# Will be in the Nevada Desert for the next couple months...



## PrepareMorePeople (May 22, 2011)

Ive got a pretty basic car emergency kit, but what else should I throw in there specifically for the dry, hot climate of the desert?

Any suggestions?


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

sunscreen, sunglasses, water.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

water

water

water

water

mylar reflective blankets

potassium tabs

'swiss army' knife

whistle

matches

water

magnifying glass

100' minimum light cordage

painkillers (aspirin/excedrin)

needles

safety pins

water

large trash bags

razor blade

aluminum foil

roll of tape

individually packed alcohol wipes

water

tweezers

fine tooth comb (good for removing cactus thorns)

fish hooks

pencils

candles

oh, and WATER


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Cold weather gear. It gets cold here in the high desert at night. At least it does the norther half and up in the higher mountains.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

A sheet to get wet & wrap yourself up in to stay cool.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

A handgun and/or rifle.

and water...


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## jnrdesertrats (Jul 3, 2010)

Shade

Fold up sunshade, umbrellas and a wide brim hat e.t.c.


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## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

A thick pair of boots would be good to have if you will be walking around any time during the late evening to early morning hours, or if your car breaks down and you are stranded during that time. Snakes tend to come out more during those hours than in the middle of the day. The feet and ankles are the most common areas of the body for snake bites.


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## subzeroLV (May 17, 2011)

A snake/bug bite kit is a definite (make sure it treats for scorpion stings too).

Sunscreen

water (of course)

Hiking boots (not sneakers)

Survival knife

Compass

Handgun that can handle up to a mtn lion (.40/.45)

firesteel and dry tinder


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## PrepareMorePeople (May 22, 2011)

Thanks alot guys... I had completely overlooked the snake bite/scorpion aspect. You guys are awesome. 

Im going to buy the water when I get out there so I dont have to use a tank of gas dragging all the H2O accross the desert.

Thnx again!


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*a funnel*

A funnel to help you urinate in your canteen .


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## dirtgrrl (Jun 5, 2011)

One thing people don't quite get about the Nevada desert is really how dry it is. Seems obvious, but you will lose water just breathing out here, and sweat dries so fast you don't even know you're sweating. Drink whether you are thirsty or not; drink regularly whether you are thirsty or not. Eat potassium- and salt-rich foods like bananas and potato chips. Forget the gatoraid-type stuff; it's too sweet. Eat real food and drink plenty of water, wear hats and sunscreen, cover your body against the sun, rest between 10 am and 4 pm, guard your feet and legs against stickers and biting things (wear real boots and long pants). If you are stranded in the desert off pavement you are in real danger. Don't leave your vehicle; open the doors and trunk and hood instead and stay in the shade. Pull your seats and tires off the vehicle and set them on fire to get attention. Drink your water and don't save it. Most important; tell someone where you are going and when you will return, and don't deviate from that plan. It can mean the difference between being embarrassed and being dead. I speak from experience. Enjoy your trip into the beautiful Mojave...


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## Nadja (Jan 12, 2011)

I remember about 30 years ago living down in Phoenix. An older couple coming in from back east decided to go look at the desert. They were found very dead 100 yards from their car. Not nearly enough water for them. They probably felt that a quart of water was enough for both of them for the day. You need at LEAST one gallon of water per person to just maintain and stay alive. The desert will suck all the moisture out of you in just minutes if you let it


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## gunsmith (Jan 21, 2011)

Where in NV? for instance here in the north west ( Black Rock Desert area ) we have had plenty of rain so we are good for water but its been cold, currently the gnats/mosquito's have been a problem so bring a good repellent. Car repair stuff is important, if you break down ( on a side road) it could be a month or two before you're found in some areas, cell phones wont work in isolated areas too.


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## Frugal_Farmers (Dec 13, 2010)

Here are a few links for you my friend:

http://www.equipped.com/21-76/ch13.pdf

http://www.maricopa.gov/Emerg_Mgt/pdf/SURVIVAL.PDF

http://www.ldrs26.org/desert_survival_guide.pdf

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/barstow/desert_survival_tips.pdf.pdf

This ought to keep ya busy for a while


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## gunsmith (Jan 21, 2011)

dirtgrrl said:


> One thing people don't quite get about the Nevada desert is really how dry it is. Seems obvious, but you will lose water just breathing out here, and sweat dries so fast you don't even know you're sweating. Drink whether you are thirsty or not; drink regularly whether you are thirsty or not. Eat potassium- and salt-rich foods like bananas and potato chips. Forget the gatoraid-type stuff; it's too sweet. Eat real food and drink plenty of water, wear hats and sunscreen, cover your body against the sun, rest between 10 am and 4 pm, guard your feet and legs against stickers and biting things (wear real boots and long pants). If you are stranded in the desert off pavement you are in real danger. Don't leave your vehicle; open the doors and trunk and hood instead and stay in the shade. Pull your seats and tires off the vehicle and set them on fire to get attention. Drink your water and don't save it. Most important; tell someone where you are going and when you will return, and don't deviate from that plan. It can mean the difference between being embarrassed and being dead. I speak from experience. Enjoy your trip into the beautiful Mojave...


^^^^^
100 % correct, we just had a situation in north NV where a woman nearly starved to death ( surrounded by tasty rodents/frogs & edible plants plus a creek! ) & her husband went out looking for help _hundreds of miles away from anywhere_


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## Ridgerunner (Oct 27, 2008)

maybe a gold pan or metal detector there is a lot of silver in some of those dry washes


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

Heads up! The dry washes can become wet during Monsoon season in August for Cali, Nev, and Arizona.


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## ReconCraftTheta (Jun 30, 2010)

If you can find one for a good price, a specialized hot weather tent... I think Eureka makes them.


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## Momturtle (Nov 2, 2009)

Do not wait to get there to get water. It is not a waste of gas to haul water across a desert. If nothing else your car could overheat and you need the water to cool the radiator. I don't live in a desert or cross one but I always have water.

My daughter moved to Arizona several years ago. Before she left I made her a little emergency survival kit to put under the front seat of her truck. It had 2 emergency survival blankets, about 8 very strong magnets, some paracord, a roll of dental floss, multitool, a shake flashlight, signal mirror, and an instruction card. I also told her that if I ever found out she went into the desert with less than 5 gallons of water, a hat, notification of someone where they were going, and a map of where they were going, I would not even claim her shriveled carcass if something happened. 

The instructions for daytime breakdown were to open the truck doors and using magnets, cover the cab with the emergency blankets. Drops interior temparature by up to 20 degrees. Drink some water, take a nap, orient yourself to where you need to be. Do not walk out during the day. 

If you can walk to someplace you know of, walk at night, take the blankets, and everything else you can, especially the water.

Within 3 weeks, she and her husband with their infant son broke an axle on a back dirt road in the desert in a park with no regular patrols. 3 in the afternoon. Summer. She did as the kit instructed and made them a shade shelter using the truck, drank some water, had a snack, planned her exit strategy and walked back to a ranger station 9 miles away once it got dark. Her husband carried the baby and she pushed the stroller with the 5 gallons of water and the rest of the emergency supplies. She even picked up sticks she found to sweep the road and in case they didn't make the ranger station by dawn and she had to make a shelter using the space blankets, stroller, sticks and string. They all survived just fine, almost got shot by the ranger when they walked up to his house at 4am in the morning. 

I was proud of her, she used her head, used the information she had and walked out of where others had died just the week before.

Simple things can make a huge difference if you stay calm and have a plan. There are no guarantees but it sure can weigh the odds in your favor.


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## MouldyJoe (Jul 5, 2011)

*Temperature Fluctuations*

You are probably already there or even coming home by now, but I spent about a year working in North central Nevada (Carlin) The temperature limits are extreme. I remember in June we could see a storm coming through that dumped 1.5 inches of hail in about 30 minutes. In January it got so cold the freeze plugs blew out in the engine of my car, (-25 F). I was doing Iron work and my coveralls would freeze to the steel if I sat there long enough.
That same summer as the hail storm it got over 100 degrees F. for days at a time and I could never get enough to drink. Water, Water Water.


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## benjamingraves (Jul 9, 2011)

Ive found that something good to have is Marine Epoxy. I broke the blade on my survival knife at the handle, some marine epoxy and a couple hours later, the blade is straight and fully usable again. a year later it still is holding strong even through frequent use. And something you may consider is a military surplus item called "emergency water"


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

Guess he istoo busy to reply back.

I heard on radio theres also a serial killer that runs Hwy 80.They think he is a trucker,but not possitive.Be very careful who let let help you.200 have dissapeared or been murdered so far.

Going to a climit your not use to is not something I'd want to do anyway.Nosebleeds in the mountains,grasping for breath or drinking waer like a fish is not my idea of surviving.But then I'm use to humidity that others can't stand who live in dry areas.

Maybe better to stay where your body likes it,ITSHTF it will be enough to overcome.:dunno:


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

benjamingraves said:


> Ive found that something good to have is Marine Epoxy. I broke the blade on my survival knife at the handle, some marine epoxy and a couple hours later, the blade is straight and fully usable again. a year later it still is holding strong even through frequent use. And something you may consider is a military surplus item called "emergency water"


 Thanks for the tip,I wrote it down.:wave:


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