What it feels like to visit Death Valley

Hundreds of Europeans touring the American West and adventurers from around the U.S. were still drawn to Death Valley National Park on Monday, even though the desolate region known as one of the Earth’s hottest places is being punished by a dangerous heat wave blamed for a motorcyclist’s death over the weekend.

Associated Press journalist Ty ONeil explained that even though he grew up in the desert, "this is a different level of heat."

French, Spanish, English and Swiss tourists left their air-conditioned rental cars and motorhomes to take photographs of the barren landscape so different than the snow-capped mountains and rolling green hills they know back home.

“Just because the sun sets doesn't mean it really cools down. I was out till about 12:30 a.m. last night and it never dropped below 100 F (38 C)," ONeil added.

American adventurers liked the novelty of it, even as officials at the park in California warned visitors to stay safe.

“First of all my voice got really raspy right away when I walked outside, and you can feel it in your eyes and usually a breeze is cool, said Drew Belt, a resident of Tupelo, Mississippi, who wanted to stop in Death Valley as the place boasting the lowest elevation in the U.S. on his way to climb California’s Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states.

"This is not a cool breeze whatsoever.”

The early U.S. heat wave came as the global temperature in June was record warm for the 13th straight month and marked the 12th straight month that the world was 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than pre-industrial times, the European climate service Copernicus said.

[eatnplaytoday]

Y’all, Death Valley in January is beautiful and the weather is very nice during the day. No need to struggle in hot weather to view the sites. My husband and I camped there December-January and it was one of our most memorable trips!

[mononeo]

I was in Las Vegas somehow on three different record heat days and it's a short drive to Death Valley and Furnace Creek... It feels like the rush of air when you stick a pizza in a very hot oven. Except, it's on your entire body and you can't move around to escape it. The wind is hotter than the stagnant air somehow. The moisture from your eyes, nose, and mouth starts to dry up immediately and if you're not carrying water it's all you can think about.

[Elise]

OMG. I camped at Death Valley over a decade ago, that visitor center sign read 120, ate a good breakfast, drank loads of water and Gatorade, toured the sites and that salt flat, and had to turn back when exiting the park to go get sick in the ranger station located in that visitor center/gift shop. It was just so hot. Kind ranger told me you can sometimes drink so much water you flush electrolytes out of your system, I don’t know but I couldn’t stave off the heat sickness. Sounds like Jan is the month to go :)

[donnakano]

When I first visited Death Valley, 61 years ago, it was in summer and our car had no AC.

[tyarnold]

Looks like a good place to go hiking without a map right before dark.

[TonyaNicole]

Would never go to a place called death valley

[burakulu-mcui]

I'm in need of your prayers and positive energy. Please keep me in your thoughts.

[MervinDeJager-os]

We halfway between Baghdad and Basra. Same temperatures here and half the day we work outside wearing body armor. Basra slightly warmer and it has that humidity that slaps you hard in the face and squeezes your lungs.

[vincentcasolaro]

I live 4 hours away and have been there many times in all seasons. It's a beautiful, special and unique place. Only place I've been where humidity levels were in the negative range.

[tsriftsal]

Shout out to all the field workers from death valley performing physical labor in this heat for minimum wage!!

[Bonnie-eoqh]

I was there when the thermometer hit 131 yesterday. Everyone was crowded around it I could barely take a picture but was able to take one where you can slightly see it. Super hot

[rawx]

I remember being on a flightline in Iraq, and the thermometer said 138 degrees. But metal shipping containers and asphalt everywhere was probably adding to it.

[Jacksonandjulian]

I remember stopping to eat a sandwich out of our cooler in death valley and the bread turned to toast before I could finish it. It was so incredibly dry that you didnt even feel yourself sweat. The moisture was wicked away before it could collect on your skin.

[kimmer]

0:35 That's Badwater, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. Halfway up the mountain to the left is a painted line that says ''Sea Level''. On top of that mountain is Dante's View, a parking lot with trails leading to areas to look down at Badwater. We rode our motorcycles to Death Valley every June for years. One time I took my 12 year old son on the ride and used my old 1985 Honda Goldwing, comfortable for 2 on our 300 mile ride. Knowing we should never go there without ample water, I put a 3 gallon plastic water container in the upper trunk compartment with a big bag of ice in there to keep it cool. I plumbed plastic tubing to a brass garden faucet located low on the right saddle bag. My son the jokester made up a sticker by the faucet saying ''Salad Bar Drain''.

We parked up at Dante's View in the late morning and it was hot, maybe 112F. Many of the tourists there were from Germany. One man took an interest in my motorcycle and struggled to translate the sign by the garden faucet. My hambone son took out a stack of the little 2 ounce paper cups, filled one, and drank down ice cold water. Pretty soon we were serving maybe 8 German tourists ice cold water out of the Salad Bar Drain. It was a hoot. I finally had to open the compartment and show the motorcycle enthusiast my water tank. He was amused. Anybody going to Death Valley in the Summer needs to carry plenty of water in case of a vehicle breakdown.

[mopthermopther]

it’s open in the winter too
( hint hint )

[johnevans]

They call it Death Valley for a reason. Frankly its crazy to put yourself in that area. It feels like the empty quarter in the middle east or honestly the entire middle east! That kind of temperature is bad for not only your physical health but your mental health as well. Tremendously hard on vehicles but good luck with that.

[thomasdemauriea]

The best time to go is in the Winter. Its 70 degrees and the sunsets are amazing

[Blakelikesfood]

Phoenix is *hotter, when the sun sets in Death Valley the temps drop....when the sun sets in Phoenix the concrete, asphalt, cars sheet metal, plaster homes are over 180F and the temps are unbearable at 1 a.m., 5 a.m., 7 a.m., known as heat island. Dirt (the desert) doesn't can't hold heat in Death Valley, yet bricks, 4000lb chunks of metal (known as cars), and roads contain huge thermo loads so Phoenix doesn't cool at night.
*Phoenix is hotter over all, Death Valley hits a higher high, but only by a tiny bit, yet cools....Phoenix's heat doesn't chill out as the concrete is 120F+ at midnight and you can't even walk bare foot to get the mail at night as every square inch is radiating heat like a hot potato outta the oven.

[Jackiedylan]

Been there and can only drive at night, hot amazing!

[tacocruiser]

I typically visit Death Valley during the winter. It seems to rain every time I go there. My memories of Death Valley are weirdly skewed lol.