Introduction to Death Valley: Death Valley was formed about three million years ago when the earth's gravity crushed the earth's crust into huge rock blocks. At that time, some of the rock blocks protruded into mountains and some tilted into valleys. Until the Ice Age, mountains of lake water poured into the lower terrain and submerged the entire basin bottom. After millions of years of steaming and scorching by the flaming sun, this great salt lake left over from the ancient century finally dried up. In the winter of 1849, a gold mining team headed for Jinshan took a shortcut across the valley. Due to the harsh weather here, there were piles of bones in the endless yellow sand. The few people who successfully crossed the valley said sadly "Goodbye Death Valley" when they left here, and Death Valley got its name.