USA 2017: Death Valley & Mount Whitney

Sunday we left Yosemite; mah crew went home to San Diego while I was unceremoniously dumped at the airport in Bakersfield to fend for myself. Ok, not really. Anyways, I drove up to Ridgecrest and then Monday on to Death Valley, as far as the sand dunes of Mesquite Flats. Then, I drove CA-190 and CA-136 from Panamint Valley, over the mountains into lovely, quaint, cozy, snug, little Lone Pine. After lunch at the country's purdiest McDonald's, I drove up to the parking lot under Mount Whitney and then down to Ridgecrest again. The route is as close to a pilgrimage as I'll ever come.

I took this video on the way from Ridgecrest to Death Valley, just to give y'all an idea of how barren and lifeless it all looks.


I am skeptical of the sand dunes.


Video of said dunes.


Video from the vista point where the road starts to descend into Owen's Valley. It is a view that never fails to lift the spirit... and make me dance around, while reciting from The Sound of Music. Again, not really, but I had you going there for a second? Eh? Eh?


Video of the mountains as seen from the valley floor.


Mount Whitney in all its glory.


The aforementioned McDonald's in Lone Pine. One could do worse than stuff face with a double quarterpounder with cheese there.


The stream was frozen, but you could hear water run underneath. The air is so crisp and clear up there, every breath is pure bliss.


The light patch of asphalt is where I'd witnessed the rock slide with mah San Diego crew back in the winter of 2014.


Owen's Valley as seen from a vista point halfway up Mount Whitney.


Video from the same spot.