Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - V

As the run breaches the horizon and crests the hills to the east, the tops of the local hills are lit and the mood on the sand begins to change.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - IV

Think of it as environmental portraiture. There are actually a couple people in most of today's photos. Once you find them, you can't not see them.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - III

That this vast expanse of sand has any plants in it is remarkable. Yet, life finds a what. Clearly, the little rain that falls here (usually this is the case but 2022 saw flooding) seems to be enough to satisfy these drought resistant plants.

In fact, they seem to be spreading with the small fronds reaching the top of the local dune.

But not all are so lucky. Some expansion attempts don't work out well and we just get bare stems in places.

 

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - II

By carefully picking the directions to shoot, I could, in spite of the footprints everywhere, make it feel quite empty.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise

One of the things that the photo workshop offered that inspired this visit to Death Valley was sunrise here on the dunes at Mesquite Flat. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do it on my own.

Death Valley - Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

After Hoover Dam, I stopped in Las Vega to pick up Elizabeth from the airport and we headed out for Death Valley. We arrived well after dark. The ride through the desert in the dark was eerie. It felt like there was a forest closing in all around us when, in fact, it was all open desert. the lack of anything to reflect the headlights back was mistaken for something absorbing all the light.