TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
Starting point at the Badwater parking lot. The GPS coordinates to reach the Actual Lowest Point at -282 feet are posted in the Overview paragraph on the previous page:
The sign in the previous picture shows the lowest spots at different points around the world. Here, we are zooming in on North America:
Getting a picture while starting out in the early morning shade of Badwater:
Heading out into an endless sea of white salt flats:
Once we had left the Badwater vicinity, the salt terrain quickly changed from being smooth to uplifted blocks with ridges:
Several salt panels here have tilted upward and broken off into pieces:
A short time later, the terrain changed again and the salt was smooth. But it was split into sections by small salt dividers:
The next time the terrain changed slightly, the salt was divided by small depressions or dips below the ground instead of above the ground:
Daria stopping to get a picture along the hike. We didn't stop much during this hike because it was supposed to be a hot day and we wanted to finish early:
A beautiful look across the salt, which now has an appearance similar to small waves moving across the surface of a swimming pool or pond:
Keep in mind that the terrain on this hike looks different every year due to changes on the salt pan. So your experience could be much different than ours:
The salt terrain as it appeared near the end of our hike:
Our borrowed GPS unit reads -283 feet (near perfect accuracy for an old low cost unit):
The first thing we spotted at the Lowest Point was this round rock with -282 painted onto it:
A close-up of the -282 rock, which has been cloned and replaced ever since our report:
This Lowest Point plaque once marked the location. Notice that it is wrapped up in a clear plastic bag to protect it:
The Lowest Point plaque incorrectly stated that this is the lowest spot in the Western Hemisphere. In the years following 2008, this mistake was corrected by the park service and media:
Getting a picture while holding the Lowest Point plaque:
View to the north from the Actual Lowest Point. Devil's Golf Course is located 3.03 miles to the north of here:
Putting the Lowest Point plaque back on the ground for the next group. Keep in mind, the plaque has long since washed away and is no longer here:
A picture of our old Death Valley mascot Eeyore next to the -282 rock:
Daria pointing to the rock as proof she made it to the Lowest Point:
Two views of Telescope Peak and the Panamint Mountains as we headed back toward Badwater:
In early 2013, we received the following two pictures from a hiker named Larry, which reveal what the Lowest Point looked like at that time. There is a new rock and the salt terrain has changed:
In early 2015, a hiker named Laurence provided this updated look at the Lowest Point. It will no doubt continue to change over the years to come:
