Sandstorm Death Valley Dunes

I watched the storm through the windshield and thought, “Even if I was crazy I wouldn’t leave this truck”. Dense clouds of sand driven by 60-mph winds flew 500 feet above the desert. What appeared through the window was incredible. I sat in my truck and set-up the 4X5 camera in case of a courage attack. Thunder and lightening struck above the truck shaking my bones. I felt very small…my heart sinking to a place well under the road. 

At that moment the clouds over the western mountains broke and sunlight flooded the desert… I had my chance. 

I stopped thinking, grabbed the camera and jumped out. I walked for 15 minutes hood pulled up and head down to avoid flying sand. I stopped to measure progress and realized I was off course. The dunes lay far in the distance. Thinking hopefully of my truck, I turned to mark the return path. The truck, the mountains and road were nearly gone, there was only sand. Looking back towards the dunes the scene on the ground was still clear. I was lost in thought looking for a place ½ mile closer to the dunes to place the tripod… Thunder exploded above me. I was on the ground when a flash of lightening turned everything bright white. I got up suddenly realizing I had walked enough; the spot I was standing on was perfect. 

I dropped the backpack, opened the tripod and focused a shaking camera. I thought the camera and bellows would fly off. I made two exposures, then the sand hit. I packed up and followed a best guess direction but was blinded by flying sand. There, above the desert, the air glowed dim gold; it was sunset. I walked west towards the gold light. Eventually I found Rt.-190 and followed the line of the road until I bumped into my truck.  

I sat exhausted, covered in sand. I watched lightening bolts thick as oak trees strike the desert. Back at Stovepipe, I spent the evening cleaning every item in my camera pack. Days later I was still removing sand from my ears. During that walk in the desert my hair stood on end in response to lightening bolts. The experience was magnificent.