Death Valley National Park

12.10.2012

This week our crew was on an 8-day adventure through America’s hottest, driest, and lowest land; Death Valley National Park. But it was December and temperatures didn’t rise above 70, nights were cold and windy with some rain showers. Not how one would imagine the desert.

Our campsite was in Breakfast Canyon at an ole CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp with grills, a vault toilet, picnic tables, a fireplace and firewood! Such a luxurious place to stay at while on hitch. During the night coyotes and kit foxes would regularly visit our kitchen area.

 

Our mission was to use chainsaws, loppers, hand saws, herbicides and a big ole’ power drill to treat and remove the invasive plants. We worked alongside a National Park Service project partner to remove the unwanted plants in the Park.

   

First on the list were date palms and fan palms, then tamarisk (Salt Cedar). Palm trees are much more intricate than I ever imagined, with sharp spines and petrified husks they were somewhat difficult to remove. Our work site was around a spring flowing through a tight canyon. Of course the trees grow on steep slopes around very sensitive and rare plants that we need to protect or tangled in a mess of Mesquite trees that are native and full of thorns.  Most of the palms were stout and had leafy fronds from the ground to the top.