The desert is beautiful and unforgiving. Summer days regularly top 100°F, help can be hours away, and the weather can turn fast.
Water is everything
- Carry at least one gallon of water per person per day, and more in summer.
- Keep extra in the rig in case you're stuck overnight.
- Drink before you're thirsty, and eat salty snacks to replace what you sweat out.
Beat the heat
- Start early and be off the hardest trails before the afternoon heat.
- Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, and take shade breaks.
- Know the signs of heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, dizziness, headache and nausea. Get the person into shade, cool them down and give water.
- Confusion or no sweating can mean heat stroke. That's an emergency. Cool them fast and get help.
Flash floods
- A storm miles away can send water rushing down a dry wash with little warning, especially during the late-summer monsoon season.
- Check the forecast for the whole area, not just Moab.
- Never park or camp in a wash or canyon bottom.
- Never drive into flowing water. Wait it out. Most floods pass within hours.
Pack for the unexpected
- First aid kit, extra food, a warm layer and a headlamp. Desert nights get cold.
- A way to call for help without cell service.
