Mojave Desert (June 2010)

This is a panorama taken in the Joshua Tree National Park.  It was 109F when I took these photographs in June of 2010.

Looking northwest from the Keys View (5,185 ft).  The infamous San Andreas earthquake fault lies at the base of this mountain.  The moisture free atmosphere makes for some incredibly blue skies.

Joshua tree struggling for survival

Cartoon-like mountains abound in the Mojave desert.  To my eye, the one on the left looks like an elephant's rear end.  ha.

Looking southeast into the Pinto basin.  It is hard to believe that anything could survive here.  It was 109F when I visited and dry as dust.  Yet, artifacts from 9,000 year old civilizations have been found here.

The Cholla cactus "garden" on an east facing hillside.

It  takes a brave insect to go after the cholla cactus nectar.

The Pinto basin

Abandoned hope, I suppose.  In the Indian Canyon desert valley.

In Indian Canyon there is, inexplicably, abundant water that feeds a palm studded oasis amongst the rattlesnake infested rocks.

The Barrel cactus, a well protected beauty.