Southwest Photos 8

DEATH VALLEY

A dust storm (or just a lot of wind) kicked up in the morning. After about an hour or so I was in Death Valley National Park.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\pahrump6.jpg$
I'd been to Death Valley and wanted to see things I hadn't before. This is the Harmony Borax Works. It was only in operation from 1883 to 1888.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley1.jpg$
I don't know what this building was but it is nearby.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley2.jpg$
The trail road winds through these yellow rocky things. I'm quite the geologist, eh?	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley3.jpg$
One thing I wanted to do on my last trip but couldn't because the Titus Canyon Road was closed due to snow was see Leadfield. It's located in the mountains on this road.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley4.jpg$
The dirt road winds along the side of the mountain. There is no rail or wall. One slip and it's a long tumble to the bottom.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley5.jpg$
Just look at all that nothing. You are really alone out here. And I was. There was no one behind me and no one ahead of me. The silence was deafening.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley6.jpg$
I just happened to see this sign at a small turnoff. I'm glad because otherwise I would have gone right past...	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley7.jpg$
...this mine opening. It is closed off for safety reasons which is probably for the best.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley8.jpg$
But you can see in it. It would be pretty cool to be able to go in though.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley9.jpg$
Here we are. Leadfield. It's not all that far away from Rhyolite but they are quite different. Rhyolite developed from a mining town to a fairly large community with permanent buildings. Leadfield was a mining town that stayed that way. Where Rhyolite has ruins of stores, a school and a bank, Leadfield residents lived mostly in tents and dugouts so there are few structures remaining.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley10.jpg$
Oh, and this vehicle.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley11.jpg$
Here are the remains of a dugout. I can't imagine living in one of these, but it might be better than a tent.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley12.jpg$
It's definitely a fixer-upper.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley13.jpg$
And this is basically all that's left.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley14.jpg$
There is nothing indicating what these buildings were when the town was active.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley15.jpg$
It could have been the camp office, a small store, or just about anything as far as I can tell.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley16.jpg$
The foundation for some sort of building that isn't there.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley17.jpg$
Here's another mine. This one is closed off more than the other one.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley18.jpg$
All the buildings didn't remain standing.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley19.jpg$
This may have been a stream. It may still be when it rains or the snow melts.	$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley20.jpg$
$Description: Description: C:\JD Stuff\Web Documents\southwest\death_valley_pan1.jpg$ If you did live and work at Leadfield, this would have been your view.