A view of Panamint Valley at sunset.
Because of all the interest in the Fuso getting stuck in the Black Rock Desert playa, I posted those blog entries out of sequence. Now that those blog posts are done, I’m working on filling in the gap between Overland Expo and going to the Black Rock Desert (May 23-29).
We left Overland Expo on the morning of Monday, May 23. We were planning to go to Saline Valley which is located in the Death Valley National Park. Due to the length of the drive, we were going to camp at Panamint Springs tonight and drive to Saline Valley the next morning.
Death Valley National Park Map
On May 23, we started from Mormon Lake, Arizona (just south of Flagstaff, AZ). We crossed into Nevada by the Hoover Dam. We didn’t see any Big Horn Sheep this time. In previous years, we’ve seen them on the rocky walls right before you get to the Dam. We passed through Las Vegas and headed north on NV highway 160 to get to Death Valley via Pahrump, NV.
Interesting geology in Arizona
Jon and I have been going to Death Valley area since we lived in California (about 15 years ago). It is a gorgeous area and I love taking photos there.
Photo from December 2000 – Death Valley
It is all about the light. That is unless it there is a dust storm. We were here two years ago and there was an incredible dust storm that really limited visibility.
April 2014 – Saline Valley Dust Storm
The drive out was uneventful. We stopped to get gas and groceries in Pahrump, the last town before the national park.
The sun was just beginning to set. There were already a lot of shadows.
By the time we reached an area with a good view of Death Valley, the sun was setting.
It was pretty, but not the best conditions for photos. It was also getting late and we were tired.
To get to Panamint Springs, we had to drive over the Panamint Mountain Range. This is a long uphill drive and we have to take it slow in the Fuso to keep it from overheating.
The view down into the Panamint Valley is really lovely although the light was disappearing quickly.
We planned on staying at the Panamint Springs Campground. By the time we arrived, it was late and we both were hungry and tired.
Panamint Springs Resort – Photo from May 2014
The restaurant was closing in a half hour. I staked out a table while Jon checked us into a campsite.
Panamint Springs Campground
After a late dinner, we settled into the Fuso for a quiet night. There are times when it is really nice to have a camper. There wasn’t much we needed to do before going to bed.
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