Artist's Drive rises up to the top of an alluvial fan fed by a deep canyon cut into the Black Mountains. Artist's Palette is on the face of the Black Mountains and is noted for having various colors of rock. These colors are caused by the oxidation of different metals (red, pink and yellow is from iron salts, green is from decomposing tuff-derived mica, and manganese produces the purple).
Called the Artist Drive Formation, the rock unit provides evidence for one of the Death Valley area's most violently explosive volcanic periods. The Miocene-aged formation is made up of cemented gravel, playa deposits, and much volcanic debris, perhaps 5,000 feet (1500 m) thick. Chemical weathering and hydrothermal alteration are also responsible for the variety of colors displayed.
(Don't forget to click on any photo to enlarge it)
Zellie waiting for her new family to arrive.
Michael teaching the Cooley Clan about their new best friend.
A break from training...some cheese pizza and homemade orange soda.
Zellie seems to like her new mom.
Time for dessert, so Shannon, Michael, John, and Delia head out to the front yard to gather berries for the ice cream.
John doesn't need a ladder. :)
Purple fingers are a sign of quality picking skills. Go Delia!
