This is the view from Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park. It's a really interesting place. The lowest point is some 280 feet below sea level and to get out you have to cross mountains over 8000 feet tall. And then you keep doing that over and over again until you are dizzy and have a terrible headache and when you arrive on the other side you are faced with the Sierra Nevada mountain range towering over you. Pretty cool place. I'm glad we went in the winter it was probably in the mid 40's and there was almost no one there except for a bus full of stoners that stopped at one of the overlooks to smoke a few bowls.
The other place we stopped at Death Valley was called Mosaic Canyon and it's really neat. The runoff from the mountains essentially carries gravel downhill carving out the canyon, whose walls are now made from polished marble. This might have been my favorite part of the trip. The Grand Canyon was amazing, but being able to walk up this canyon and put your hands on it and feel the smooth marble was a great experience.More pics at Picasaweb.
