Late afternoon light tints the mountains as two hikers trek across Stovepipe Wells sand dunes in Death Valley. (Beatrice de Gea / LAT)
Flanked by sheer rock walls, an SUV negotiates the gravel road through Titus Canyon. (Beatrice de Gea / LAT)
In the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nev., bottles were cheaper than wood to build with, and they insulated well too. (Beatrice de Gea / LAT)
The spring-fed pool at Furnace Creek Inn remains a constant 80 to 85 degrees. (Beatrice de Gea / LAT)
