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Surviving in the Desert
Most common dangers are heat, dehydration, cold and injury. If you are prepared for all of these you will enjoy your hike, drive, horseback ride, bird watching and backpacking in the desert. No one ever plans to get lost but an emergency situation can develop unless you have prepared ahead of time. The first rule is TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Don’t worry about your vehicle being stuck or thinking the road is just over that next ridge. Make sure you can handle the elements first. Remember that a car is much more likely to be seen by searchers than a much smaller human body. It is also a good place to retreat to during the evening when it may be more dangerous to sleep on the ground. Clothing can be crucial in a crisis situation and will offer you protection from the elements. Setting off in shorts and a tank top are your first impulse on a sunny day, but it will become important to keep the sun off with light colored, lightweight long sleeves and a straw hat if you become lost or stranded. A lightweight nylon jacket and pants will be welcome if you are forced to spend the night or if it rains. Preventing blisters, which can be disabling without treatment, is imperative. Leather boots with thick soles or hiking boots and, preferably wool socks, will give you the protection you need. Heat, rocks, thorns and critters are another good reason to take care of your feet. They may have to walk you out of a potential disaster. With this in mind it is always a good idea to carry some blister protection, either in you glove compartment or even in your pocket when you set off.
Temperatures in the desert can escalate rapidly and cause heat stroke and death. This is the most important thing to prepare for before you set out. As soon as you realize you may be in trouble take steps to prevent your body from overheating in the first place:
Perspiration will help to keep you cool but excessive sweating will cause your body temperature to rise. Even if you have plenty of water, your body is being depleted of salts. Stay out of the sun and rest. Drink the water you have – don’t save it or you will weaken rapidly. Keep your clothes on – they provide protection. Shelter from the sun can be found under your vehicle, a rock ledge, trees or shrubs. Even a foot down causes a 20 to 30° drop in temperature. Eating also uses up water for digestion so eat sparingly. If you have the overpowering need to try to walk out of your situation and find a road, wait in the shade until dark. Staying near your vehicle increases your chances of being found. It is larger and more visible than you are and if a search is under way for you, it will be the first thing rescuers look for. It is also larger and easier to see than a person. If you do leave put a note as to when and direction you went. Warning signs of heat exhaustion are muscle cramps, heavy sweating, cold clammy skin, dizziness, rapid pulse, throbbing pressure in the head, chills, flushed appearance and nausea. Heatstroke has its own warning signs characterized by warm, dry skin with no sweating and cold clammy skin, low blood pressure, confusion and/or unconsciousness, high fever, slow pulse and ashen skin. During the final stages of heatstroke a person may vomit, run a temperature of 105 or higher and lose alertness. Remember the four steps -- limit physical activity, keep your loose clothing on, stay in the shade and drink your water.
Most important – prevent dehydration before it happens. You need a gallon of water per day to ward off dehydration even if you are just out for a casual walk. Feeling thirsty is an indicator but you need to take in enough to replenish your internal needs – a few sips will not help. With only a loss of five percent of your body weight you will be in trouble. You may become too sick to drink, experience headache, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth and shortness of breath. When you feel thirsty it is already to late, drink BEFORE you feel thirsty. It is critical to carry as much water with you as possible. Keep extra water in your vehicle when traveling in the desert always.
Cold can be just as great an enemy to your body as heat. The desert can get very cold when the sun goes down. When your body temperature falls, you are in trouble. Don’t wait until you are shivering to prepare to build a fire. Don’t start out on any adventure, no matter how short your plan is, unless you have matches or a lighter with you. They could save your life. Keep them on your person; they won’t do you any good if they are in a backpack that has been lost. Gather fire materials right away, not when it starts to get dark or cold. Even if it isn’t cold, a fire can keep the dark and its fears away if you are out all night. Keep your clothes dry. Wind and wet will cause rapid heat loss, which causes you to lose the will to continue taking care of your body, which, remember, is the FIRST rule of survival. Hot liquids and food are lifesavers that refuel and heat your body. Leave alcoholic beverages alone! They cause you to lose heat faster although you may feel warmer for a short while. Pile on any extra clothing you may have before you start shivering. If it is possible, find natural shelter. If not, try to build something to shield you from the elements. However, do not expend so much energy on this that you deplete your body of water. A inexpensive silver reflective “space blanket” can save you life if you keep it in your glove box or bring it with you. It only weighs a few ounces and can make a great ground cloth for lunches as well.
An unexpected injury can be the catalyst for a survival situation in the desert and start in motion all of the other life threatening events we’ve just talked about. Basic first aid is a skill that is well worth the time to learn even if you are not an avid hiker/backpacker. It will give you the ability to treat pain, shock, fractures, sprains, animal bites and stings, burns, snakebite, diarrhea, fever, bleeding, blisters, until professional emergency assistance is available. Baring learning this there are several small and lightweight first aid pamphlets you can have in the car and on your person. It does you absolutely no good to have a great kit back in your car when you fall into cactus or twist an ankle. Most hikers carry a simple kit in the desert that has:
This entire kit
should only weigh one to two pounds and may very well save your life
that one time you use it.
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