Death Valley National Park
| Death Valley National Park Death Valley International Dark Sky Park |
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| Location: | California , United States | ||
| Next city: | Ridgecrest | ||
| Surface: | 13,628 km² | ||
| Founding: | October 31, 1994 since Feb. 20, 2013 International Dark Sky Park Gold , DSAG category 2a |
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| Visitors: | 1,678,660 (2018) | ||
| Address: |
Death Valley National Park P.O. Box 579 Death Valley, CA 92328 Tel. (760) 786-3200 |
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The Death Valley National Park ( ) ( dɛθ Väli ) ( Death Valley ) is located in the desert Mojave , and is the driest national park in the United States . It is located southeast of the Sierra Nevada , mostly in California and a smaller part in Nevada . The region is a hot spot .
The lowest point in the valley is 85.95 meters below sea level . There are two main valleys within the park, Death Valley and Panamint Valley. Both valleys are a few million years old. The Death Valley is surrounded by several mountains, the highest mountain range is the Panamint Range with the 3366 m high Telescope Peak . In 1933 Death Valley was named a National Monument . In 1994 it was greatly expanded and upgraded to a national park . A small enclave , Devils Hole, further east in Nevada near the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Preserve , is also part of the park. The entire reserve is part of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, established in 1984 .
On February 20, 2011, the national park was recognized as a light protection area by the International Dark Sky Association as International Dark Sky Park (IDSP, in gold), and has been called Death Valley International Dark Sky Park since then . It is by far the largest such reserve in the United States and the second largest in the world (after the Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Reserve in Canada).
Origin of name
The valley got its name after two groups of travelers with a total of about 100 cars were looking for a shortcut to the Old Spanish Trail in 1849 and got into the valley. After they had not found a way out of the valley for weeks and had already been forced to eat several of their oxen (using the wood of their wagons for firewood), they abandoned their remaining wagons and left the valley via Wingate Pass. One of the women from the group turned around and shouted “Goodbye, Death Valley” after the valley.
Despite a widespread legend, no one from the group is said to have died while crossing the valley, except for an old man named Culverwell, who was already tired to death when entering the valley. As a member of the tour group, William Lewis Manly described the events in his autobiographical work Death Valley in '49 .
geology
There have been at least four periods of active volcanism in Death Valley in the past , three or four periods of sediment being deposited, and some plate tectonic shifts . The area was also glaciated at least twice .
Natural resources
The valley is rich in metals such as gold and silver , as well as minerals such as talc and borax . A mining company worked here for many years, extracting borax for soap production. The finished product was transported out of the valley in large wagons, each drawn by 18 mules and two horses. Hence the brand name 20-Mule-Team .
climate
Although the Valley of Death is only a few hundred kilometers from the Pacific Ocean , it is one of the driest areas on earth. This is because the damp winds on their way from the Pacific Ocean rain down on five ridges before they can sweep over the area of the park. Death Valley is also one of the hottest areas in America.
On July 10, 1913, the National Weather Service recorded a temperature of 56.7 ° C (134 ° F) at Greenland Ranch (now known as Furnace Creek Ranch) , which is the highest temperature recorded on earth . However, some meteorologists attribute this result, supported by recent studies, to an observation error. This means that the temperature of 54.4 ° C (129.9 ° F) measured by an automated measurement system from the National Weather Service in Furnace Creek on August 17, 2020 would now be the highest air temperature recorded on earth to date.
On July 12, 2012, Death Valley recorded its warmest nighttime low temperature of 41.7 ° C (107 ° F); the same value was previously only achieved once, namely on June 27, 2012 at Khasab Airport in Oman .
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Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Death Valley
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colonization
The small colony of Timbisha Shoshone near the hotel oasis of Furnace Creek has been one of the few permanent residents of Death Valley since ancient times. The Timbishas are the southernmost closed tribal group of the Western Shoshone Indians .
fauna
The fauna is relatively diverse with over 400 species: These include 51 native mammal species , 307 bird species , 36 reptile species and three amphibian species . It is possible to encounter solitary roaming coyotes, mostly of poor stature. These animals are able to feed on almost all small animals and parts of plants. They are happy to rummage through the remains and other rubbish left by tourists. Other mammals that can be found in the park are kit foxes , bobcats , pumas and mule deer . Snakes usually only leave their hiding place at night, while the rather numerous lizards inhabit crevices and rock crevices. Bighorn sheep live in the park and the surrounding area . These are a subspecies of the mountain sheep that live in small, isolated herds in the Sierra Nevada and Death Valley. These extremely adaptable animals can eat almost all types of plants. They have no natural enemies, but compete with humans in their habitat.
The Death Valley National Park is a stopover and resting place for many migratory birds in their transit: Swallows , ibises and mallards can be seen especially in spring . Only a few birds are native all year round; this includes the big racing cuckoo , also known as the roadrunner. Six species of fish from the Cyprinodontidae family live in the national park: five species belong to the genus of the desert pavilli , including the endemic devil pak , which is threatened with extinction , of which only around 100 were left in April 2011. Another species is the introduced man-made goblin fish , a highly invasive species of fish.
Coyote ( Canis latrans ) in front of Joshua Palm Lily in Death Valley
Kit fox ( Vulpes macrotis )
The desert bighorn sheep ( O. c. Nelsoni ) is a subspecies of the bighorn sheep
flora
The national park counts over 1000 plant species; this includes 23 endemic species. The vegetation varies with the altitude: barren shrubs like the creosote bush and isolated plants of the genera Prosopis and Report in the valley, Joshua palm lilies , flexible pines and long-lived pines in the heights. Salt herbs and bushes rolling around freely in the wind are striking . Adaptation is the key to survival in one of the driest and hottest places in North America: reports can develop a root system up to 15 meters long in order to access deep groundwater. The surface of the leaves of Atriplex hymenelytra is covered with salt; this leads to the reflection of the sunlight and thus to a reduction in evaporation. Few rainy days in winter lead to short flowering times in some regions of the park; nevertheless, neither the low precipitation nor the overall sparse biomass are sufficient to form even remotely fertile soil. Every few years it rains more than usual, including in 2016, 2005 and 1998. Then Death Valley turns into a sea of flowers.
Long-lived pine ( Pinus longaeva )
Creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata )
Atriplex hymenelytra in Death Valley
Interesting places
Artist's palette
Artist's Palette is located on the slopes of the Black Mountains , which run parallel to the Panamint Range and enclose a rift valley , and is famous for its multi-colored rock formations. The richness of color is caused by the oxidation of various metals that occur in the rocks, for example iron (red to dark red) or copper (turquoise to green).
Badwater Basin
Badwater is the lowest point in the United States (85.5 meters below sea level) ( 36 ° 13 ′ 49 ″ N , 116 ° 46 ′ 3 ″ W ). The hexagonal structures that can be seen here are around 2 to 2.5 m in diameter and are part of a much larger and also hexagonal structure that can be observed from Dante's View, around 1,750 meters higher. These structures are created by drying and the associated expansion of the salt crystals occurring here. There is a weather station near the flat salt pan , where temperatures of over 50 ° C are regularly measured in summer. The salt pan was created by the drying up of a lake that was up to 200 m deep 3000 years ago.
Barker Ranch
The Barker Ranch became known as Charles Manson's last hiding place . He stayed there with his sect (the so-called Manson Family ) after they had committed brutal murders in Los Angeles . The members of the sect were arrested in two raids on October 10 and October 12, 1969 at the ranch. The ranch is now owned by the National Park Service and is empty. It is located approximately 25 km northeast of Searles Lake and Trona, California . The exact coordinates are 35 ° 51 '34.4 " N , 117 ° 5' 17.4" W . The ranch can only be reached via unpaved sand and gravel roads.
Charcoal Kilns
The site was built in 1867 to produce charcoal that was used to process ores found in Death Valley . However, the charcoal burning was given up again three years after it began.
Dante's View
Above Death Valley is Dante's View at an altitude of 1,669 m above sea level. Like Artists Palette, it belongs to the Black Mountains. From there one can see the central part of Death Valley and has a view of the Badwater Basin. You can also see Telescope Peak with its 3366 meter high summit. The valley extends from left (south) to right (north); in the middle you can see a dried up salt lake.
Devil's Golf Course
These jagged and pointed salt structures gave early visitors the idea that this inhospitable place must have been the devil's golf course.
Hidden Valley
The valley is in a remote area on the western side of the Cottonwood Mountains above the Racetrack Valley. A multitude of old, abandoned mines are scattered across the valley. The dry valley, with little vegetation in summer, can turn into a snow-covered landscape in winter and surprise you with a sea of flowers in spring.
Lipscott Road
Theippencott Road connects the Racetrack with the Saline Valley. At the top of the road, on the west side of the Cottonwood Mountains, is the old lipcott lead mine. Like many roads in Death Valley, the Lapcott Road is only serviced at irregular intervals by the park administration so that mass tourism does not come to all corners of the park. Information signs therefore warn against use with normal vehicles.
Mesquite Sand Dunes
The 4 km² Mesquite Sand Dunes are located in the northern part of the valley and have often been used as a desert backdrop in films, including Star Wars . The largest dune is the Star Dune. This is quite stable because the wind preferentially deposits the sand at this point. The sand here is around 50 meters high.
Mesquite Springs
Mesquite Springs is the northernmost part of Death Valley. There are numerous cacti in this part of the valley . Above the spring there are 2000 to 3000 year old petroglyphs from the extinct Mesquite Springs culture.
Mosaic Canyon
The Mosaic Canyon is located in the north-western part of the mountain range of the valley. It is named after its patterned walls, the deposits from different rock formations create varied patterns. The predominant rock occurrence is dolomite , a type of limestone that formed in a warm shallow sea that covered the area of Death Valley 750 million years ago.
Racetrack Playa
The wandering rocks of Racetrack Playa leave traces of movements over a lake bed that has dried out almost all year round. In 2014, the cause of the movements was clarified with the help of GPS and time-lapse recordings.
Salt Creek
Most of Salt Creek is mostly dry and covered with a bright white layer of salt. This is caused by regular flooding and the subsequent evaporation of the water. Much of the salt influx comes from brackish streams that flow year round. The last remnant of the former Lake Manly is also located here.
Shoreline butte
This Table Mountain used to be an island in prehistoric lakes that filled Death Valley during the Ice Ages.
Telescope Peak
Telescope Peak is the highest point in the park at 3,366 meters above sea level and is located in the Panamint Range.
Titus Canyon
The Titus Canyon digs into a seabed from the Precambrian . Leadfield is a ghost town near Titus Canyon that was founded around 1920 after rumors surfaced that mining in the area was profitable.
Ubehebe Crater
The Ubehebe Crater is a maar that is about one kilometer in diameter and up to 230 meters deep. Its age was originally estimated to be around 6,000 to 7,000 years; according to a more recent study from 2012, the age is only around 800 years. Ubehebe is an Indian word and means "big basket in the rock". The crater was formed when hot magma penetrated near the surface of the earth and the groundwater evaporated explosively.
Such phreatomagmatic explosions were more common in the area, but the Ubehebe Crater is the most striking example. The coordinates are: 37 ° 0 ′ 35 ″ N , 117 ° 27 ′ 1 ″ W There are a number of gray deposits near the crater rim; further down, the deposits become lighter. The gray deposits are from recent, similar explosions. The lighter deposits are old sedimentary rocks .
Ventifact Ridge
Ventifact Ridge is a ridge created by a flow of lava . The rocks that can be found on this ridge are famous for being shaped into a wide variety of shapes by wind erosion . The wind blows very strongly here, and the blown sand acts like a sandblasting fan on the rocks .
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point is known for its bizarre erosion landscapes . The rock formations are the sediments of the former Lake Zabriskie, which dried up nine million years ago.
Other places in the park
- Aguereberry Point
- Crankshaft Junction
- Desolation Canyon
- Devil's Cornfield
- Furnace Creek
- Lake Manly
- Scotty's Castle
- Skidoo
- Stovepipe Wells
Individual evidence
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^ Death Valley National Park Designated as Largest International Dark Sky Park ; darksky.org;
Lightscape / Night Sky , nps.gov;
Death Valley Named Largest Dark Sky Park . Andrea Thompson, OurAmazingPlanet , February 20, 2013, accessed November 4, 2013;
Death Valley named world's largest 'dark sky park' . Laura Bly, Usa Today , February 21, 2013, accessed November 4, 2013. - ↑ The Lost '49ers In: nps.gov, Retrieved May 15, 2019
- ↑ World: Highest Temperature. (No longer available online.) World Meteorological Organization, archived from the original on August 28, 2016 ; accessed on June 3, 2019 .
- ^ New global temperature record set in California's Death Valley. In: Reuters. August 17, 2020, accessed on August 17, 2020 .
- ↑ Death Valley: world record temperature measured at night - SPIEGEL ONLINE . Website Spiegel online. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
- ↑ Weather Death Valley National Park In: HolidayCheck, accessed on May 15, 2019
- ↑ Climate diagram Death Valley National Park In: Mapped Planet, accessed on May 15, 2019
- ↑ Pierre Gouyou Beauchamps, Au cœur des parcs américains , in Terre sauvage ISSN 0981-4140 , No. 223, (December 2006 - January 2007), page 30
- ^ Animals , United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service , National Park Administration website. Retrieved December 23, 2011
- ^ Animal University Web , University of Michigan - Museum of Zoology website , see Food habits section , accessed December 23, 2011
- ↑ Fauna Series No. 6 - 1961 , United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service , online version. Retrieved December 23, 2011
- ↑ Birds , United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service , National Park Administration website. See bird list (pdf). Retrieved December 23, 2011
- ↑ Devils Hole Pupfish , Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office , Updated April 2011, Retrieved January 2012.
- ^ Fish , United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service , National Park Administration website. Retrieved December 23, 2011
- ^ Plants , United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service , National Park Administration website. Retrieved December 23, 2011
- ↑ compare the amount of precipitation in the climate diagram under climate
- ↑ Death Valley: The desert is blooming in Spiegel Online from March 6, 2016
- ↑ The elevation of this summit has been converted from its National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) elevation of to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) elevation of. National Geodetic Survey
- ↑ America's 57 - The Ultras . In: Peaklist.org . Retrieved September 28, 2008.
- ^ Clarence A. Hall: Introduction to the Geology of Southern California and Its Native Plants . University of California Press, 2007, ISBN 9780520933262 , p. 224
- ^ Richard A. Lovett: Death Valley's Big Bang: Volcano "Potentially Active" . National Geographic, Jan. 27, 2012
Web links
- National Park Service: Death Valley National Park (official site; English)
- US National Parks Net: Death Valley National Park (English)
- Gleanings: Stones that wander - The phenomenon of the Race Track Playa (with researcher interview and photos)
- Death Valley National Park (Wiki Travel )
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