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| Hazy rising crescent moon, Ibex area of Death Valley |
"If you say, 'well, that’s pretty much what I thought I’d see' you are in trouble. At that point, you have to ask yourself why you are even here." ~ Anne Lamott
There’s basically no snow this year. Having cancelled a ski trip, I had a big block of time to take the van out on my own. It had been since April, and I was feeling the lack. My introverted soul needs both solitude and wilderness.
Desert Gold bloom, Ibex area of Death Valley
I thought it would be a bit early for flowers, but it was shaping up to be a good year in the California desert. In the absence of information about the progress of the bloom, I set out for low altitude destinations (which I thought would be showing flowers first) to see for myself. I hope for the best.
I got it.
First I headed for Ibex Dunes in Death Valley National Park. It’s been a few years since I’d been there, but at under 500 feet elevation, I liked my odds.
“Superbloom” is a label used for a phenomenon when an unusually large proportion of wildflowers whose seeds have lain dormant in desert soil germinate and blossom at roughly the same time, generally in large carpets. The prerequisite is well-timed rains the previous fall and winter. There’s little agreement about what exactly constitutes a superbloom.
I do think I was treated to one at Ibex Dunes, though.
Desert Gold bloom, Ibex area of Death Valley
I turned a corner on the rough road and was astounded to see several multi-acre carpets of desert gold and golden suncap on the rocky east-facing slopes. I immediately decided I’d stay for more than one night. It was spectacular.
Brown Eyes, Ibex area of Death Valley
The walk from the road to the dunes at Ibex is about a mile, and I was surprised by a huge mat of brown eyes along the way.
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| Carpets of Phacelia and Desert Gold, Ibex Hills |
On the way out, I decided on a whim to check out nearby Saratoga Springs. I don’t find much that’s photogenic at the springs, but on the way there’s a geologic formation which I’ve wanted to include in a composition for many years. It’s at the south end of the Ibex Hills and reveals delicious striped strata. The thrill was that at its foot were blankets of Phacelia (scorpionweed) along with desert gold. I love it when a whim pays off!
Brown Eyes Detail, Ibex area of Death Valley
I moved on after a couple of nights to Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve. Those of you who have been there know that it’s a tough place to shoot with lots of dead vegetation. High winds (I had to hunt for my stepstool when breaking camp in the morning) and socked-in overcast made for a challenging session. I have nothing to share from Kelso. I can vouch for the delights of an afternoon in camp, though. Time for reading, processing photographs, art projects, and napping is a real gift. In a moment of synchronicity, I read the Ann Lamott quote that I opened this post with just when I needed it.
From there I swung by Amboy Crater, in the Mojave Trails National Monument. I thought flowers among the black volcanic rocks would be beautiful, but I didn’t see much along the trail. I did see no less than six camper vans in the parking lot (where camping is not allowed), with folks walking around in their pajamas and having their morning coffee. I had planned to camp there (in the overflow parking lot, where it is allowed) if I thought there was photographic potential, but I moved on.
Dune Primrose backlighted at sunrise
My last stop was a dune field nearby. I first heard about this place years ago from Jeff Foott, who died recently. He asked that I not be specific about this location, so I won’t. This visit felt like a chance to pay my respects to this kind man and talented photographer. I had some nice light there and delighted in the scattered dune primroses. I’ve done lots of conventional dune photography here, but I decided to work mostly on the flowers this time. That’s no small challenge because the areas in bloom are cluttered and chaotic compositionally. I did make a few images I’m pleased with.
Massive blanket of Desert Gold flowers, Mojave Trails National Monument
I’ll never tire of sand dunes, I’m sure. And the superbloom is a welcome bonus.
More images are on the website, in the Winter 25-26 Gallery. I know it looks like Spring, but really, it’s
only mid-February.
