U.S. LOWEST POINT
Er, not really...

Bagging Boundary Peak, the highest point in the state of Nevada was a bust but not the country's lowest point...sort of. In Death Valley, there's a sign on the wooden tourist deck at Badwater which reads -282ft but, somewhere in all the DVNP literature, we read that Bw is the lowest point you can "drive" to. The actual lowest point can be reached by hiking several miles west into the basin. So, how low can you go there? -290ft? What?

I bought this (see pic) little pewter-looking USGS DV Lowest Point Bench Mark pin (because I wanted it to decorate my Death Valley cap...and it cost $4.95 and, no, it wasn't on sale and neither was the cap - $19.95 which I also wanted, both purchased in Furnace Creek).

Afterwards, w/an inquery, we stood in a long line at the FC Visitor Center info counter to ask Smokey the DVNP Ranger clerk where the actual marker could be located. He kinda brushed us off with something like, "There isn't one. Next!" We then gave way to a jabbering group of Germans - seemed like there were more foreigners than natives in these parts.

Anyway, we wandered west into Badwater basin about .2mi looking for a defining post or the marker that didn't exist and set the Magellan on the ground. It danced about an elevation reading of -282ft or so, close enough for tourists and purists. Somewhat disappointed, we took our pictures and moved on.

Death Valley is a quite worthwhile experience. Expect to spend big $$$ to lodge in FC, but dining is more reasonable. Campers and RVs are also accommodated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?
In the U.S....Low

Hey, we're not talking about some low-life cad here. No, no...geographically low, volcanic conduits excluded, but low. Around here you can start with Death Valley, California as a first and lowest interior conquest at -41 ft. This also happens to be where all the tourists show up.

You, a tourist? Anyway, continue with the list of all the others visited and recorded by Jack Parsell, mountaineer, state high pointer, tri-pointer, and low-pointer. Jack's the pioneer who first conceived and documented the latter two in the form of comprehensive guides containing hard-earned, valuable info.

While U.S. Low-Pointing won't take you all the way to China, "The cHinaman" runs the little-known Lowpoints web site. Here, read the inspiring Jack Parsell interview for some great insight into Jack's adventurous life accomplishments. Quite a guy, now in his mid 80's, he'll be at the upcoming HP ' 06 Konvention in Asheville, NC.

By the way: Be There! TTT

http://fpw.isoc.net/cHINAMAN/More.htm