Creek and Panamint Springs Resort, there are only 41 fully serviced sites. We reserved our site at the Furnace Creek Resort 10 months in advance. Furnace Creek Ranch, in one form or another, has been in existence since 1881 as a tourist site. Te Furnace Creek Ranch consists of a general store, three restaurants, a saloon, swimming pool, golf course, museum, tennis courts, horseback riding and 214 guest units. In addition, the Inn at Furnace Creek, built in 1927, is a four-diamond hotel/resort. Across from the Furnace Creek Ranch is Sunset Campgrounds operated by the National Park Service (NPS), having 270 sites for dry camping.
So what is there to see in these three
million acres of wilderness? 1. Valley of Extremes
Death Valley is known for being the
lowest, driest and hottest place in North America or the Western Hemisphere. It is also known as the lowest point in North America, with Badwater at -280 (86.0 m) below sea level. Te name Badwater comes from the pools of bad alkali water. Two to four thousand years ago, Mandy Lake evaporated, leaving a salt bed. Each year, the valley floor continues to sink a few more inches. For the record, the lowest point on earth is the Dead Sea at -1,360 ſt. Because of the unique geography of Death Valley, records for scorching heat have reached 134°F (56.7°C) at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. Ground temperatures have reached 201°F on July 15, 1973. July temperatures oſten average 115°F. Do not count on the rain to cool you down, with only an average of 1.96 inches per year. Furnace Creek has also set records for cold, reaching 15°F (-10°C) on January 8, 1913. Talk about extremes!
2. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Stovepipe Wells Village is the
geographic centre of the park. It was named aſter a stovepipe was found in the sand to mark a watering hole. Tis oasis is the location of the “the most photographed sand dunes in the world”. George Lucas used this location in the original Star Wars movie. Te Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes extends over a couple
16 RVT 147 • MAY/JUNE 2012
of miles, so bring your hiking boots, camera and water.
3. Racetrack Playa Death Valley has been described as
‘haunting’ with strange occurrences. Racetrack Playa is a flat desert where rocks mysteriously move or sail across the flat valley. Rocks, from the size of basketballs to seven hundred pounds, move from mere inches to three thousand feet during the winter months. As the rocks move they leave a long visible trail in the dry clay. Explanations as to how the rocks move vary from the supernatural, magnetism to space aliens. Te most reasonable scientific explanation is that the clay valley floor at 37,000 feet is filled with ice crystals and the frequent 70-90 mph winds move the rocks.
4. Scotty’s Castle (Death Valley Ranch)
In the northern part of Death Valley,
Scotty’s Castle is located in Grapevine Canyon. Te building is not really a stone castle but a villa built in Spanish Colonial Revival style. Te castle was the idea of Walter Scott or Death Valley Scotty, who in his youth worked in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Te 2.5 million dollars required for construction was rumored to have come from Scotty’s gold mine but Albert M. Johnson, a businessman from Chicago financed the project. Te castle is a tribute to Walter Scott and a marvel to view.
6. Devil’s Golf Course Te Devil’s
Golf Course is not really a golf course. Te name comes from the idea that only Lucifer the Devil
could play on its surface. As Lake Manly slowly evaporated, a saltpan was leſt on the Badwater Basin. Technically, the salt is a halite salt crystal formation and provides a unique landscape. Do not confuse the Devil’s Golf Course with the very playable course at Furnace Creek Ranch.
7. Ghost Towns Te 1849 gold rush near Sacramento
sparked interest in Death Valley. Silver was discovered in Panamint City but within four years, Panamint had become a ghost town. Mining towns sprung up throughout Death Valley, including Skidoo, Leadfield, Chloride City and Ballarat, just to name a few. Near Ballarat the largest gold nugget in the world at 143 lbs was found. Te largest mining town was Rhyolite near Beatty, Nevada. Te ‘Queen City of Death Valley’ between 1905-1911 reached 8,000 people, had two banks, three railroads, an opera house, fiſty saloons and as many brothels. Te richest mineral in Death Valley
was not gold, but borax. Borax, the “white gold of the desert”, was discovered by Anron Winters in 1881. Borax is used in making many products from soap to glass products such as pyrex. William Coleman and the Harmony Borax Works developed the mine, the Greenland Ranch and the 20-mule team wagons. By 1927, Francis Smith and the US Borax (later Pacific Borax Co.) purchased the mine and the Furnace Creek Ranch. Te next stage of development would be in tourism under the Fred Harvey Company and the present owners, Xanteera Parks and Resorts.
8. Viewpoints (Overlooks) In order to see Death Valley, it is
necessary to view the valley from the mountain viewpoints. Start at Zabriskie Point, 5 miles (8 km) south of Furnace Creek Ranch. A short uphill hike from the parking lot leads to a panoramic view of the valley and the barren golden brown mudstone hills. A second must- see viewpoint is Dante’s View, 26 miles (41 km) south. From over 5,000 ſt you can see Badwater Basin beneath you, the alluvia fans, the saltpan remains of Lake Manly and the entire length of Death Valley. Death Valley is far from dead, nor is the
valley the “Creator’s dumping ground”. Te valley is beautiful, barren, mystic and peaceful. Whatever your interest, be it hiking, photography, gold panning, golf, or exploring ghost towns, Death Valley will not disappoint. One million visitors per year cannot be wrong. k
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