Desert Dwellers: Impart your wisdom before my first trip

[Kodiak Firesmith]

For desert regulars, please let this first-timer know of anything you wished you knew before you headed out into the desert.  I’ve been planning and reading ahead of a week long foray into Death Valley a week from now, but I’m sure there are newbie mistakes to be made.  I’m coming from the Mid-Atlantic so the climate and conditions really couldn’t be more opposite.

Thanks!

[Valerie E]

Wow — so much that’s relevant…

One thing I notice with friends who visit is that they usually end up with cactus thorns somewhere on their body.  These hurt.  So Rule 1 is watch out where you put your hands/feet/legs/arms.  In case you forget Rule 1, take a pair of tweezers and your reading glasses or a magnifier.

Another issue is the sun.  Being from back east, you’re thinking, I can’t wait to get some sun! But beware — this is not your Mid-Atlantic sun; this is a super-radioactive-kryptonite-type of sun.  So Rule 2 is: be a “shade dog” and wear protective clothing/eyewear.  Whenever you can, get some shade; a bunch of 5-minute rests in full sun will add up by the end of the day and cause extra fatigue.

The obvious thing is water.  Deserts tend to have very little.  People have widely differing water needs, but remember that the ultra-dry desert environment makes you think you’re not really sweating very much (when actually, you are).  Check those salt stains on your hat/shirt at the end of the day, and you’ll be surprised.  So Rule 3 is keep up with your water needs, and cache wisely to save weight.

Other random thoughts:  Bring salty foods (you’ll likely be craving more salt than usual); always check around rocks, trees, bushes, etc. before you sit down (venomous creatures like to hide there); be aware that day/night temperature differentials can be HUGE (I have experienced daytime highs of 100F with nighttime lows of 36F); bring eye drops if your eyes tend to be dry; be aware that deserts can be surprisingly windy (with few windbreaks); and bring allergy medicine if you tend to be allergic to pollens (the desert is in bloom now); don’t f*ck around if you see a swarm of bees (but you CAN outrun them if absolutely necessary); enjoy the stars (almost as good as at high altitude).

[Kodiak Firesmith]

Awesome advice Valerie – you were the first person to mention eye drops – I’ll definitely add those!  Same with allergy meds – I’ll bring lots of benedryl!

I’m bringing my normal sun protocol but I’m starting to regret not getting out there and looking for a good cotton desert shirt ahead of the trip – everything I’m wearing is UPF50, but it’s also poly so I’ve read I’ll lose water a lot faster due to the high evap on poly over cotton.

[John Klinepeter]

I will add two thoughts.

There is not much you can do about issue number one: wind. It can be relentless, last for days and there is no place to hide. I have cut short at least one visit due to winds that….. Drove. Me. Crazy.

If you have a double wall tent by all means use that in place of a tarp to keep the dust at bay.

Don’t get me wrong. The wind is not usually a huge factor.

Issue number two is the quietness. PM me and I will tell you where to reach an easily accessible quiet spot where you might be able to hear your heart beat.

[Kodiak Firesmith]

Thanks John!

I know it sounds crazy, and I’ll probably regret it, but I’m kind of looking forward to a bit of wind!

I think my favorite piece of gear at this point is my Houdini.  I’m also bringing an Outdoor Research Echo neck gaitor that’s pretty easy to breath through in case of kicked up sand.

I have a kinda-double-walled tent – the TT notch – we’ll see how it holds up pitched low into the wind longwise.

[John Klinepeter]

Make that three things :). I’m not sure what your general plan is, day hiking or backpacking, but if the former then do not dismiss the obvious touristy highlights on the map; they are worth seeing, too.

My first visit to DV was in 1968. I never get tired of it.

[Nick Gatel]

Be glad you are heading out next week, temps will be falling. Today was 91F where I live, so probably the same in Death Valley. Next week will start out in the 70’s and head into the 80’s.

Deserts are dry and for me much easier than hiking back East in high humidity.

The biggest thing is you usually need to carry all your water each day and even longer. There is no stopping every couple hours along a stream. So it is extra weight. People new to the desert tend to try and conserve water by not drinking enough, or simply do not take enough to save weight. Stay hydrated — this doesn’t mean you need to be constantly drinking water as you hike. Take a break each hour and drink. This time of year you should be carrying at least a gallon per day and not using it to wash or clean things. Valerie covered most of the rest. Remember, every person is different when it comes to water consumption, so it’s better err on the side of taking extra. If the temps get hotter than expected, don’t hike between Noon and 4PM. To be honest, this time of year you probably won’t have any difficulties if you follow Vallerie’s list.

[Ken Thompson]

Don’t skimp on drinking liquids on the drive there to start off hydrated. Enjoy yourself. It’s a different world.

[Rex Sanders]

Keep dust and sand out of your gear and body crevices. After a few days, everything will start wearing down, and you will regret not keeping them clean.

Besides cactus, many other desert plants have thorns, including some just an inch or two tall.

Don’t drop your gear into thorns, either. Because when you pick it up with the thorns embedded …

Read up on dangerous venomous animals in the Mojave desert (rattlesnakes, scorpions), learn to recognize them, their likely locations and habits. Snake bite kits are useless, take a real first aid course.

Some desert water sources are too high in natural chemicals to drink safely even with treatment. If the water’s clean and pure with nothing growing in it, be very suspicious.

It’s surprisingly easy for fires to run wild in the desert due to invasive grasses. Be extra careful with fire in windy conditions.

It might not be very windy now, but it could be blowing 60 mph in a couple of hours from a completely different direction. Camp in the most sheltered spot you can find. Dunes are always a bad choice!

In the unlikely event of rain, stay out of desert washes, even if the rain clouds are miles away. Flash floods kill people every year.

Always go for shade at rest stops. Consider taking an umbrella.

Those weird flashing lights you see in the night sky are probably Air Force and Navy jets playing games, not UFOs.

If you are easily offended by naked people, stay away from the hot springs.

Have fun!

— Rex

[Jennifer Mitol]

I’d second the umbrella idea.  I initially scoffed at the extra 8 oz, but WOW it is AMAZING to have that shade with you – Valerie is not exaggerating when she says it is radioactive…it literally gives me a headache even with a hat and strong sunglasses, and when I’m not even walking into it.  You can fasten it to your pack quite easily (lots of different versions online – just find something that works for you).

You don’t need to keep it up all day every day, but to be able to pop it out every now and then for a break from the sun is pure heaven…..

And all that other stuff everyone else said.

[Kodiak Firesmith]

Thoughts?

 

 

[Nick Gatel]

Kodiak,

Your are going to be hiking in the spring. Temperatures are probably not going be more than 85 and there will be little humidity, unless it rains, which is not common. Unless you head into the surrounding mountains, the hiking is straight forward.

Don’t overthink this. It’s just walking.

[Ken Thompson]

No on the umbrella hat. Not enough air circulation and any breeze will drive you crazy with its wanting to move on your head. Easy enough to rig a regular umbrella hands free on your pack.

[D M]

Hard candy keeps yer mouth from getting dry…..regular electrolytes only when yer hydrated. Before I set up camp I walk around in widening circles checking the ground for stray cactus spines, places for critters to hide, thorny stuff cause you don’t want to find that stuff in the middle of the night or early morning during a p** break or whatever….then trail it back into your shelter. The dawn and dusk times are MAGICAL, have a great time.

[Anonymous]

Some tips sourced from the desert survival guru Cody Lundin, don’t eat much protein during the day as it both raises your metabolism (and makes you hotter), and requires more water than other macro nutrients to digest properly.

It’s better to eat it once camped and it’s cooling off.  If you happen to get low on water, skip the higher protein foods until you can replenish your supply.

But it doesn’t sound like it will be all that hot, and even 90 with low humidity is more comfortable than 80 with very high humidity.

[Erica R]

The Inn at Furnace Creek (up on the hill) has an awesome $12 or so breakfast outside on their patio.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Death Valley in the spring can be surprisingly cold. I remember a geology field trip I did in college in April. We were all thinking Death Valley is super hot so we’ll wear shorts and tank tops. We all froze. For sure you will be cold at night. There’s no humidity so there is nothing to hold the heat in the air once the sun goes down.

[Ken Thompson]

I hope Kodiak is enjoying his trip there this week.

[Nick Gatel]

Yes, it should be a good time to hike. Temperatures should be comfortable and maybe a slight chance of rain. At home we’ve had some sprinklers and today it is cool outside.

[Kodiak Firesmith]

Thanks so much everyone – I leave before dawn tomorrow and come back in the middle of the night on the 16th.  I’m all packed and ready to go – I definitely made some changes based on this thread.  I’m sad I couldn’t get an umbrella in time but at least most of our time will be at elevation so it won’t be too miserable hopefully.

 

[Kodiak Firesmith]

It’s taken a few days to recover from the trip and get things caught up at home.  Thanks again to all for the advice!  Here’s the pics!

https://goo.gl/photos/XfdmoFMMtTMHz1HH9

[Valerie E]

Looks like everything worked out very well, Kodiak — great photos, esp. the panoramas! :^)

[Jake J]

Gotta love being out there when the planes from China Lake buzz the valley..

[Author]

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