Planning our way onward from Yosemite, we decided to go north around the Sierra Nevada mountains rather than tracing back South towards Las Vegas, where we’ve already been. It was then we realized that not only the road we were on was closed for crossing over to the east side of the mountains, but also the next two roads to the north! So our diversion around the mountains to the north was quite extensive!
We started going up in elevation and also stopped at an odd little spot for lunch. The food wasn’t amazing, it was freezing in there, but we had a great chat with the couple at the next table. 🙂
There was still plenty of snow crossing through the mountains. Really pretty scenery, especially the lake.
Once on the other side of the snow, the scenery turned greener and flatter again, with more bits of snow to be seen here and there.
Then it started to flatten out and turned more desert-like as we descended fully.
Our ultimate destiation was Death Valley, but we were told we had to see Lake Momo on the way. So we did.
It’s special because they’re working to re-establish the level of the water, which has been depleted since the 1960s, and because it has these really interesting salt deposit formations.
We spent the night at Mammoth mountain first, before continuing to the valley. Our hotel was a really cute bed & breakfast called Cinnamon Bear Inn. It’s on a road called Bear Alley, and aparently it’s because bears walk down the street sometimes. But we didn’t see one.
We hiked over to the mostly frozen lake nearby
Then we checked out the town itself and picked a place for dinner after walking around a lot.
In the morning, we headed to Mammoth Mountain itself to ride the cable car to the top. It’s an all-out ski resort! We had to park almost a mile away from the entrance, and that was actually good.
The ride and views from the top were really excellent. That’s me using one of my summer sweaters as a scarf. 🙂
Here we are at 11,000 feet altitude, at the top. Check out the video on the right… cool right!?
Back down we go.
Then at last, driving on toward Death Valley. Took a bit of a wrong turn-off, but it’s a neat flat place that seems like it should be called “Telegraph Road”. Like the Dire Straits song!
Officially entering Death Valley! Now we’re at Sea Level – remember, we started the day at 11,000 feet!! Woah
We are staying at the Ranch at Dealth Valley. It’s an oasis of green in the midst of the parched valley.
There’s another one called the Oasis at Dealth Valley nearby too.
We went out to the lowest elevation spot called Badwater – it’s at 285 feet Below Sea Level! That completes our largest one-day elevation change of 11,285 feet. The tiny sign you see up on the side of the mountain actually reads SEA LEVEL. Way up there!!
I’ve also gone from wearing pretty much ALL the clothes I brought up on the mountain top, to just dying of heat here! We didn’t walk too far out before calling it good enough and going back to the A/C in the car. It’s so hot here, even during the night, because the valley is surrounded by mountains on all sides, so the hot air is just trapped!
Next we hiked (well, really dragged ourselves slowly from shade to shade LOL) to a natural arch. Everything’s just rocks! Yet there were various insects and dragonflies who somehow make a living here.
Where the Devil aparently plays golf. 🙂
Our next spot was Artist Drive. No hiking this time – it’s a drive-thru. And thank goodness because it’s 110 degrees out now!
But wow. The hills are really as if they’d been painted by artists. So many colours for such a dry deserted place!
Our last hike was at Golden Canyon. We went part way in, and then decided we were done.
Back at the Ranch, we cooled off in the pool a bit. Yup, I caught some sunburn out there!
Before dinner, we walked around the grounds which included an outdoor museum of old wagons and train engines. It really looks like something out of the Wild West at sunest. Well, except for the palm trees. LOL
And finally a lovely dinner. The picture in the restaurant shows how they used to cross the valley with a 20-mule team. A lot of interesting decor and atmosphere here.
And that’s the end of the road trip! A really fantastic experience. We saw a lot, and had some twists, turns and surprises along the way. Hard to believe all of that took place over just 2 weeks! Road trips are amazing.
We finished off by returning to Las Vegas and catching a movie on the big screen, complete with fully reclining seats, before heading back to Bermuda.
