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Late Snow Falls in DV Mountains

A blast of cold, wet weather surprised Death Valley over the weekend and dumped snow in at least the Panamint and Inyo Mountains, if not in other higher elevations of the Death Valley National Park.  The year to date rain total at Furnace Creek also raised from a quarter inch to .31 inch.

Don't look for it to stay long, however, as temperatures are already starting to warm to season norms.  All it takes is one patch of bare ground to start showing through, and before long the rest will be gone.

However, for those currently visiting Death Valley, the cooler weather provides another opportunity to hike the low elevations comfortably, as well as one last opportunity to pelt a loved one with a snowball this year.  As one Park employee put it, "Today we enjoy perfect weather" in Death Valley.

On April 21st, we visited the Southern Inyo Mountains on the edge of Death Valley National Park and only made it to about the 9000 foot level before heavy, knee-deep snow impeded our  progress.  I expect it'll be another two weeks before the Swansea-Cerro Gordo road is again fully passable.