Digging in the Playa

moleman · Post by **moleman** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 5:04 am

Hello!

So I'm a Burning man newbie, and I have a few questions regarding an idea.
The idea is to dig and underground shelter similar to a fallout shelter.
My question is twofold 1) What can you tell my about the consistency of the playa sand and 2) if I fill in my shelter and remove all of my materials will I have left a trace?

Thanks a bunch,
Moleman

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:09 am

Digging Holes

Do not excavate holes in the playa. Small holes (6 inches or less in diameter & less than 2 feet deep) used for structural support are the sole exception. When digging such a hole it is best to use an auger or a posthole digger, NOT a shovel. Bag the dirt you are removing so that it does not blow away in the wind. Refill the hole by carefully tamping the soil back into place. Repeat this process every few inches while dampening the soil. An inverted sledgehammer works well for this. Experience has shown that the larger holes easily erode within a year's time, even when carefully backfilled. They leave a visible mark and create a serious safety hazard to drivers throughout the rest of the year.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:20 am

You are absolutely prohibited from digging a large hole in the playa, small post holes being about the only exception.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:27 pm

The Playa isn't actually sand at all (though you will find the occational "sand trap"). It's more a clay that is baby powder fine.

Take some baby powder and a bit of dry powdered clay, mix it with water, make a "cake" of it and let dry and you'll have a good idea what the surface is like.

No, you may not dig a huge hole in the playa.

Badger

Post by **mdmf007** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:00 pm

if you dig a hole on playa - and fill it back in, you now have a depression, and a major hazard for others.

hsdavis · Post by **hsdavis** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:35 am

Prior to my first visit many years ago, I thought that there must be some trees, rock, scrub brush and maybe some hilly terrain. I was wrong. It was miles of flat, flat, flat dusty playa. I quickly learned to love it as being a completely blank canvas for building an amazing city out of nothing, and creating brain defying art that in most cases only last as long as you are there.
I appreciate that you want to make a unique enviroment to live in for the week and applaud your desire to participate in the creativity.
Once you see Burning Man for the first time, you will have a much better idea of the big picture.
A good suggestion for you is to pre-construct 4 walls that would have been the size of your underground shelter, maybe 8x8. You could outfit this will all you survival gear and things that would make this your home for a week, and then dismantle and bring it with you to set-up on the playa surface. With all the dust blowing around and filling your structure, you would feel like you were underground anyway.
Good luck with this and welcome to the playa.

roamer · Post by **roamer** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:14 pm

I agree with hsd's suggestion of building a wooden box to live in. You could even have playa-coloured wooden ramps surrounding it, so that it appears as a mound made on the playa, just like a mole makes. You could have a circular hatch in the roof and decorate the interior walls with mock fossils, bones and strata.

Do you wear a miner's helmet with head torch? And do you wear extra thick glasses?

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 10:16 pm

Just get a claim & permits for a mine or quarry like a normal Nevadan.