Estimate for early entry Gate delay

[FlyingMonkey]

I've never had Early Entry as an option but this year I am arriving on Saturday. Can someone with experience chime in on how long the Gate wait may be for someone arriving shortly after midnight on Saturday.

Basically I have 42 hours to make a 32 hour trip and would like to plan my arrival so I show up a close to 12:01 AM as possible.

I realize this change from year to year but I'm also assuming the wait to get in isnt as bad as opening day.

Does the traffic back up on to the highway on Saturday?

[Jackass]

I've never gone early either, but from what i understand early entry has gotten fairly clogged for the last 3 or 4 years. Saturday is probably the biggest influx of early entry participants too.

[some seeing eye]

https://twitter.com/bmantraffic

[Zubeneschamali]

Want facts? Go to Reddit and search the same topic. A couple people have mined Gate times off of twitter feeds to present in graph form.

Personally, in 2017 I hit gate road just after dawn and got to camp B/9 at 1PM. Last year left asphalt at 11:30 and landed at same coordinates at 4.

Whatever you estimate for Gate, add another hour to get thru Greeters and to make it thru the streets to your camp.

Whatever you estimate can and will change. Embrace the fuck out of it.

ADVICE FOR GATE: Add a left lane fast track. Crusty burners with bad attitudes just want to get to camp.

[LowePro]

Impossible to tell, but Saturday has long lines too, estimate 2-3 hours minimum off blacktop, and it has been 6, 8, or even 10+ hours on Sat daytime/afternoon entry. Plan to arrive at 12:01 but understand you will miss the target.

[Canoe]

I only have data starting 9 pm on Saturday, for 2017 and 2018.
And in 2018 they didn't provide the Wadsworth to Gate Road info.

You can see the increase in congestion from 2017 to 2018, and how the Whiteout in 2018 affected things.

2017
viewtopic.php?f=286&t=82469#p1145141

2018
viewtopic.php?f=286&t=90334#p1168376

[Dr. Pyro]

And keep in mind, if the weather turns (either too windy and the dust causes whiteouts or it begins to rain) it becomes anybody's guess. And don't even get me started on "...missing 17 year old girls..."

[Jackass]

The lengthening delays over the last few years is a direct consequence of the increased number of early entry folks.
I'll bet as much as 40% of the overall population is already inside by the time gates open.

[Canoe]

(or the highway washes out, or there's a fire close to the road, ... or the various accidents due to passing, overloaded vehicles or unsecured loads)
(and the various highway repairs)

So in theory, with so many placed camps this year, the Arrival numbers, Exodus numbers and traffic load on local highways should be reduced at those peak times...

[Eric]

The vast majority of EAs are for Saturday arrival. Arriving close to 12:01am Saturday will get you to camp in 4-8 hours, god willing. It's taken us as long as 12 (without horrible weather), so there is no "estimate" that works.

Just have pee jugs in your car, snacks, and a backup driver if possible. Then, chant some Burning Zen mantras "fuckit, it's Burning Man, fuckit, it's Burning Man..."

[lucky420]

There weren’t as many Saturday WAPS given out this year, maybe it’ll be a breeze

Our placement newsletter stated. They weren’t going to offer many Saturdays EA

[FlyingMonkey]

The vast majority of EAs are for Saturday arrival. Arriving close to 12:01am Saturday will get you to camp in 4-8 hours, god willing. It's taken us as long as 12 (without horrible weather), so there is no "estimate" that works.

Just have pee jugs in your car, snacks, and a backup driver if possible. Then, chant some Burning Zen mantras "fuckit, it's Burning Man, fuckit, it's Burning Man..."

Yeah, I know it's a crapshoot every year depending on many factors. My plan is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I was just seeking an average wait if there is such a thing. I'm thinking that if I shoot for 10:00 PM then I can hopefully be in within 6-7 hours. I think only 2 hours before my early entry is valid isn't too risky. I'll have to keep an eye on the twitters & hopefully have a good enough signal for BMIR on the way in.

I should probably start packing now.

[FlyingMonkey]

The vast majority of EAs are for Saturday arrival. Arriving close to 12:01am Saturday will get you to camp in 4-8 hours, god willing. It's taken us as long as 12 (without horrible weather), so there is no "estimate" that works.

Just have pee jugs in your car, snacks, and a backup driver if possible. Then, chant some Burning Zen mantras "fuckit, it's Burning Man, fuckit, it's Burning Man..."

Yeah, I know it's a crapshoot every year depending on many factors. My plan is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I was just seeking an average wait if there is such a thing. I'm thinking that if I shoot for 10:00 PM then I can hopefully be in within 6-7 hours. I think planning to arrive 2 hours before my early entry is valid isn't too risky. I'll have to keep an eye on the twitters & hopefully have a good enough signal for BMIR on the way in.

I should probably start packing now.

[FlyingMonkey]

The vast majority of EAs are for Saturday arrival. Arriving close to 12:01am Saturday will get you to camp in 4-8 hours, god willing. It's taken us as long as 12 (without horrible weather), so there is no "estimate" that works.

Just have pee jugs in your car, snacks, and a backup driver if possible. Then, chant some Burning Zen mantras "fuckit, it's Burning Man, fuckit, it's Burning Man..."

Yeah, I know it's a crapshoot every year depending on many factors. My plan is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. I was just seeking an average wait if there is such a thing. I'm thinking that if I shoot for 10:00 PM then I can hopefully be in within 6-7 hours. I think planning to arrive 2 hours before my early entry is valid isn't too risky. I'll have to keep an eye on the twitters & hopefully have a good enough signal for BMIR on the way in.

I should probably start packing now.

[Zubeneschamali]

Add hours for the complete clusterfuck that will be Will Call this year due to the ticket problems. It will impact every lane.

[Canoe]

(For next year)
I've got the data for 2019 BMT Work Access early entry graphed.
Also shows 2018 data.
viewtopic.php?f=286&t=102241

[chemicalpilate]

Does Gate wait include time spent driving to the back of the line for Gate?

My partner and I arrived with Saturday WAPs at 9:45am on Saturday. I'm not sure when we stopped in the Gate line, but it was a total of 45 minutes from coming to a stop at the back of the line to rolling past the Gate shipping containers. Felt like a breeze!

[Canoe]

The time is at the mercy of what BMT releases and calls it.
Some times it's just the wait at Gate. Others it's the time from the gravel when you leave pavement for the playa until you're at Gate. And there can be a wait on 34 before going onto the playa; that may or may not be included. And they take a sample of what it's been for a number of people during or up to or close to the tweet time. It seems to be a matter of who is on shift and making the tweets. And the report time may not be on the top of an hour, so it goes to the nearest hour, or may replace the prior top of hour report, or may not if there isn't a report at the next top of hour... And it depends on how busy the people gathering the data are, and the one who makes the tweets.
Sometimes you have to look at the wording, the time and make a best guess where it fits in.

When you came through, the times they gave came out worked out for pavement-to-Gate of a little over an hour at 11 and a little under an hour for the noon report.
viewtopic.php?f=286&t=102241&start=90#p1190934

[FlyingMonkey]

Just a follow up.....

I arrived on Saturday around mid-day and the only thing that slowed me down was the speed limit. Nearly ZERO wait.

Totally Awesome.