| D.E.P.R.A.V.E.D. |
| By:Lesley Chesson |
| A photojournal of the lab's annual trip to Death Valley National Park: Each spring, a select few of the brave, the willing and the depraved head south to census three populations of Encelia shrubs in and around Death Valley. The photos that follow are from the trips in 2004 and 2005. |
| Death Valley National Park - photo taken off CA 178 near Shoshone, NV. |  |
| Encelia farinosa, on the slopes of the first fieldsite. (Photo by Adam West) |  |
| Upclose and personal with Encelia. (Photo by Adam West) |  |
| Jen (Koh) Shake - a former member of the lab - and Lesley search for an ID tag. (Photo by Adam West) |  |
| Shela, as master recorder, waits for ID number and plant stats to be called to her. (Photo by Adam West) |  |
| Another flower in the desert - a rock daisy? Edit: Really a Desert Star (Monoptilon belioides) - Thanks, Darren. (Photo by Adam West) |  |
| The group (Shela, Jen and Lesley) relaxes with the depraved Fullerton bunch, led by Darren Sandquist. (Photo by Adam West) |  |
| Year 2005 was the Year of the Tourist - early spring rains meant lots of blooms in the desert and lots of traffic in the park. |  |
| The spring rains created a temporary lake at Badwater, the lowest point within the park and within the US, at 85 meters below sea level. |  |
| Salt crystals form as the temporary lake begins to evaporate. |  |
| Stay tuned - Year 2006 pictures to be added. |
