Kelso Dunes, Mojave desert in California by Hedepo
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Description
Kelso Dunes, Mojave desert in California
Sunset, and still a long walk to our RV –camper = the white dot on the left side (the white spot on the right hand side are the rest-rooms).
We were the only ones who stayed overnight in the parking lot, nobody around for miles. We could hear the coyotes and we have seen a beautiful ski loaded with stars!!
Thanks for your time,
Have a very nice evening
Henk
Info
The Kelso Dune complex has some of the highest dunes (600 feet,160 meters) in the region. Few people realize however, that these magnificent dunes form only a small part of a much larger sand transport system that includes the Devil's Playground.
This extraordinary dune system has an unexpectedly mysterious history. Huge amounts of sand were needed to build Kelso's delicate wind-created sculptures, but geologists studying the Preserve discovered that no new sand is moving in to replenish the dunes. Where did the sand originally come from? What made it stop accumulating? The Kelso Dune sands remained a mystery until very recently.
By studying the mineral composition and shapes of sand grains that make up Kelso Dunes, we know that most of the sand has traveled all the way from the Mojave River sink east of Afton Canyon. Wind blowing from the northwest gradually carried the sand southeastward. In the path of the prevailing winds lie the Providence Mountains and the pink pinnacles of the Granite Mountains. The rocky crags and sloping fans of the two ranges block the moving sand. Sand piles up at the base of the mountains and along their flanks, forming dunes and sand sheets.
Where the sand piles up researchers found that the dunes are actually made up of several sets of dunes, stacked one on top of another. Each set formed in response to some past climate change! The Kelso Dunes depend upon times when the sand grain (sediment) supply is enhanced. This happens whenever the climate is dry enough to expose the raw material of dunes, sand, to the wind. In fact, most of the eastern part of the Kelso Dunes formed when water-filled Soda Lake and Silver Lake dried up, exposing the lake bottom sediment. The entire dune system was stacked up in five major pulses over the past 25,000 year
From Desert Gazette
Comments (7)
Cosine
Excellent shot, Henk. I like the fact that I can't even see a road anywhere. It looks like a great place to spend the night with nature.
MrsLubner
These areas are so ecologically fragile. When I am in or near any of the desert dunes in California I am constantly aware the the life struggle there and how one mistake can affect so many creatures and plants. This is a wonderful shot of these dunes. I am a big fan of California's dunes. They are all so awesome. Great shot of this interesting view.
GiMi53
This gives indeed a very good idea of what the desert looks like... Amazing to see your long shadow...
TwoPynts
Superb light -- and I like your shadow entering the landscape on the left.
Ionel
Beautiful! Superb view and light!!! Excellent information too!
busi2ness
The deserts always appealed to me and the addition of the shadow running into the scene was wisely chosen, well done.
RobyHermida
Beautiful work! Roby ;O);O);O);O);O);O)