Winter In The High Desert

dsc_2483(3 photos) December 29, 2016 at Joshua Tree National Park, California. It was a very pleasant 73° while we were wandering here, although the low temperature on this same day was a chilly 37°.

dsc_2501Situated between the Great Basin Desert to the north and the Sonoran to the south (mainly between 34 and 38°N latitudes), the Mojave, a rainshadow desert, is defined by a combination of latitude, elevation, geology, and indicator plants. Elevations are generally between three and six thousand feet, although Death Valley National Park includes both 11,049-foot Telescope Peak and the lowest point in the United States 282 feet below sea level at Badwater.  [National Park Service]

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12 replies to “Winter In The High Desert”

    1. And it’s so easy to get to… just head east and turn left where all those wind turbines are at the outskirts of Palm Springs. I was surprised at how many cars were heading into the park, but then the park’s so HUGE that all the humans just kind of dissipate into their own adventure spaces. It’s a wonderfully open space.

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    1. Thanks Eliza. It’s a don’t miss for any out-of-towner (hint hint). I also recall reading something about extra stresses on the Joshua Trees due to climate change. I guess that the concern is that they can’t “migrate” fast enough to outrun changes to their habitat. But there were lots & lots & lots of Joshua’s to be enjoyed on our visits. The last photograph shows a real geezer of a tree. Without a human in the frame for scale, its hard to imagine how really tall these trees get.

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    1. We’ve been so fortunate to have a lot of rain these past few weeks. Back when I was in high school, it was ordinary to have rain most of January & February, and plenty of snow on the mountains every winter. Glad to see it again.
      Thanks David.

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  6. Gorgeous shots of Joshua. My late husband and I visited his relatives in 29 Palms and did a drive through of Joshua. Wish we could have spent a bit more time there, but it wasn’t in the cards. I’ve come to really love those crazy prickly desert scenes. That guy climbing the rock looks pretty thrilling!

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Looking forward to your thoughts

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