Product Description

·Techniques for traversing desert terrain-by vehicle, by mountain bike, or on foot
·Strategies for comfort, safety, and survival in extreme conditions
·Selecting gear and equipment for this special environment

Like any desert aficionado, Bruce Grubbs is obsessed with water: how much to bring, how to carry it, how to conserve it, and how to find it in the backcountry. But desert exploration involves much more. Grubbs provides the knowledge and skills you need to move through this landscape with confidence.

In addition to techniques for hiking and mountain biking special to desert conditions, Grubbs tells how to prepare your vehicle for remote desert roads and how to avoid getting stuck in sand or busting a tire. He discusses navigating in the desert, "dry camping" skills, and techniques for minimum impact on this starkly beautiful but fragile environment. There are tips for dealing with desert heat-and cold-and other challenges (sharp spiny plants and venomous snakes are easy to avoid with a little preparation and know-how). But just in case, Grubbs troubleshoots the worst-case scenarios. Throughout, he gives an understanding of desert climate and seasons, and the unique plants and creatures at home in it.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #932699 in Books
• Brand: The Mountaineers Books
• Published on: 2005-01-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 173 pages

Review
"Packed full of important, life-saving information to help you navigate safely in the desert." -- Tulsa World

Provides worthwhile, practical advice. -- Klamath Falls Herald and News

[Y]ou might just find a tip or two between these covers. -- The Cascadian

About the Author
Bruce Grubbs has explored the Southwest for more than 35 years as a hiker, climber, mountain biker, kayaker, and cross-country skier. A contributing editor for The Sojourner, the online magazine of the Adventure Radio Society, Grubbs has also contributed to Backpacker magazine's Know How and Weekend Wilderness sections. He is the author of Best Loop Hikes: Arizona, among other titles.

Customer Reviews

Disappointed
This book promises to instruct anyone on how to hike and bike the desert safely. As a generalized overview to some (not all) desert travel it is sufficient for that purpose, but I found it lacking in many subjects crucial to remote desert hikers. Trip/water planning, gear prep, finding water from natural sources, trip navigation (map and GPS), first aid for desert and heat sicknesses, etc. could have all used a lot more material. Coverage of some deserts and specialized advice was lacking. The book emphasizes coverage of 'high' deserts like the Great Basin, unfortunately, at the expense of others. And forget anything outside the U.S., as it's not covered here. I probably would have liked this book better had I not read the Ultimate Desert Handbook, which covers the same subjects a lot more thoroughly, not to mention the diversity of many more deserts in North America and around the world.

Required reading for desert trips
This book should be required reading for anyone remotely thinking about desert exploring of any type. I have done a fair amount of desert trips and have read and reread this book a number of times. It is packed full of important, potentially life saving information that will help you navigate safely in the desert. Everything from techniques for hiking,mountain biking, and 4x4 trips including vehicle preparation is included. There is an interesting section on troubleshooting worst-case scenarios and even a section on selecting the proper gear and equipment for desert conditions. When considering desert trips it is well to remember the admonishment of famed desert rat and author Edward Abbey:"...Enter at your own risk. Carry water. Avoid the noonday sun. Try to ignore the Vultures. Pray frequently." I would add "read and study this book" or perhaps "Don't leave home without it." Highly recommended.