The name,Death Valley,is known around the world. But many people know little about the place itself. Is it really a valley of death? Where is it? Why is it so famous?

Death Valley is located in the United States, in eastern California, near the border with Nevada, about 400 kilometers northeast of Los Angeles. It is a valley six to fourteen miles wide and 130 miles long. In 1933, the valley and the surrounding mountains, an area of ​​nearly 3,000 square miles, were erected into a national monument, called the Valley of Death National Monument.

The valley itself is a large submerged area, 550 square miles of which lie below the level of the ocean surface. Here, near Badwater, is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, 80 meters below sea level. But, ironically, it is located just 130 kilometers from Mount Whitney, which at 14,496 feet , is the highest point in the United States outside of Alaska.

At the western end of the valley is Pico do Telescópio, which rises to 11,045 feet. From Badwater it's a continuous climb to the top. This peak is truly remarkable in the way it rises above its immediate surroundings. What a marvelous view you have of him!

In the distant past, a large lake occupied the valley of death. Then, with increasing aridity, the lake shrank in size and eventually evaporated and large concentrations of salts were deposited in the water. This left about two hundred square kilometers of a salty sink, which is the lowest, hottest, and driest area in the valley.

Climate and its effects on life

The scorching sun is raising temperatures in the valley to record heights, making it unsafe for humans. On July 10, 1913, a shadow temperature of 134.6 ° F was recorded, the highest ever recorded in the world. But nine years later, a Libyan village recorded 136.4 ° F, to win the world record for heat, which still stands.

Soil temperatures in Death Valley often reach 185 ° F. A mother, as the wife of Death Valley's leading naturalist, said she buried hard-boiled eggs by burying them in the sandbox of Death Valley. her daughter. And he made the tea by putting the tea bags in a pot of water in the sun.

Death Valley is also one of the driest places on the planet. The humidity drops to less than a quarter percent! But the climate is temperate in winter and from November to May the weather can be almost ideal.

The average rainfall is only 5 centimeters per year. Short spills usually occur in the spring and fall. Constant rains are rare. But when they do occur, the moisture results in seeds that can be dormant for many years. Desert areas are covered with a wide variety of beautiful flowers: springs, poppies, sunflowers, etc. It is said that 22 valley plants are not found anywhere else on Earth.

Despite the extreme heat and drought, a significant number of animals also live here. About 26 species of mammals have been recorded in the valley, including the coyote, fox and kangaroo rat. There are also many varieties of lizards, snakes, spiders and insects. But perhaps most remarkable is the fact that the earth is home to 230 species of birds.

Do you think the fish also live in the valley of death? They do! The desert minnow, which rarely exceeds an inch in length, lives in the shallow depths of Salt Creek, the only creek in the valley that lasts a year. James E. Deacon, professor of biology at the University of Nevada, noted:

“We recorded the water temperature from 111 ° F to 39 °, and the chick had no adverse effects. In our lab, we know that they can survive readings up to 33 ° and we suspect that this fish can tolerate water. Up five times saltier than the sea ".

With its rarities of plants and fish, high mountains, barren hills, vast salt deposits, golden sand dunes, warm winter temperatures and other features, the Death Valley National Monument has become a true tourist attraction. In 1969, half a million people visited it. But what is the meaning of your name, Death Valley?

Name origin

This goes back 120 years. In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill near Sacramento in Northern California. Caravans of wagons, people, and supplies soon arrived there to "make a fortune."

A place near Salt Lake City, Utah, became the starting point for a long and dangerous journey. A vast arid desert had to be crossed, which is now the state of Nevada, and then the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada had to be crossed. The deep snow left them impassable for much of the year.

Therefore, in late 1849, a caravan of nearly a hundred wagons embarked at Salt Lake, seeking a route around the Sierra Nevadas to the south. Due to miscalculations and a faulty map, the cars wandered through Death Valley. It was obvious that the seekers were lost. There were disagreements between them and they split into small fear-obsessed groups, each seeking exits through the mountain walls.

A good-sized group, tired and discouraged after eighty days of hiking, were camping near a fountain below Telescope Peak. From there, two young men, Lewis Manly and John Rogers, left in search of help and supplies. They had no idea of ​​the tortuous endurance test that was coming. After leaving the valley, they continued walking, crossing the great Mojave Desert towards the coastal region, a 250 mile journey!

Stocking up, they began their journey home. How happy they were after twenty-six days of absence! After leaving the cars, the entire group of skinny men, women, and children began the long journey to safety. Apparently, as they crossed the Panamint mountain range, they looked around for the last time in the great white valley and someone said, "Goodbye, Death Valley. The name stuck.

Although, thanks to Manly and Rogers, this party survived, others were not so lucky. Three to eight people in the trailer are said to have died in the valley. And if a person doesn't treat the extreme heat and dryness of Death Valley with respect, they can live up to their name today.