Ranger Bob is giving a geology talk at Badwater Basin. The place looks a bit different than in 2004.
Ranger Bob in front of the permanent pool:
The pool as the sunlight moves across it:
Ranger Glenn is taking notes since this year he will be at Badwater Basin. He was our tour guide at Scotty's Castle in 2004.
The Sea Level sign is just visible 282 feet above:
The pool has bacteria and small snails in it. The boardwalk protects the snails since people stepped on them all the time before it was added.
We moved out into the salt flats, which are re-growing after being under water in early 2005. Ranger Bob was keeping us informed the whole time.
The contrast was enhanced on this next picture to show off the salt crystals:
The ground is cleaner than in 2004 but the formations are growing again.
What happens when a crystal grows in mud:
Above the man's head in this photo is Aguereberry Point:
Evidence of the earthquake 2,000 years ago when the fault fell at least 8 feet:
More evidence of the earthquake:
This is the shoreline of the 600 foot deep lake that used to occupy this spot:
Ranger Bob said a 10 degree drop in average temperature and there would be a lake 1 foot deep in 172 years just from the spring by Furnace Creek, not including rainfall or other springs.
After the talk, Rangers Bob, Glenn and a volunteer retrieved pennies from the pond. Metals, especially copper, are bad for the animals in the pond.
We really learned a lot from Ranger Bob about the geology of the area.
Driving back we took a picture of the red rock line in the hills, it looks like the hills are bleeding:
