My Trip West: Part 4: Death Valley National Park

Our trip through Death Valley was short. We drove through on our way from Yosemite to Las Vegas. Looking back on the trip It was a day of amazing transition. We woke up on our last morning in Yosemite wearing hats gloves and several layers under our fleece jackets. It was a chilly 42 degrees F. As we left the dense forests and crystal clear lakes of eastern Yosemite the landscape began to change dramaticly as we descended elevation.  The landscape had less and less vegitation and the temperature began to climb steadily as we drove south along the border of California and Nevada. By the time we arrived at the entrance to Death Valley the temperature was well into the 90's.  As we drove farther and farther into the park, toward Badwater, the temperature continued to climb until it was a scorching 113 degrees.  The landscape was completely flat and desolate, several hundred feet below Sea Level.  We stopped to snap a picture but quickly continued on to Las Vegas.  We ended the day walking under the bright lights of the busy Vagas Strip. 
In One day we went from a remote campsite in the dense forests of the Sierra Mountains, to the flat desolate heat of death valley, and finally to the busy city of Las Vegas.  An amazing day of contrasts and transitions.