Back in 1996, four German tourists vanished in Death Valley National Park on a blistering 120-degree day. After months of searching, their minivan was found in a ravine, but there was no sign of the group, which included two boys aged 4 and 10. Since there have been no breaks in the case, which has been a long-standing mystery for the park. more ›

It may be Halloween, but it is also the anniversary of a major environmental bill that affected close to 9.2 million acres of California desert back in 1994. The California Desert Protection Act brought us two national parks, one national preserve, millions of acres of federal wilderness areas, as well as other special areas from Death Valley to the Mexico border. more ›

After eight and a half years of nine-to-five work and three Spiderman franchises, Ian Shive had enough. Like most us, we all wish we could just grab a camera and travel to earn a living. But like most of us, we don't. Shive is the exception. more ›

KCET's Socal Connected last week looked into Death Valley National Park's pollution problem. Light from Las Vegas--but also some from Los Angeles--is encroaching in on one of the few places in the country that let's you experience true darkness. The Associated Press and National Geographic both recently looked into this issue, but KCET takes a different turn: they go to Vegas to see if anyone cares. Ha. more ›

Rumors have always been floated that bodies have been buried at Charles Manson's Death Valley hide-out and place of arrest. Then, this last February, Detective Paul Dostie of the Mammoth Lakes Police Department and a pack of cadaver-sniffing dogs with a black Labrador named Buster in lead smelled something afoul, eyebrows were raised and dirt samples were analyzed, according to the LA Times. more ›

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Lydia Lunch w/ Sonic Youth - "Death Valley 69" more ›

Loreena McKennitt @ The Gibson more ›

Eastern Conference Champions "To The Wind" The Airbourne Toxic Event, The Sharp Ease, Dead Ponies @ Viper Room Division Day, Bedroom Walls, Tigers Can Bite You @ Spaceland Ralph Stanley @ El Rey Sarah Silverman @ Largo Metal Skool, Prima Donna, Mardo, The Sugi Tap @ Key Club Eastern Conference Champions, Blvd., Meho Plaza @ Silverlake Lounge Will Haven, Eightfourseven, Death Valley High, Red Host @ The Troubadour The Binges, The Ringers, Andy Dick... more ›

Unwritten Law @ Ventura Theatre Indian Jewelry, Clipd Beaks @ The Echo The Hangups, Fozzy's Hero @ The Gig The Maze, Kara Dio Guardi @ The Mint Resident Hero @ Viper Room Tim Jones, Carrie Turner, Elke @ The Hotel Cafe June In July, Death Valley Days, Spacelord @ Spaceland Tekat, Teddy's Cheer Club, Greater California @ Alex's Bar Chencha Berrinches, Union 13, Los Kung Fu Monkeys @ The Knitting Factory Fatal Launch, Sacrificer,... more ›

LA photobloggers recommend taking a trip out to Death Valley now while the weather is still endurable. This weekend, while the temps will top off in the high 60s in Los Angeles, the Death Valley mercury will rise into the 90s. The shots that Ian got recently look almost like another planet — the kind of planet where summer temperatures regularly spike over 120 degrees. more ›

If you've ever driven from Los Angeles to Las Vegas (which we like to consider our shadowy sister city of Sin), then you've seen this sign. But did you know the story behind it? The rich essay of hucksterism, snake oil, and one con man that lurks beyond the curtain of Zzyzx Road? Our first big revelation is: it's pronounced like ISAACS, not PHYSICS. And whoever said LAist wasn't educational? more ›