Camping in the low desert in summer... by choice. Any tricks to make this possible?

All the advice you got here is the best thing you would get. You hear alot of the same things been repeted and there is a good reason for that. Cause its important.. Also dont forget shade is your friend. Its just as important to find shade and let your body cool off as it is to drink water. No matter how much you drink during the day. You should start each day with a liter of water and end each day with a liter of water. 11-2pm its time to find shade and relax. right before sunset find a nice high place and watch the desert come to life. You would be surprised how many animals are in the desert if you just slow down and look. Last thing but so damn important ICE BABY ICE ...... Some ice tea to finish the day before bed and you would feel like a new man... I realy like the cool bandana around your neck it cools you off and if it gets warm twirl it above your head for a min and put it right back... If it gets realy hot some ice water would cool it down and using it around your neck is a life saver.
One last thing if you take a dog with you make sure to keep his\her head and back wet so they wont over heat and slow down to give them time to cool off.. Twice i seen dogs just fall down and cant move from the heat. getting them wet and standing above them to block the sun got them going again.. The owners had no idea why the dogs wont listen and just lay there on the ground... Stupid people sorry for the short rant added at the end but like all of you i love dogs.


Sasha
 
Life long desert rat here. Already lots of good advice. Maybe cause I lived in the desert my whole life and I work an outside job, but I cant see why anyone would subject them selves to that kind of abuse. Only way I go out in this heat is cause I get paid well to do it.


I do want to add that going out in extreme heat is serious serious shit.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,419161,00.html
 
I live in Casa Grande and work out in the desert south of here down to the border. I'd really just avoid camping down here if you can avoid it. There is nothing nice about it. Drive the couple of hours up to Payson and have nice scenery and weather. No point in being uncomfortable and miserable unless you are RV "camping" and have A/C.
The low desert is good in "winter". Also, it is becoming really dangerous out here with all of the drug/alien trafficking going on (which we deal with at work....alot of what I see/hear is not reported to the general public).
If you do decide to go, bring a good knife, let someone know where you are going, and bring a gun.

Just my two cents from someone who lives/works in the low desert.
 
I have camped in the Sonoran before just north of Phoenix in August. 2 days, 2nights. High was 107* and 109*... Not to bad if you stay in the shade and if you do venture out, sun protection. Really the worst part is forcing yourself to drink very warm water. I slept in a silk sleeping bag liner with a very light blanket and was perfect.
 
I'd rather go up to the mountains during the summer heat, or down to some canyons. Like NevadaExplorer says, why go to the desert on purpose? Drive a bit farther, and find somewhere cooler. Visit the desert when it's cooler outside.
 
A lot of questions in this thread asking why do this.

1. Looking for solitude, and everyone is heading to the high country these days. I've got a place just outside of Flagstaff and spend tons of time up there as it is.
2. I love the desert even in summer, and I realized recently that I've never camped in the low desert regardless of season. What a f'ing crime. So why not now.

I'm pretty experienced with being out in high temps (mostly work-related but plenty of hiking), but this thread was initiated not with the thought that I'd be out doing anything particularly vigorous but rather just chillin', drinking a beer and looking at the rocks and cactus that I love so much. In 113F :D

I'm going to do it in two weeks; head out from work on Friday 7/8 and setup, then spend most of Saturday kicking back somewhere with a killer view. I'll report back what I learned.
 
Not sure how far south into the Low Desert you are going, but I'd avoid anything off of Interstate 8. Trust me, it's not safe.
 
NevadaExplorer said:
Life long desert rat here. Already lots of good advice. Maybe cause I lived in the desert my whole life and I work an outside job, but I cant see why anyone would subject them selves to that kind of abuse. Only way I go out in this heat is cause I get paid well to do it.


I do want to add that going out in extreme heat is serious serious shit.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,419161,00.html
Click to expand...

I was going to post that exact same link. Evan was a great athlete and in phenomenal shape.....yet, the desert heat overcame him and took his life.
 
I would say Go for it and enjoy the desert. Been up to Anza Borrigo desert in july many years back. Temp was 118deg for two days out of the 5 i been there. The rest of the time it never droped below 105. Spend most of the day just kicking back in the shade with some ice tea (lots of ice) read a book or close your eyes and listen to life around you. With long walks toward the evening till after dark. Would i do it again Hell yea i would. On the way back i drove into town to get something cold to drink just to find that everyone was closed with one old timer still there. When i asked him what is going on his answer was everyone is up in Julian now( its an awsome town up in the mountains).
BRL You sound like the kind of a man that can appriacte the desert. As long as you use common sense and take the great advice on here you would be more then just fine...

Sasha
 
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