Death Valley: one of the lowest and hottest and driest places on the planet

 I have also climbed telescope peak when I was 12 years old in 1960 with my family and a friend my age then. We got snowed in by an October snow storm and had to have a Ranger rescue us with his Jeep by lowering our station wagon from his winch in front and him driving behind us because we had no chains that early in the year with us in October while we were camping there and climbing telescope peak. San Gorgonio mountain near Palm Springs I climbed with two friends in December of 1969 as well which is over 11,000 feet as well. And we had snow problems on that climb too.

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The Environment: Despite being the lowest and one of the hottest, driest places on the planet, the basin features an active, crusty salt flat that sustains its own tiny ecosystem of fish, insects, and salt-tolerant plants. 

Extreme Geography: The below-sea-level salt flats rest in the direct shadow of the surrounding steep mountain ranges, with nearby Telescope Peak reaching over 11,000 feet above sea level.