Coachella Valley Above All - Hardcover

Richard J. Soltys

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0972685618 ISBN 13: 9780972685610

Publisher: Soltys Productions, 2006

Synopsis

Coachella Valley Above All is an aerial photographic essay of a California desert valley that barely exceed a thousand square miles in size. The valley extends from Palm Springs, California for about 70 miles to the east until it reaches beyond the shores of the Salton Sea. The valley floor averages about eighteen miles in width. The Coachella Valley is actually an ancient sea floor that at one time lay submerged beneath the water of the Gulf of California. But that was long, long ago. The Valley is surround on three sides by towering mountains. To the west, Mt. San Jacinto rises to 10,804 feet. To the south, the Santa Rosa Mountains rise from the desert floor to top out over 8,000 feet. To the north, the San Bernardino Mountains rise to a lofty 11, 502 feet atop Mt. San Gorgonio. The San Bernardinos slowly diminish in height until they disappear into the Chocolate Mountains and the California desert near the boarder with Mexico. To the east, the man-made Salton Sea, California's largest body of water rests at 232 feet below sea level. Although Native Americans lived in the canyons surrounding the Coachella Valley for thousand of years, the inhospititable desert lands were sometimes visited by early prospectors during the eighteenth centuries. It wasn't until the 1800's, however, that the valley, and its hidden potential was revealed. What was discovered was the vast aquifer beneath the desert floor. When water was brought to the surface it bestowed life to the dry and remote wasteland. The discovery of the aquifer marked the seperation between the past and the future of the Coachella Valley. What materialized during the past 100 years can be considered nothing less than phenoumenal- a wasteland transformed. The Coachella Valley has taken its rightful place as one of the most energetic and vigorous regions in the country. All photography, old and new are scenes taken from the air, offering a never before see interpretation of what makes the Coachella Valley such an incredible place to live or visit. A must to see and a book to own. Enjoy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Soltys Productions
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0972685618
• ISBN 13: 9780972685610
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 208