The Desert
The desert is a place worlds away from that to which most of us are accustomed, and is governed by physical laws that cannot be ignored. You are responsible for your own survival, safety and comfort. Read this carefully and make sure everyone in your group reads it as well.
What You Must Bring:
- 1.5 gallons of water per person per day (for drinking, showering, washing, and food preparation.) Keep a bottle of water with you at all times.
- Enough food/beverages for your entire party
- First aid kit
- Warm clothing for evenings-this is a desert at 4000 feet elevation!
- Bedding and shelter of some type; the winds can exceed 75 mph, and the mid-day temperature can exceed 100°
- A good camp tent is recommended along with warm sleeping bags. Evening temperatures can be in the 40's.
- Garbage bags
- Any required prescriptions, contact lens supplies (disposables work great), or whatever else you need to maintain your health and comfort in a remote area with no services
- Flashlights and spare batteries (headlamps are useful)-to be sure you can see and be seen at night.
- Sunscreen/sunblock lotion and sunglasses
- Fire extinguishers, if you plan to burn your art
- Common sense, an open mind, and a positive attitude
We Strongly Suggest You Bring:
- Shade structures, umbrellas, parasols, sheets; something to break the cruel mid-day sun
- A wide brim hat
- A cooking stove if you expect to heat food or liquid
- A bicycle (mountain bikes or "cruisers" with balloon tires are best) which must be equipped with a light (for safe nighttime travel). A lock is helpful.
- Portable shower
- Earplugs! (Not everyone is going to want to sleep when you do.)
- Watertight protective bags (e.g. heavy zip-type) for cameras or electronic gea r
- Lotion/lip balm to treat cracked skin
- Smokers: portable ashtrays (e.g. an empty candy tin, or film canister)
- Costumes, musical instruments, props, banners, signs, and anything else you can think of that might make the experience more fun for you and your playa neighbors
- Fire extinguisher
- A radio
- Camp marker (flag, flasher, distinctive marking)
- Particle/dust mask (Dust storms are not uncommon.)
- 12" tent stakes (High winds are likely.)
- Plastic bottles or tennis balls to top and protect dangerous rebar stakes
- Goggles to protect eyes in case of dust storms
- Extra set of car keys NEW FOR 2004! a reusable mug or cup for coffee and other beverages at the Center Camp Cafe
Helpful Things to Bring:
- Tire repair kit and extra tubes for bikes
- Sewing kit
- Rope and/or string
- Ribbons, Mylar, etc., to flag tent ropes/guy lines
- Handy wipes
- Duct tape
- Spray bottle (for misting)
- Rugs to keep dust down in your camp
- Gifts to give to new friends
- Calling card just in case you have to make a personal call from Gerlach
Things NOT to Bring:
- Feathers of any kind e.g., boas (they shed, no matter what you do-try marabou instead)
- Glass containers of any kind
- Excess packaging from foods (For example, remove outer box from cereals and just bring the inner bag.)
- Loose glitter
- Nuts in their shells
- Too much fresh produce. Many melons are thrown out at the end of the week.
- Anything that will break up and/or blow away in the wind (trees, twigs, loose paper, etc)
Your Body vs. the Elements
The Black Rock Desert is a thoroughly flat, prehistoric lakebed, composed of hardpan alkali, ringed by majestic mountains. Daytime temperatures routinely exceed 100° and the humidity is extremely low, which rapidly and continually wicks the moisture out of your body. Because the atmosphere is so dry, you may not feel particularly warm, but you'll be steadily drying up. Sunscreen, lip balm and skin lotion are your best friends on the playa.
At nearly 4,000 feet above sea level, the atmosphere provides much less filtering of the sunlight that causes sunburn. The result is you will burn much faster and more severely than at lower elevations. Put on sunscreen every morning and repeat as needed during the day. It takes nearly everyone a day or so to acclimate to the desert climate. Don't be surprised if you spend your first day feeling a bit queasy and cranky. Begin drinking more water as you approach the desert. To stay healthy and enjoy the week, drink water all the time whether you think you need it or not. Drinking one gallon of water per person per day is the rule of thumb. Remember to eat poper foods to prevent electrolyte imbalance. Users of alcohol, caffeine or other drugs are particularly at risk for dehydration, and should pay careful attention to their water intake. Dehydration can cause headaches, stomach cramps, abdominal pains, constipation, or flu-like symptoms. It exacerbates both heat-related and cold-related conditions (i.e. both sunstroke and hypothermia), and makes it difficult for the body to mend itself. If someone you know complains of these symptoms, or shows signs of either severe overheating or (worse) a case of the chills under the mid-day sun, get them to shade immediately and seek prompt medical help.
In case of emergency, go to the medical station at Center Camp or an Emergency Services Outpost near the Civic Plazas. Medical aides are always on call and evacuation is available.
Some signs that you may not be drinking enough water:
- You don't carry a water bottle with you at all times.
- You sip instead of drinking deeply.
- You wait to drink until you're thirsty (too late!).
- Your urine is anything but clear and abundant.
- You become cranky.
Beating the Heat (and the Cold)
Make sure you bring some kind of shade for your camp and try to lie low during the hottest part of the day (save your strength for the night). Use sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and water. If you don't take a few basic steps to protect yourself, the desert's mid-day sun will cook you in no time. However, when the sun drops over the horizon, temperatures can quickly plummet fifty degrees. Overnight lows in the 40's can seem exceptionally cold after extensive daytime sun, so you'll want to bring warm clothing too, and a good sleeping bag.
A Few Words About Storms
The playa can be subject to sudden bouts of fierce, unpredictable weather. Storm cells, fed by rising thermals that stream upward from the surrounding mountains, may arise in the late afternoon or evening and bring high winds, lightning and (sometimes) rain into camp. Likewise, dust storms can prowl the playa in packs or sweep in a broadened front across the plain. Suddenly besetting us, they can produce instant "white-outs." Seek immediate shelter and stay there. (Whiteouts are why goggles are great!) If you are caught outside of shelter during this condition, simply sit down; cover your face with your shirt and wait. It is usually over quickly. In the event of rain, again remain where you are. Do not drive during these conditions. Rainfall here is quite selective, and dries quickly. Severe conditions rarely last more than half an hour. Storms often come in with little or no warning. You need to keep your camp battened down at all times. This is especially true when you're away from your camp. Winds can exceed 75 mph and objects as large as sleeping bags, chairs, card tables, empty ice chests and tents have been carried away by occasional high winds.
Securing Your Camp
Try to position your tent and any shade structures to present the smallest possible profile to the wind (prevailing south-southwest to north-northeast). Weight the interior corners of your tent; stakes that are 12-inch or longer are recommended. Lengths of rebar make excellent stakes, but all exposed ends must be capped (empty 1-liter plastic soda bottles will do the trick) to prevent foot/leg injuries. Full information on rebar is available on the Burning Man website. At all times, keep objects (paper products, clothing, tarps, everything) secure from the wind. Matter Out Of Place (MOOP) is often created as a result of laziness. Clean up as you go! Ropes or cables used to stabilize tents should be flagged, preferably with a white or reflective material. They are hazardous to pedestrians at night.
