Story below description… 🤎 This photo shows a serene, mirror-like expanse of shallow water (Lake Manly) stretching across Badwater Basin in Death Valley, perfectly reflecting the rugged desert mountains and vast blue sky above. In the foreground, the clear shallows reveal colorful mineral-stained salt flats beneath the surface. ———————————————- Death Valley Part 2 The lake is named after William Lewis Manly, a 19th-century explorer and pioneer. In 1849, he joined a group of gold seekers attempting a risky, untested shortcut to the California gold fields. That decision led them straight into the brutal heart of what would become known as Death Valley. Stranded with no water, the party endured extreme heat, starvation, and despair. They eventually even had to kill some of their stock to survive. In a final act of courage, Manly and his companion John Rogers volunteered to hike out on foot in search of help. After an incredible 25–26 day journey covering hundreds of miles, they returned with supplies and rescued the remaining members of the group—including several children—who had patiently waited, trusting the two men would return. Manly later documented the harrowing ordeal in his book Death Valley in '49, ensuring this tale of perseverance would not be forgotten. Today’s Lake Manly is a small remnant of a vastly larger ancient lake that existed during the Ice Age. That prehistoric version stretched about 90 miles long and reached depths of up to 600 feet, filled by meltwater from Sierra Nevada glaciers. As the survivors finally made their way out of the valley, someone is said to have called out “Goodbye, Death Valley”—giving the place its now-famous name. A beautiful but haunting reminder of how harsh—and how hopeful—this landscape can be. Part 1 of 2 ⬇️ https://bsky.app/profile/itsmtntime.bsky.social/post/3mhzazbnxbs2u
Lake Manly, Death Valley 🏜️
Death Valley carries a powerful story of survival and human resilience. Read the story of how it got its name in ALT text. 👀
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