Trip to the Valley of Death (continued)

 


       The road was gradually climbing up higher and higher. It was getting colder. Now and then there were the cisterns with "water for batteries" inscriptions, useless in March, anyway reminding that the hot season of a year here happens too. From the top of the mountain pass there opened a wide view of the Valley of Death, lying below right before us and snow sparkling mountains peaks to our right. The peculiarity of these places lies in the abrupt change of altitudes. The bigger part of the valley lies below the sea level. The lowest point of the Western hemisphere is located same here. It is 282 feet below the sea level. And just 15 miles away there's a mountain, which is as much as 11,000 feel high. If this valley were situated in any different place, it wouldn't simply exist. There would be a lake instead of it. In fact it was exactly like that some time back in the past. In fact, it had been so some time in the past. But the climate changed, the surrounding mountains grew and the lake dried away. Nowadays this place is being described as the lowest, the driest (50 mm of yearly precipitation in average), as well as the hottest place in the North America. Exactly here the highest temperature of +57 degrees (C) was registered in 1913.




       Having made our way dow, we drove a little and camped in the very center of the campground. There are just a couple of places in the valley where you could camp for night, and they are available only from October to April. During the hot season of the year they are closed, anyway those who wish so, may stay at a perfectly small hotel. But even that adventure is for the toughest ones. The temperature in summer on the surface of the salt covered land reaches +93 degrees (C) and it is not just walking through the canyons, but even sidetracking from the paved roads that the tourist guides don't recommend.



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