How to travel in the desert: Some notes on safety

One mile farther and I come to a second grave beside the road, nameless like the other, marked only with the dull blue-black stones of the badlands. I do not pause this time. The more often you stop the more difficult it is to continue. Stop too long and they cover you with rocks.
          
          Edward Abbey, Beyond the Wall: Essays from the Outside


People die every year in summer hikes. Heat kills, and it happens fast. Ten minutes separate life from death in a desert. The odds of finding help on time are against us. We need to learn before venturing in. Our lives depend on it - and using common sense.  

C walking on the dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado - Photo: Still Gravity.
Following C on a dune hiking adventure in Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado - License our images here.

These notes are my reminders for desert hikes. Take them as general ideas. I advise nothing here. Research all you read on this page. Some product links are affiliate. Thanks for your support.
 

General knowledge

  • Any season is dangerous. Summer hikes are out of the question. 
  • Don't count on phone reception. 
  • Dehydration and overhydration are real dangers (more about hydration here.
Black and white image of a sunset in the dunes - Photo: Still Gravity.
Sunset in the desert. 

Preparations

  • Planning, planning, planning. Not amount is enough. 
  • Plan to wander two or three weeks in the area to acclimatize to the heat.
  • Carry a topo map besides GPS, compass, and a satellite phone - or at least an emergency beacon. 
  • Carry a first aid kit, a hiking whistle, a towel, balm protection for the lips, and a hiking umbrella - the only roof in a desert. 
  • Use long pants and long leaves shirts for sun protection and better cooling - the sweet part of sweating.
  • Light colors and loose clothes are better. 
  • Wear a wide hat and a scarf. 
  • Don't forget the dark sunglasses - flying sand is terrible in windy days, also sun reflections hurt the eyes. 
  • Water is gold. Carry at least a gallon per person per day - the most the better. 
  • A gallon of water weights over 8 pounds - the exact weight depends on temperature. 
  • Leave a schedule and itinerary with family or friends. 

Hiking poles on sand dunes in the sunset - Photo: Still Gravity.
My hiking poles are holding the falling sun. LOL. 

Navigating the desert

  • It's easy to get lost. 
  • Sand dunes cut visibility.
  • Heat distorts the vision and causes errors estimating distances. 
  • Sandstorms = zero visibility. People can separate and get lost.
  • Roads and well-marked trails are a desert rarity. 
  • Never hike at midday.
  • Be vigilant around wadis - dry channels. Water can rush without warning if close to mountains.
  • Birds may help in search of water. Pigeons and parrots live close to water.
  • Sunsets bring relief. The wind dies down and temperatures drop - many prefer to hike at night.

Desert of salt in Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah - Photo: Still Gravity.
Walk on the desert of salt of Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. 

Desert wildlife

  • Venomous snakes, spiders, and scorpions are menaces - scorpions are night wanderers. 
  • Check clothes before bed and close well the tent. 
  • Insects may carry infections. 
  • Avoid contact with desert dogs and rats.  

Sand dunes in Death Valley National Park - Photo: Still Gravity.
The hottest of the hottest: Death Valley. 

Surviving the desert

  • Be silent. More talk = more liquid lost.
  • Alcohol and salty food = increased thirst. 
  • Feeling thirsty is not a good indicator of dehydration - decreased urination is. 
  • Cooling down we lose more liquid than we can absorb and replenish.  
  • We can absorb roughly a liter of water per hour. 
  • Drink between half and one liter per hour - depends on the amount of sweating.
  • Dehydration plus losing salts through sweat = muscle cramps. 
  • Wash your face frequently and change socks if they feel wet.
  • Heat and lack of humidity = nose bleeding. Use saline spray or breathe through a wet piece of cloth. 
  • Women overheat faster - they have lower sweat output, higher body fat, and on average, less water in their bodies. Estimates: 60% of the bodyweight of men is water; 50-55% for women. 
  • Don’t seat or lay down on the floor. Under the sun, the ground can be 30 degrees hotter than the air. 
  • Irrational speech, irritation, confusion, disorientation, trouble with body balance, up to total collapse, may be symptoms of heatstroke - pay attention if someone gets too grumpy.  
  • Cool and hydrate a person if heatstroke is suspected. Lower the body temperature as soon as possible. 
  • Immersion in water helps. If not possible, wrap the person in a fabric drenched with ice water, apply ice to the head, armpits, and the groin. 
  • No cold water? Seek shade and wet or remove all clothing. Fan the person. 
  • Call for help as soon as possible.
  • Survival depends on the duration of the overheating. 
  • Body temperatures over 105 ℉ are critical, they need to return below 104℉ in less than 30 minutes. 
  • Control fear and panic. They never help.

On the road of the Mojave Desert, California - Photo: Still Gravity.
Crossing the Mojave Desert. 

Traveling in vehicles

  • Batteries don't charge well in the heat. 
  • Monitor the cooling system - careful opening the radiator cap because heat increases the volume of liquids. 
  • Check under the vehicle for snakes.   

After all this, who wants to hike in a desert? Well, there is beauty in barren landscapes - especially sunsets and night skies. 

I have always loved the desert. One sits down on a desert sand dune, sees nothing, hears nothing. Yet through the silence something throbs, and gleams...

          Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince


Disclaimers: Follow any idea at your own risk. These notes are for my personal use, not general advice. Do your own research.  

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