We got asked several times on the plane by various seatmates, "Why Death Valley? There's nothing there!" and our initial reply was a simple, "Why not?" But while standing atop a ridge in Golden Canyon with the sunlight reflecting off the multicolored layers of rock and sand, the salt pan shimmering on the valley floor and the snow peaked mountains in the distance, it became clear that "nothing" was astonishingly beautiful.

Death Valley consists of about 33 million acres of sand and rock with temperatures reaching a paralyzing 100+°F in the summer. Rainfall is at best a couple inches a year with the occasional flood that can evaporate in the thirsty landscape in a matter of hours.

The ridges of Death Valley are a virtual playground for the climbing enthusiast. Every peak is attainable from any spot on the valley floor and it is not difficult to find a path that no one has discovered. You can go from -280 feet below sea level at Badwater (lowest point in the United States) to 11,000 feet at the top of snow capped Telescope Peak (highest point in the park).

Our tramping group, organized through the Raleigh Ski and Outing Club, consisted of six people. We backpacked 2 miles off the main road the first night for a full moon evening where not a single sound can be heard once you are snuggled into your sleeping bag. It was February which is considered winter for Death Valley and usually the month they receive the most rain. It happened to be our luck that their two days of rainfall would begin our first night. Cissy and I awoke in the morning to the loud flapping of out tent and the pounding of raindrops as the desert plants fought for every drop of moisture. The rain was light and sparse but the cloud cover was thick with the promise of more moisture.

Despite studying the map of Death Valley for several weeks we still had not agreed on specific spots for hiking and the threat of flash flood is great with each of the canyons acting as drainage for the snow covered mountains.

After consulting with rangers and getting a weather update from the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek, we decided to play it by ear. We were all itching for some physical exertion since being cooped up on the plane for six hours the day before and decided to take out our frustrations on an Alluvial Fan off the side of the main road. These fans are formed when loose rock comes tumbling down the ridges during flood conditions. We scrambled up the fan and got our first perspective of the valley from up high - it was breathtaking. We found a cave and made a few staged adventure pictures on a rock formation that jutted out far enough that you could stretch out against it and reach for the top with a look of extreme concentration and get a photo that looked like you were summiting a huge mountain.

We moved on to explore the sand dunes where I taught the group how to get the most fun out of running down the dunes and ended the day with a walk through Desolation Canyon. We decided to camp at the Furnace Creek campsites for the next two nights due to the tree cover and close proximity of the Corkscrew Saloon (stick with the Bud Light unless you want to pay $20 a pitcher).

We tackled Golden Canyon the next day which turned out to be my favorite simply because of the abundant opportunities for free rock climbing. The rocks are loose so never count on a hand or foot hold but the slope is not so steep that you need the added weight of ropes and harnesses and the views are definitely worth the scrapes and bruises from the sharper rocks. The downhills are the most dangerous in Death Valley because most of the footing is highly mobile and you can tumble in a heartbeat if you don't pay attention.

Two things to remember:
1) Always call "ROCK!" when you start a rockslide or the people below earn the right to stone you when you get to the bottom.

2) If you didn't bring some weight lifting type of gloves, rub the mud/salt mixture found at various spots between your hands to help minimize the scratches.

We then went on to climb the sand ridge to eat lunch at a prime peak overlooking a large part of the valley. The sun came out and we ended up with probably one of the most beautiful days possible. We started in rain coats and ended in sports bras!

We went on the explore Mosaic Canyon, which has slabs of cream colored marble lining the canyon walls. We ended our trip by driving through Artists' Drive where the sands and sediment show up in pastel layers on the ridges. Devil's Golf Course proved to be too wet for our rented vehicle and the Natural Bridge is another great place to do some free rock climbing. We tried to fit in a drive to Dante's Peak but ran out of time. Three days wasn't nearly enough - probably a week is best to get to all the good spots. Cissy and I would have liked to climb Telescope Peak and seen the volcanoes..... maybe next time.

I recommend getting a four wheel drive to make the valley the most accessible. It will also increase your opportunity to explore the less touristy spots and maybe give you a better chance to see some wildlife. Beware that most rental vehicles have clauses that don't allow you to drive on unpaved roads but a quick stop at the car wash will erase all evidence.

If you are flying into Vegas look into seeing an opera at the Amargosa Opera House. It's only ten dollars and as far as I know its the only opera in the desert! 2 dollars will earn you a shower and a swim at the Furnace Creek Lodge before your flight out - water is warm at best. And if you decide to splurge on your last night, you can order pizza at the Furnace Creek Steakhouse.

I have seen quite a few barren landscapes and travelling through Nevada allows plenty of opportunity to see the desert but Death Valley has a unique beauty that gives life to the 2 billion year old rocks that hold it together. I recommend February as a good month to go. I couldn't imagine doing some of the climbing we did in 100° weather. And count on some post trip depression when you get home. There is certainly nothing like Death Valley in North Carolina.