Tag Archives: panamint

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature

Badwater Basin to Telescope Peak

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Badwater Basin to Telescope Peak
“Badwater Basin to Telescope Peak” — Telescope Peak and the Panamint Range, seen from the shoreline of Lake Manly in Badwater Basin.

There are a few unusual things in this Death Valley photograph featuring Telescope Peak. Superficially, snow at Death Valley might seem unusual, but while it is at lower elevations that usual, these peaks are often snow-capped in winter. More unusual is the band of water at the bottom of the frame — that’s Lake Manly, which may temporarily form in Badwater Basin during wet years. The photograph includes the lowest elevation in the park (Badwater Basin) and its highest (Telescope Peak.)

What lies between those extremes is remarkable, too. That is a rise of over 11, 300′ from below-sea-level Badwater Basin to the summit of the peak. Between those two is some extremely rugged terrain that ranges from low desert to the alpine zone, with everything in between.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Tongue in Cheek

Blue Playa

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Blue Playa
“Blue Playa” — Intensely blue dry mud on Death Valley’s hidden “Blue Playa.”

I have photographed in Death Valley National Park for almost three decades. I have heard whispered rumors of this remarkable “Blue Playa” for years, but no one would share anything definite about it. All I knew was that somewhere in a remote and seldom-visited area of this vast park there was purportedly a small playa featuring astonishingly colorful soil which, in the right lighting conditions, is so blue that it rivals the color of a clear sky. This has been on my mind for years.

Since those who know weren’t talking, it was clear that I’d have to do some sleuthing. All I knew was that the place is remote, surrounded by difficult mountains, and not terribly large. Out of respect for the feature — and concern about potential damage should the location become widely known — I’m going to omit specific details. But here’s as much of the story as I can share publicly.

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Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sky

Morning Sky, Edge of Lake Manly

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Morning Sky, Edge of Lake Manly
“Morning Sky, Edge of Lake Manly” — Morning cloud-filled sky above the shore of Lake Manly.

It looks like I’m finally coming to the end of this season’s Death Valley Photographs. But there were quite a few, many featuring Lake Manly, the temporary lake flooding Badwater Basin. When the lake appears after a wet year it gives us an unusual opportunity in this desert landscape — to photograph reflected sky and mountains where we would usually see a salt flat.

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Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature

Lake Manly, Blue Sky Reflection

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Lake Manly, Blue Sky Reflection
“Lake Manly, Blue Sky Reflection” — Clouds in blue desert sky reflected in Lake Manley.

By the time I made this photograph, the dramatic very early morning light had dissipated, and it was all about blue sky, distant mountains, and fascinating morning clouds. The idea in this image was to move as close to the water as possible to create a photograph that was almost entirely sky and its reflected image. The wedge of mountains serves as visual distance to break up the sky features.

It was not necessary to wade into the water to make this photograph. It was enough to position my tripod at the water’s edge and use an appropriate focal length. That brings up a bit of a issue I have with some folks who photograph here. While I, along with probably dozens of other photographers, were working this scene one photographer waded way out into the shallow lake and stayed there for a long time. If that had produced some photographic opportunity that was unavailable from the shoreline I might have been a bit sympathetic — but it didn’t, and it only interfered with the efforts of all the other photographers. Don’t be that photographer!

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.