Tag Archives: death valley

Sunlit Outcropping and Erosion Patterns, Zabriskie Point

Sunlit Outcropping and Erosion Patterns, Zabriskie Point

Sunlit Outcropping and Erosion Patterns, Zabriskie Point. Death Valley National Park, California. April 3, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A stratified outcropping catches the morning sun light with eroded earthen patterns in the background – Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California.

Yet another in my series of explorations of the details of the amazing geology at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park. Here a small outcropping of harder, stratified material remains along the top of a very eroded hill between two gullies with more typically eroded textures extending into the distance in the background – all lit by early morning sunlight.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: zabriskie, point, death valley, national park, california, usa, outcropping, strata, stratified, sun, lit, light, rock, earth, eroded, erosion, patterns, folds, shadow, texture, viewpoint, scenic, travel, landscape, geology, morning, nature, stock

Detail, Zabriskie Point Folds in Morning Light

Detail, Zabriskie Point Folds in Morning Light

Detail, Zabriskie Point Folds in Morning Light. Death Valley National Park, California. April 3, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning light on variously angled curving ridges below Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park.

This is another in the series of photographs of details of the geology surrounding Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park – for the most part the interesting patterns of folded and twisted earth rather than the grand epic landscape to the west.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: zabriskie, point, fold, gully, angles, wash, ravine, morning, light, sun, death valley, national park, california, usa, desert, dry, landscape, scenic, travel, stock, shadow, geology, colors, shape, form, hill

Dust Storm Near Tucki Mountain

Dust Storm, Death Valley

Dust Storm Near Tucki Mountain. Death Valley National Park, California. April 3, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A few people asked me if I got any photographs of the dust storm I experienced on the final day of my spring Death Valley trip. Yes, I did get a few – though photography in a raging dust storm is no easy thing. (I did not make any photographs once I was inside the actual storm – I just wanted to get the heck out of there!) Here the photograph shows the last bit of clear sky as I was about to enter the cloud across Death Valley from Tucki Mountain, which rises above Stovepipe Wells.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: photo, photography, dust, storm, tucki, mountain, death valley, national park, meteorological, landscape, weather, california, use, stovepipe wells, wind, ominous, dark, cloud, sky

Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Morning

Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Morning

Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Morning. Death Valley National Park, California. April 2, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Morning light on the round folds of earth in Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Death Valley National Park, California.

From my point of view, at least based on my one visit there, one of the most interesting features in Twenty Mule Team Canyon has to be the extensive areas of colorful “folded earth” cut with gullies formed by runoff water. This area is hundreds of feet across and extends for a good distance from right to left as well. In flat light the color can be very pastel, but in the warm early morning light the subtle colors become more intense and visible. Here, shortly after sunrise, the light is skimming across the tops of the small hills, lighting them but allowing the gullies to remain shaded.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: twenty, 20, mule, team, canyon, geology, form, gully, fold, hill, round, color, morning, light, shape, pattern, death valley, national park, california, usa, scenic, landscape, travel, stock