing that they have held up since the 1930's.  
This is the dining area



One of the bedrooms

The music room is the last part of the tour.




This was a swimming pool, oh my how I would have liked to see it in its glory, and swim in it.

"Moonlight anywhere is a delight.  But there's on moonlight in the world that can compare with the moonlight in Grapevine Canyon, our desert canyon, where the Castle Stands."
-quote by Mrs. Bessie Johnson from Death Valley Scotty by
Mabel ©1932




 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Death Valley Devil's Golf Course

The salt flats in Badwater basin cover nearly 200 square miles and they are the largest protected salt flats in the world.

Here is our daughter and my honey.  He did not look up.  There is a picture with him looking up but I like this one of Tricia better.


That little bitty white speck up on the mountain side shows where sea level is.  Badwater basin is 282 feet below sea level.  The lowest spot in the United States.  The Dead Sea in Jordan/Israel is the lowest in the world at 1360 feet below sea level.

This water actually has a bunch of critters swimming in it.

This is a close up of some of the salt crystals