Speedy exits gone wrong?

[alanogy]

This is my first burn and my traveling companion's second. She's on a tight schedule and we plan to leave midnight Sunday night as she did last year, when she encountered very little traffic and had smooth sailing to Reno. We're wondering how typical that is because we don't want to count and plan on unusually good luck.

Ideally we'd get to the Reno airport within a few hours, and have hours of leeway to easily catch a morning flight (in a dusty way). But we're antsy about missing the flight home if something goes wrong, and this post is to ask about predictably unpredictable problems before we book that flight.

Do folks with more experience have words to calm us about flying out Monday morning or scare us into spending an extra night in Reno and booking a Tuesday flight to be sure we don't miss it in case of delays due to traffic or weather? (I know, there have been Big Storms that even waiting until Tuesday wouldn't help if they happened again).

[theCryptofishist]

Go during the temple burn or just after and you're probably alright. Monday is the day from Hades, as I understand it. But wait for greater wisdom to come.

[Chai Guy]

I would give my self a good 12-24 hours wiggle room (more like 24hrs). In the past dust storms have played havoc with the ability to exit BRC. There is always the threat of a huge downpour which would turn the city into an impassable mud bog until the playa becomes driveable again in the sun. Finally, a fatal traffic accident on 447 has and could again close the entire highway for hours.

You are much better off giving yourself that extra time and booking a room in Reno.

my .02

[Dork]

If you pack up before the temple burn and leave right after it, there's not a lot of traffic. I think it picks up again a little later that night but not horribly so. Whiteout storms, accidents on the one road out, etc can always cause havok so long delays can always happen but there's no predicting that.

No matter what time you leave, count on at least an hour to get from your campsite to the main road.

I've missed flights before and so far there's never been a problem getting on standby for a later flight so even if you get there late you can recover, assuming it won't cause any huge problems after you get home. I wouldn't recommend scheduling that ransom payoff 30 minutes after your plane is scheduled to land.

[alanogy]

Thanks for the rapid responses. Diversity! One thumbs up, one thumbs down, and one "don't panic".

I really appreciate the information, and whatever anyone else may care to add or confirm. I'm sure your posts will help other newbies; seems like important information at least to all those hurrying back to school, and requires going beyond the survival guide to voices of experience.

[Sensei]

If there's a serious accident on that 2 lane, that road can be closed for hours. That's what happened a couple years back. I tried to slip out late Sunday afternoon, but no go.

[Badger]

Oh, and do NOT try shortcutting out any of the exits that are along the trash fence. You don't even want to know what the out-of-pocket expense the BLM will get you for.

[Janka]

Last year, we left early Monday morning (read: as soon as the sun heated our now unshaded tent to unhabitable, maybe hour after sunrise or so) having packed Sunday and had a smooth and painless ride out - there was traffic, but it was moving all the time.

That said, I would suggest always leaving a good time frame for catching flights, though.