Playa Condition

casualchris · Post by **casualchris** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 7:55 pm

Anyone know how the playa is holding up right now?

Get much rain lately?

cc

phil · Post by **phil** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 1:52 pm

This is from the middle of June:
http://www.rgj.com//news/stories/html/2 ... 102078.php

I know of people who are planning a July 4th trip, so I'll see what I learn from them (or go myself).

Post by **AntiM** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:24 pm

And the most important line from the article:

“Whatever your friend told you the conditions were last weekend, plan on it being different,” he said.

Ranger Genius · Post by **Ranger Genius** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 3:31 pm

There's a Ranger training on the playa 7/9. so I'll bring back a first-hand report of the conditions, since we're probably taking Jungo and driving straight across the open playa from Trego to 12mi to get there.

phil · Post by **phil** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 7:01 pm

People out last weekend report lightning, rain, mud, and stickiness. Small cars got stuck, 4WD okay, people wet & muddy.

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 9:49 pm

This is an El Nino year, so it would be a good idea to expect rain. This turns the Playa into glue. My recommendation is to bring at least 2 pair of shoes that are sturdy yet you'd be willing to throw them in the dumpster after the event. They will never be the same after they've spent a week in that yuck.

XS · Post by XS » Mon Jun 27, 2005 11:41 pm

Whatching the weather patterns recently, I'm begining to maintain some angst regarding the possiblity of a Wet-Burn. I heard stories about the last time it was really wet on the playa. Anum 2000? Vets. Please chime in. Is there such a thing as a Burn Almanac? Wear your rubbers kids!

Janka · Post by **Janka** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:30 am

I thought last year was El Niño too, at least that's what they blamed the non-existent summer hereabouts on. Not that this year is looking much better, so maybe the mess continues.

I'd be pleased if some veteran of the playa informed me how difficult it is to get off the playa in an SUV if it really does rain? I'd love to stay and wait until it dries, but we have a plane to catch from Vancouver, Canada just a week after the event...:)

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:28 am

how difficult it is to get off the playa in an SUV if it really does rain?

it is impossible. The rangers will close the playa to all driving if it rains more than a small amount to avoid having to bail people out. This happened last year just before the event opened.

safetythird · Post by **safetythird** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:57 am

Janka wrote: I'd be pleased if some veteran of the playa informed me how difficult it is to get off the playa in an SUV if it really does rain?

Not That I have personal experience other than almost losing a shoe in a playa mud pit but I think this image sums it up nicely.

Stuck SUV

S3

Janka · Post by **Janka** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:19 am

Thanks for the info. This leads to the next question: how long rains are likely / possible, and how long does it take for the playa to dry? (No, this is not stopping me from coming. I'd just like to be mentally prepared in case it starts to rain. I'll also find how much will it cost us to get ourselves back to Finland in case we miss our flight. I am an information control freak - things bother me much less when I know what to expect. ;))

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:47 am

It's amazing how fast SURFACE water disappears out there. Evidence of a light rainstorm is gone in minutes! You can stalk the dust-control truck for an hour or two. As evidenced in the stuck-SUV-photo, the surface is dry as a bone but it's gooey underneath! It's been well-behaved during the event these last two years, but right before and after the feces have been hitting the windmill!

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 11:49 am

[quote="Janka"]Thanks for the info. This leads to the next question: how long rains are likely / possible, and how long does it take for the playa to dry?
>SNIP<[/quote]

It's the weather. Your predicition is as good as anyone's. :-)

How long it takes to dry depends on how much rain and over what period of time. Louise and I were among the last to get off the playa in 1998. It was just starting to rain as we drove to the exit gate. People who didn't leave within an hour or two of our departure were stuck there for several days. The rain in 2000 was not a big deal in comparison. The playa sticks to your shoes, and you get playa platforms. Don't try to drive, as the mud sticks first to your tires, then builds up inside the wheelwell. It dries like concrete. My experience is that it is easier to get the mud off when wet; others' experiences may vary.

2000 was a pretty sucky year, weather wise, by the way. Cold temperatures, high winds, relentless dust storms and white outs, a little rain. The opera had been scheduled for Friday night, but it was cancelled because of the weather. (They don't do operas anymore.) My suggestion is that you be prepared for a longer stay than you planned, that you be prepared for hot weather, cold weather, dry weather, wet weather, incredibly bright sunny days, dust storms, and tons of fun in all events.

TheJudge · Post by **TheJudge** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:42 pm

stuart wrote:
how difficult it is to get off the playa in an SUV if it really does rain?
it is impossible. The rangers will close the playa to all driving if it rains more than a small amount to avoid having to bail people out. This happened last year just before the event opened.

Actually, Rangers had very little to do with it. The roads in and around the city were closed just prior to the event opening last year because it rained heavily for several hours in the early morning. Each department was asked by senior staff to stay off the roads until the ground dried. This was more to do with preventing huge mud boulders and washboard roads than with getting stuck. Everyone took a long breakfast break. By 11am, things were humming again.

If you really want to know what the condition of the playa will be, step foot on the playa and look around. Anything more than a couple of days into the future is a guessing game. And just because its a mud pit in one section of the playa doesnt mean that its that way everywhere. The winds can push surface water around pretty much anywhere it wants to go, soaking into the soil quickly and making for a fun trap.

If you are going to the playa any time outside of the event, make sure you let people know where you will be, dont go alone and be sure to bring survival gear, a recovery strap, (or better yet a good winch) and enough money to pay for Bruno to tow you out. The price to tow your broken ass off the playa aint cheap.

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:59 pm

I agree completely with Phil. The rain in 2000 wasn't so bad. A bit of rain is really welcome as it knocks the dust down for a while. Most people were smart enough not to drive around while it was wet. The biggest problem in 2000 were the ruts at the edges of the intersections - once hardened, they can bring down lots of bikes in the dark. Like going over railroad tracks on a motorcycle, if you get parallel to them and try to turn, your'e going down.

Janka · Post by **Janka** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:43 am

My suggestion is that you be prepared for a longer stay than you planned, that you be prepared for hot weather, cold weather, dry weather, wet weather, incredibly bright sunny days, dust storms, and tons of fun in all events.

I'd like to think we're reasonably weather-savvy. I am certain that I will again be bitching and moaning about the inevitable dust-storms, and also about rain if it happens, but that's just because that's what I do (sorry about that, but I won't promise to stop, since I have tried that since I learnt to talk and no luck yet ;)). Weather as such should not kill me and should not stop me from having great time (during the breaks in my whining, anyway).

The only thing I am seriously slightly worried about is the flight; if we get delayed for days we might have trouble making it to Canada in time. But the flight's reserved, and we'll see how it goes. I suppose if we miss it, all we lose is money.

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:12 pm

The only thing I am seriously slightly worried about is the flight; if we get delayed for days we might have trouble making it to Canada in time. But the flight's reserved, and we'll see how it goes. I suppose if we miss it, all we lose is money.

Yeah, that's a problem. I've missed a flight or two myself, and there's not anything that can be done about it. If you get rained it, you get rained in. It's the weather, and we can whine about it :-> but we can't do anything about it. Good luck and have fun. Seeya dans la playa.

Mr Magoo · Post by **Mr Magoo** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 4:17 pm

The rain in 2000 did suck pretty badly. It was my first experience with "playa platforms" (The yuk would stick to your shoes and every step you took added another inch of the stuff until you were 6" taller). It was the first time I ever threatened to leave. If I remeber right, it rained most of the night and it cleared in the morning. Those first treks to the porta potties were really tough. We soon learned to use the two basics of B-man, gallon zips and duct tape. We taped the bags over our shoes at the akles and no problemo.
--The playa was completely dry by 10 or 11am. Like nothing ever happened (except for the ruts).

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:48 pm

--The playa was completely dry by 10 or 11am. Like nothing ever happened (except for the ruts).

Louise had broken her leg earlier in the year (at a fund raiser for a playa group, of course), and she was still on crutches. The portapotties were _horribly_ slick after the rain. Nothing that would have bothered normal people, but for Louise, it was a treacherous condition trying to get in, turn around, and then get out without falling down. We were near a Ranger camp with a locked personal potty that wasn't slicked up with water and mud, and they let her use that when one was around to open it for her. The portapotties were slick for a long time after the playa dried, I'm sorry to say.

Post by **actiongrl** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 7:13 pm

The playa this weekend was gor-GEOUS. We were tearing ass at about 60 MPH and barely kicking up any dust. We did find wet spots, but the only truly stuck vehicle I heard about this weekend was 35 miles up the playa. It's drying up nicely so far, and while it'll be drier than it is now, I think it bodes well for a lower-dust year than we've had in a while.

The rains that come after the last freeze are what determines the playa's "cruftiness" and whether it's tamped down or fluffed up with air. THerefore, these late rains are a good sign! It'll never be dust free, but it might be less dusty than some other years...but never fail to bring yer goggles and dust mask along.

Mr Magoo · Post by **Mr Magoo** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:18 am

these late rains are a good sign

Anyone been out since the last post? I understand a little rain fell recently but extremely hot!

Crossing my fingers for a bicycle friendly hard dry surface.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:54 pm

Was on the playa with Actiongrl over the 4th. Like she said the cruft is packed down pretty much. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen better conditions on the playa. The area where BRC will be built is quite dry and firm. I flew over it the same weekend and pretty much covered the central/northern part of the playa. Conditions towards the actual Black Rock are damp and will probably remain so until the event. DO NOT attempt to get there by vehicle - including 4x4 - as you WILL get stuck. The long route via Soldier Meadows is the only safe bet.

HINT: weather conditions/patterns for most of the spring have been a bit out of the norm. That can mean anything BUT it might be a good idea to pack for rain and make appropriate preps for your camp on the off chance that we see rain. Never hurts.

chrispburn · Post by **chrispburn** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:46 pm

http://rawfire.torche.com/~bc/brs.html

well, it looks like a big storm came through in late July. 50+ mph winds
Check out the video - it gave me shivers.

Now I see why the civil engineer built our camp structure the way he did.
And why it's anchored down with 3 foot long, 20 pound spikes. God bless him and seven generations of his offspring
:!:
http://rawfire.torche.com/~bc/brs.html

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 12:40 am

WAY COOL LINK!! Thanks for that Chrispburn!

Love the playa weather graphs and charts, will check out the video at work on my "fast" computer.

gawul · Post by **gawul** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 6:56 am

yeah, you've just got to be prepared for anything out there. there were times in 2000 when all 8 of us climbed into our respective tents and read books, took naps, played drums, whatever, just to waste the hours away. altho it was very wet it wasnt too cold, which was nice. it was a fun year, regardless

we had to laugh at ourselves, having a little drum circle with all of us in our separate tents

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 7:21 am

Tiahaar wrote:WAY COOL LINK!! Thanks for that Chrispburn!

Love the playa weather graphs and charts, will check out the video at work on my "fast" computer.

I'll be checking THAT a few times a day, now....Great data! Looks like it's gonna be an amazing year, weatherwise!

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:38 am

I'm a weather junkie and subscribe to several weather services...that page has better info than the subscription stuff does. Thank you for posting that link.

phil · Post by **phil** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 11:53 am

Hey, crispburn! Is that the DPW work ranch? I'm curious where this is and what the sources are for the data. Any clues?

Phil

chrispburn · Post by **chrispburn** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:52 am

sorry, no background info
one of my friends subscribes to dozens of BM lists - got the link from him
but thought the link w/ video is amazing, and a good FYI, epsecially for newbies who can't quite imagine the power of the playa

Mr Magoo · Post by **Mr Magoo** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:05 am

Courtesy of and with permission of the Black Rock BeACON and Howeird:

Playa Con Dios
By Howeird

GERLACH, Nevada (August 4, 2005) -- According to the locals, our beloved Playa is in the best shape it has been in since 1997, when a jet-propelled car called ThrustSSC broke the sound barrier there on October 15th and set an new world land speed record of 763 miles per hour.

Precipitation was plentiful last winter and the playa even had a decent layer of snow on it, according to Dave Lesfevre at the Winnemucca office of the federal Bureau of Land Management. Once the white stuff melted, the continuous wave action of the wind provided all the levelling old Lake Lohontan needed to take on its billiard table appearance.

Maid Marian, Burning Man’s mistress of communications, noted that the Playa was “hard and chunky” when she arrived earlier in the summer, “so there was hardly a plume when you drove,” but more recently, the ground has dried and “the dust is more noticeable.”

On June 25 that around 9 p.m., some customers of Bev's Miner's Club in Gerlach found their drinks were being watered -- 2 inches of rain in 15 minutes caused a flash flood that flowed right in through the back of the bar, shorting out two refrigerators and taking out the floor in the store room and an adjoining bedroom. Only quick action with some brooms prevented the mud from remaining ankle deep in the bar, but repairs will still take several weeks.

The same flood decimated Dooby Road's southern end and it should only be visited from the north or by foot.

Black Rock Beacon 2005
The Black Rock Beacon is a website and a daily newspaper for Black Rock City and the Burning Man community

See ya on the playa (and online at: www.blackrockbeacon.org )

Playa Condition

Playa Condition

Report from weekend of June 25

Wet Playa in '05?

OOoo, almost real time Black Rock Weather charts!

Re: OOoo, almost real time Black Rock Weather charts!