Death Valley Visitors Guide - 12th Edition

20 Death Valley Vistiors Guide • 12th Edition Inyo County is home to the highest point in the contiguous 48 states, Mt. Whitney, at 14, 508 feet above sea level, and the lowest spot in the western hemisphere, Badwater, at 282 feet below sea level. In July of 1913, Death Valley was in the midst of a particularly brutal heat wave. On July 10, Furnace Creek Ranch foreman Oscar Denton recorded an air temperature of 134°F, which today, is still considered the hottest temperature ever recorded and a world record. Death Valley also possesses a long list of lesser known weather extreme and records. The greatest number of consecutive days with a maximum temperature of 100 °F or above was 154 days in the summer of 2001. The summer of 1996 had 40 days over 120 °F and 105 days over 110 °F. The summer of 1917 had 52 days where the temperature reached 120 °F. On July 12, 2012, the day’s low temperature was 107 °F tying the record for the world’s hottest low temperature ever recorded. On the same day, the average temperature was 117.5 °F, which is the world’s hottest temperature averaged over 24 hours on record. The weather station at Furnace Creek records an average of 1.5 inches of rain a year making it the driest spot in North America. Three times in the past 85 years, no measureable precipitation was recorded for an entire year. From 1931 to 1934 only 0.64 inches of rain fell over a 40-month period. The largest escarpment in the U.S. rises from the floor of Death Valley to the top of Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range. Death Valley National Park, in Inyo County, is the largest national park in the lower 48 at 3.3 million acres. Inyo County has the lowest census-designated area in the U.S., Furnace Creek which is 179 feet below sea level. The lowest golf course in the nation is located in Inyo County. The Furnace Creek Golf Course is 214 ft below sea level. A castle built based on lies between friends is located in Death Valley. Death Valley got its name after a child, in an ill-fated party of settlers, died. The settlers escaped a grim fate and as they left the valley, one turned and said, “Good bye, Death Valley,” so naming it. The first European to enter Inyo County is believed to have been Antonio Armijo who in the spring of 1830 tread the “Old Spanish Trail” between Santa Fe, NM and Spanish settlements in California. Legendary frontiersmen, John C. Frémont and Kit Carson passed through Inyo County on the Old Spanish Trail. Death Valley prospector and businessman, Dad Fairbanks, founded Shoshone and is credited with having rescued 50 people from Death Valley. Death Valley is 5,268 square miles making it larger than three US states and 33 countries! Its dimensions roughly equate to Santa Clarita to the Mexican border in length and from Santa Monica to Riverside, California in width. And with 91% of the Park designated as wilderness, a visitor to Death Valley is almost assured of a wild and un-crowded experience. Enjoy The Heat Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth. In the summer months (May-September) temperatures average over 100°F (38°C), and often exceed 120°F (49°C). The world’s hottest temperature, 134 °F was recorded here in 1913. Death Valley National Park, however, is perfectly safe to visit in the summer with some caution. Drink and carry plenty of water: Carry with you and drink at least one gallon (4 liters) of water per day to replace loss from sweat, and drink more if you are active. Fluid and electroyte levels must be balanced, so have salty foods or sports drinks too. Travel prepared to survive: Stay on paved roads in summer. If your car breaks down, stay with it until help comes. Carry extra drinking water in your car in case of emergency. Watch for signs of trouble: If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or get a headache, get out of the sun immediately and drink water or sports drinks. Dampen clothing to lower body temperature. Be alert for symptoms in others. Heat illness can be severe and even deadly. Most visitors in the summer choose mostly to tour by car. The main points remain open, but it is highly recommended to stay on paved roads and close to your vehicle. Fast Fun Facts about Death Valley The temperature sign at the Fur- nace Creek Visitor Center con- firms that “it’s hot in Death Valley.” PHOTO BY DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK