Panamint Dunes

[David Eckels]

Rajan, I got close, but had not prepared for the hike. Maybe next time. Access road was a BI*CH, and THAT's an understatement.
Best I could do from about 2 miles.

[Rajan Parrikar]

David,

That is always a heartwarming sight. The hike is a long one. However, with a long lens there are good views to be had from the road leading into the Argus Mountains (just about a couple of miles from the Panamint Valley Resort). Hope you had a good time in DV with your father.

[justlikebeingthere]

Nice texture and lack of texture.

[thierrylegros396]

Nice texture and lack of texture.

[justlikebeingthere]

:-)

FWIW, I meant it as a sincere observation. I enjoy all the gritty textures on the darker areas as well as the ghost like softness of the dunes.

:-)

[thierrylegros396]

:-)

FWIW, I meant it as a sincere observation. I enjoy all the gritty textures on the darker areas as well as the ghost like softness of the dunes.

:-)

More understandable like this 

Thierry

[David Eckels]

FWIW, I meant it as a sincere observation.

That's exactly the way I took it, Michael. I find the juxtaposition of those textures, in DV or anywhere, fascinating. Welcome to the forums by the way.

BTW, for anyone interested, I did some research on Google Maps after I figured out how to measure distances I was 3.5 miles from the dunes; that's as close as you can get in a vehicle after about a 6 mile ride over an awful dirt road. So you have a 7 mile round trip hike just from the parking area and the dunes have about a 3 mile circumference. Serious hiking and water issues. No wonder there are no touristas crawling all over them like ants.

[polaris-14]

Beautiful, David. I think the juxtaposition of texture here is a really good one.

BTW, for anyone interested, I did some research on Google Maps after I figured out how to measure distances I was 3.5 miles from the dunes; that's as close as you can get in a vehicle after about a 6 mile ride over an awful dirt road. So you have a 7 mile round trip hike just from the parking area and the dunes have about a 3 mile circumference. Serious hiking and water issues. No wonder there are no touristas crawling all over them like ants.

I found this after googling for Panamint Dunes. So I suppose the distance between the "parking areas" to the "first dune" is 3.5 miles, huh? How was the dirt road? Was it the washboard style dirt road? I drove on such road entering the Eureka Dunes from the North, boy, it was one hell of a ride. Pretty much drove 6-10 miles an hour all the way.

[David Eckels]

Yes, Adhika, 3.5 miles. The road was washboard and washed out! High clearance 4x4 only would be my guess. Didn't look like it had been graded in a while. If I went back, I would be prepared to camp ON. By comparison, Eureka Dunes = piece of cake. Of course, this was a few days ago. Depending, YMMV.

[B-Ark]

Some years ago, I hiked into the Panamint dunes and to the top of the tallest one. Whilst there, a passing fighter jet noticed me, changed course and dropped in altitude and did a 720 around me. After I waved at him, he resumed his journey.
It's so hard to find peace and quiet ;-)

For those seeking solitude and a bit of adventure, don't just stop at the Eureka dunes. Keep following the track behind them, and then through the mountains, ending up at the hot springs in the Saline Valley. Not for the timid.

[Paulo Bizarro]

Nice view, but I find the light too harsh and "gritty" (for lack of better words, sorry).

[David Eckels]

Nice view, but I find the light too harsh and "gritty" (for lack of better words, sorry).

It is that, but that's the desert for you, especially during the mid afternoon.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I haven't been to Panamint, but I've done other DV dunes , and I really like this shot. The texture contrast is excellent, and the feel is classic Death Valley.

[Peter McLennan]

, a passing fighter jet noticed me, changed course and dropped in altitude and did a 720 around me. After I waved at him, he resumed his journey.
It's so hard to find peace and quiet ;-)

It happened to me at Eureka Dunes.  There were two of these F-18s and they totally surprised me.  They must have sensed my disappointment at missing the shot, because they came around a second time.  Passed overhead at about 300ft. Pretty exciting.

[B-Ark]

Great capture Peter. I've been 'buzzed' at least half a dozen times, and never managed to get a shot. Surprising that something that noisy can sneek up on you. The next time that I go there, I will have a camera surgically implanted in my forehead, so I'm always ready ;-)