Flower bloom in Death valley

[stawastawa]

I'd like to see that print in person - with its subtle color . . . especially in the shadows.

Nice, Vaugh! I posted a photo with my daughter in the "March Portraits" thread already, so how about a ho-hum, unreal-color sunrise?!

[Willie]

Oh, I'll add that there are only two ways in and out of the north--the main road, and Steel Pass.

Unlike Saline Valley Road, Steel Pass is truly not possible without proper 4WD/high clearance...unless perhaps you're okay with really damaging your vehicle, and that's only if you're descending. I don't see ascending possible for a regular vehicle at all.

That descent coming down to Eureka Dunes is one of the most sublime views anywhere. It is unimaginably beautiful, especially with late afternoon light.

When we lived in Bishop would go to Death Valley via Lone Pine and the North route regularly in an Audi 4000. Main concession was to take three air filters and change at least once during the drive. The talc fine sand was a killer and lack of a good filter has killed a few engines on that drive.

Never needed 4WD and only took the pickup when it was wet and muddy. Dry the Audi did just fine.

[Pieter K]

When we lived in Bishop would go to Death Valley via Lone Pine and the North route regularly in an Audi 4000. Main concession was to take three air filters and change at least once during the drive. The talk fine sand was a killer and lack of a good filter has killed a few engines on that drive.

Never needed 4WD and only took the pickup when it was wet and muddy. Dry the Audi did just fine.

Yes, regular route.

But I'm talking about Steel Pass, through Eureka/DeDeckera Canyon. Totally different. It has three serious rock steps that I don't see any normal car negotiating. No one I know has ever seen or heard of a car getting through there, and that's without even having to deal with the soft sand south east of Eureka Dunes, against the Last Chance Range.

[Vaughn]

When we lived in Bishop would go to Death Valley via Lone Pine and the North route regularly in an Audi 4000. Main concession was to take three air filters and change at least once during the drive. The talk fine sand was a killer and lack of a good filter has killed a few engines on that drive.

Never needed 4WD and only took the pickup when it was wet and muddy. Dry the Audi did just fine.

Going in via Big Pine to Eureka Valley, then later onwards to DV, in my Eurovan shook the passenger door lock mechanism loose, but otherwise fine. Had a fighter jet sneak up on me from behind while I was photographing the Eureka Valley Dunes from the road...just a few hundred feet above me.

This is where I hung out while the wind was blowing the sand off the top of the dunes (no footprints the next morning!) The second image is on top of the dunes after the wind picked up again. Both images on 4x5 TMax100.

[Vaughn]

Nice, Vaugh! I posted a photo with my daughter in the "March Portraits" thread already, so how about a ho-hum, unreal-color sunrise?!

Nice, Richard!! I was rewarded with a wonderful sunrise in the Alabama Hills a few mornings ago -- but I could watch it from the comfort of my van -- no color film, so I was not even tempted to photograph and just had to enjoy it! I attempted a star-track photo with the 11x14 that night...7:15pm to 2:30am -- so I felt justified having a lazy morning!

[Drew Wiley]

Gosh, you got buzzed, Vaughn? I had two fighter jets buzz me so close out on Owen's Lakebed once that I was suprised my eardrums weren't burst. The Sinar was knocked over. Guess they get a chuckle out of that kind of thing; but it's not so funny up in the high Sierra canyons where it can start a rockslide. I remember the time they lost an early stealth plane up in lower Kern Canyon. Oh well, the infamous rule-breaker (and barrier-breaker) Yeager himself has sometimes been encountered up that canyon fishing for goldens, minus his noisy aircraft. My most memorable incident was back in the Whites when a huge "UFO" flew right over me and my nephew, utterly silently. I had just poked my head out from under the darkcloth and there it was. My nephew got a shot with his Pentax. It was so low we could read the numbers and identify the Navy logo. Makes sense, since the Navy runs the specialized monitoring radar in that part of the world, which can in fact track stealth planes. Strange looking thing, quite unlike the production stealths. There went a couple billion dollars of early carbon fiber prototyping, I suppose. Like it wasn't even there. No vapor trail, no noise coming or going. Four of the biggest jet engines I've ever seen, apparently under some kind of massive muffler system.

[Pieter K]

Nice, Vaugh! I posted a photo with my daughter in the "March Portraits" thread already, so how about a ho-hum, unreal-color sunrise?!

Gorgeous color!

What film did you shoot this on?

[Willie]

When we lived in Bishop would go to Death Valley via Lone Pine and the North route regularly in an Audi 4000. Main concession was to take three air filters and change at least once during the drive. The talk fine sand was a killer and lack of a good filter has killed a few engines on that drive.

Never needed 4WD and only took the pickup when it was wet and muddy. Dry the Audi did just fine.

Sorry, "talk" should be "talc" fine sand.

Getting buzzed is normal in some of the areas and especially in the Panamint Valley. The jet jockeys key in the Sidewinder missiles on the heat from your tailpipes while doing practice combat attack runs.

[richardman]

Pieter, that is Portra 160. At the Sand Dunes:



You can see our minivan right under the curved branch.

[Vaughn]

Every time I have been on top of the Eureka Valley dunes, I have seen jets below me, sometimes circling the dunes then heading over the ridges to the southeast. Being buzzed by phantom jets (F4s) in the Sierras was a regular event in the 70's. And I forget how many times I thought my vehical was about to blow up, only to realize I was just buzzed by a jet.

They use to fly low over Mendocino Pass where I worked for the Forest Service (coastal range). One time a FS helicopter was almost hit there...someone forgot to tell the Air Force and there was hell to pay.