/// Wild Tracks - Landscape Photography by Eduardo Gallo

WILD TRACKS

Passion for Landscape Photography

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Death Valley National Park, CA, USA

December 2013

Death Valley National Park, CA, USA

Canon 5D MkII & EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/60s f/11 ISO400 @45mm

Google Earth for this photo
DEATH

Dry lakes or playas form at the bottom of depressions with no outlet to the oceans, mostly in dry climates. As the elements slowly but continuously erode the surrounding mountain ranges, the sediments get ordered by weight: the heaviest ones (rocks and boulders) only move short distances from their original positions, smaller rocks and pebbles travel growing distances to form the alluvial fans so characteristic of desert landscapes, while only the finest particles are light enough to be carried all the way to the dry lakes. Sometimes these particles are mostly salt crystals, in which case the playa is called a salt flat or a salt pan; in others, such as the one shown above, they are called mudflats for obvious reasons.

Dry lakes are the flattest naturally occurring surfaces on Earth, but they are not always dry. During the wet season many of these playas are covered by a shallow layer of water, never more than a few inches deep, creating incredibly beautiful landscapes. Only if precipitation and the resulting runoff can keep up with evaporation do these lakes become inland seas; otherwise they dry up as the water slowly evaporates, laying down their load of sediments and hence adding a little layer to the sediments depth. In the Basin and Range region of the southwestern United States, some of these dry lakes reach tremendous depths (several thousand feet). The only reason why they do not fill up their basins is because the accumulation of sediments is slow and can not keep up with plate tectonics, which continuously lowers the basins themselves while pushing up the mountain ranges that surround them.

The above photo was taken at the foot of the Eureka Dunes, the highest sand dunes in California. I am showing the picture above because in my opinion it truly reflects the inhospitable environment that I experienced. Cold (barely above freezing), strong wind gusts that made it seem even colder, blowing sand, blinding light reflecting on the ground, and only a few brave bushes adding some contrast to this desolate place.

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