The last 1/4 mile drive is a 15% grade the end of 11 miles uphill to Dante’s Viewpoint, providing a panoramic view of the valley that earns the name Death Valley, an altitude gain of 5,500 feet.  A notable contrast are the snow-capped Panamint Mountains, 11,000 feet above the salt basin below, the lowest point in North America. 

Dante’s View is on a mountain named Coffin Peak, part of the Black Mountains.   At one time the Panamint Mountains were on top of the Black Mountains and slid off to the west.  Today, geologically the Black Mountains are moving south, the Panamint Mountain are moving west and the valley floor is falling.  Plate tectonics accounts for this land movement. 

We hope you are enjoying us tell a little about our Death Valley experience.  Feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you think.

The year was 1907 and many still suffered from the gold fever that started almost six decades earlier.  Harold Ashford came to Death Valley in search of this treasure called gold.  While death Valley is known for the Twenty Mule Team branded borax mining, many other minerals were mined, including gold. 

Ashford discovered that the Keys Gold Mining Company had failed to do the proper assessment work on some of its claims and he took them over.  The Keys Company tried to sue Ashford to get them back but lost in court.  Ashford built the mill site on the floor of the valley, five miles from and 3,500 feet below his gold mine in the Black Mountains to the east.  The ore proved to be not as rich and the cost greater than the gold obtained.  Ashford leased the mine over the years.  At times the lease holders would fail to pay him.  Ironic the lease thief became a victim of thieves himself. 

Ashford and he and his two brothers would work the mine from time to time when not in court trying to get justice.  The last reported mining took place in 1941, 76 years ago.  All that remains of the mill site is the stone walls of an office and concrete footings of the mill.  The mine, miles up a steep road, offers the adventurous good exploring.  We only surveyed the mill site.

Death Valley has such a rich history and we enjoy exploring it.  As we are here for the art show later in the week, we will enjoy the rich diversity of visitors from all over the United States and from all over the world.

Today we celebrate nine years of marriage. It has been nine wonderful years and we look forward to many more years together.  Another milestone we celebrate in March is the beginning of our fifth year of retirement.  We are spending the week, here in Death Valley, enjoying the mild weather and desert sites like no other found on earth. 

Had we stood in this spot 20,000 years ago we would be at the bottom of 600 foot deep Lake Manly.  We could have drowned!  The lake stretched from the Black mountains on the east to the Panamint mountains on the west and was some eleven miles long.,. Imagine the crystal clear blue waters of Lake Manly, surrounded by thick forests of trees and abundant wildlife.  Today a salt plane, 282 feet below sea level, the lowest place in North America. 

We are back here for the Death Valley Spring Art Show later this week.  God is good and we thank Him for all that we have.