Death Valley has some pretty wild weather in the spring.

One evening, my friends and I had plans to take photos of the salt patterns in Badwater Basin. However, 20 minutes before we were scheduled to meet, my friend Jake knocked at my door.

“Have you seen this?” he asked, and I looked past him to see, well, a sandstorm. The campgrounds across the road were completely consumed by blowing sand; there was no visibility at all. Even in the breezeway outside my door, which was somewhat protected by the hotel, sand was swirling into my face, landing in my eyes, mouth, and hair.

The sand particulates had so filled the air that the valley floor was glowing, particularly as the sun continued to descend lower. Instead of driving to Badwater Basin, we headed to the Mesquite Flat Dunes. Before emerging from the car, I put a long lens on my camera. About half an hour before sunset, still in the middle of golden hour, I shot the photo below. The low clouds, and the sheer amount of particulates in the air seemed to bring an early end to the golden hour; twilight descended rapidly on Death Valley.