Thank you so much for attending Alta Live with writer Chris Colin and Alta Live host Beth Spotswood. If you missed any part of our conversation, you can catch up right here.
Here are some notable quotes from Colin from the event:
- On an unforgettable name: “The name didn’t just stick; it lit people up. Everyone went crazy. They started calling it Death Valley. Even though only one person had died, it became this legendary place that could kill you. Of course, when you hear that, you just have to see it.”
- On a unique form of tourism: “It’s a hugely popular destination for these temperature tourists who want to see what the world is capable of. They’ve heard of this dramatic place, and what really grabbed me about them is that their favorite spot is not necessarily Zabriskie Point, a beautiful point, or Badwater Basin. It’s the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, because hanging outside the visitor center is a thermometer, and they line up to take pictures.”
- On treating Death Valley like an “extreme sport”: “I feel like it sort of others the desert in a way, others nature, treats it like an opponent, separates us from it. Which I think is sort of maybe not what we should be aiming for in 2023, when we don’t always have such a harmonious relationship with nature.”
Check out these links to some of the topics brought up this week.
- Read Colin’s “Living with Death Valley.”
- Read about the most iconic photo shoots, music videos, TV shows, and movies shot in the desert.
- Check out Alta Journal’s Desert Issue.
- Visit the Death Valley Dark Sky Festival.
- Join us for a party and a toast celebrating the Desert Issue on February 27 at Skylight Books in Los Angeles.•
