The Photographer's son, David, and brother, Brian (right), approaching the Eureka Dunes summit, just before a major sand storm.
David's recollection of the day:
A Day to Remember The morning air slowly crept into my nostrils. Being able to stretch my legs after the seemingly forever car ride felt spectacular. My uncle Brian’s words pierced through my tranquil state of mind as he loudly proclaimed , “We’ll never forget this glorious day! Luckily it’s being documented by Ansel over there,” he said with a laugh, referring to my father, an avid photographer who constantly marvels at the work of Ansel Adams and other great landscape photographers.
This “Reinkensmeyer photography adventure,” one of many over the past few years, had been planned for months and we had finally reached one of God’s most beautiful pieces of art – The Eureka Sand Dunes. Standing at over 900 feet, these Death Valley dunes are the tallest in California.
“Well, I guess I’ll meet you at the top for some ice cream,” I joked with my dad and uncle. I never planned to actually climb the dunes, especially at the incredibly steep and humbling angle they stood at. Little did I know at the time, my uncle had a very differing opinion.
“So David, how many bottles of water do you think we need a piece – four or five should do it, right?” said my uncle. “Hmm… yeah… I’m gonna have to go ahead and pass on this one uncle B,” I said with a snicker. “There is no way I’m hiking that. It’s 120 degrees out here and the wind is already spitting massive amounts of sand at us. It will only be worse up towards the top.”
Uncle Brian didn’t exactly see eye to eye with me on that whole philosophy, but instead, he said to me, “You’re a Reinkensmeyer, now let’s get your butt up that hill!” Did he just call it a hill? I must have heard him wrong. This sea of sand made Camelback Mountain look like a speed bump. I reluctantly threw some snacks and some water in my pack, and locked up the car. There was still sleep in my eye as we approached the dunes. I had no idea of what the journey ahead of me contained, or that we would weather a major storm on our descent from the dunes.
Hours later, after a grueling hike with sand constantly being thrown at us by the wind, like a persistent dog searching for attention, we reached the top of the dunes. The view was ineffable. The beauty of it all made me feel ecstatic to be alive, yet discontent at the knowledge that I had waited so long to experience it. The smell was heavenly compared to the polluted and recycled air we breath 95% of our life. The odd peacefulness of sand beating against our wind breakers made me feel like one with nature. The feeling you see on a child’s face after they roll down a hill for the first time, or play in a fountain with their church clothes on.
The innocence and realization of it all was moving. Just like my uncle said, I will never forget this great trip, the dune hike, or the ones I shared it with.
David M. Reinkensmeyer
August, 2007
From Rock to Sand: Death Valley Landscapes, Marcus W. Reinkensmeyer & Steve Stilwell, 2007
