Death Valley bloomin’

It’s not a superbloom -but it’s still awesome and Lake Manly is still there (sort of)

While a superbloom is not expected throughout Death Valley this year, some locations in the park such as Panamint Valley are blanketed with dense concentrations of bright wildflowers, according to the park. One of the showiest flowers is desert gold, which has created brilliant patches of yellow blooms. Other wildflower hotspots include Ubehebe Crater and Dantes View. The park’s website has more information on wildflowers at https://www.nps.gov/deva/ learn/nature/wildflowers.htm.

But don’t start walking all over them! When enjoying wildflowers, remember to “stay on the trail and let wildflowers prevail,” the park said. If you are in a trailless area, walk on durable surfaces like rock and bare sand. Picking wildflowers is prohibited; removing flowers means fewer seeds and fewer future blooms to enjoy next year.

Whether you come to Death Valley for wildflowers, dark night skies, hiking, or history, plan ahead to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. When parking along the road to take photos or to hike, be sure to pull completely onto the shoulder and watch for traffic. In the spring, a cool desert morning can turn into a hot afternoon, so bring plenty of water, salty snacks, a hat, sunscreen and good hiking shoes.

What does it take for a superbloom, versus a good bloom like this year?

A good wildflower year depends on at least three things: Wellspaced rainfall throughout the fall, winter, and spring, sufficient warmth from the sun and lack of drying winds.

Rain is Key: Gentle rain that soaks deeply into the soil is essential for a desert floral display. To begin, a rainstorm of a half inch or more is needed to wash the protective coating off wildflower seeds and allow them to sprout. For plants to continue growing, rainstorms must come at evenly-spaced intervals throughout the winter and spring. The best blooms are triggered by an early, winter-type rainstorm in September or October, followed by an El Niñoweather pattern that brings above average rainfall to the Desert Southwest.

Warming Things Up: Wildflower seeds that sprout with cool winter storms often remain small and low to the ground until the springtime sun starts to warm the soil. They may not look like they are growing, but a strong root system is developing below the surface. As the temperatures get warmer, the well established plants then put

Suncups stripe the hillside heading up to Dantes View. Remember to park safely and completely off the road and walk on durable surfaces. on a growth spurt and start to bloom.

Harsh Desert Wind: Frequent springtime windstorms without additional rain can bring about a quick end to the spring bloom or even prevent it from happening by killing off delicate sprouts. Dry, moving air dehydrates exposed surfaces of all living things, including human beings. Desert plants often have waxy, hairy, or spiny leaves to baffle the wind and retain precious moisture. Humans can carry and drink water as needed, but the wildflowers must grow and bloom before they dry out, or late-spring heat arrives, in order to leave seeds scattered on the desert floor to produce the next generation.

Superblooms: Death Valley is famous for its spectacular, spring wildflower displays, but those are the exception, not the rule. Only under perfect conditions does the desert fill with a sea of gold, purple, pink or white flowers. These tend to average once a decade, with the most recent superbloom years being 2016, 2005, and 1998. Although there are years where blossoms are few, they are never totally absent.

Lake Manly:

www.mammothtimes.com

Also, yes, Lake Manly is still there; just slightly diminished. And, no more kayaks. It is closed to boating. Here’s the latest from the park: “Lake Manly,” the temporary shallow lake at Badwater