Desert Sense: Hiking & Biking in Hot, Dry Climates

by Bruce Grubbs

* Techniques for traversing desert terrain -- by vehicle, by mountain bike, or on foot

* Strategies for comfort, safety, and survival in extreme conditions

* Selecting gear and equipment for this special environment



Like any desert aficionado, Bruce Grubbs is obsessed with how much to bring, how to carry it, how to conserve it, and how to find it in the backcountry. But desert exploration involves much more. Grubbs provides the knowledge and skills you need to move through this landscape with confidence.



In addition to hiking and mountain biking advice, Grubbs tells how to prepare your vehicle for remote desert roads and how to avoid getting stuck in sand or busting a tire. He discusses navigating in the desert, "dry camping" skills, and techniques for minimum impact on this starkly beautiful but fragile environment. There are tips for dealing with desert heat -- and cold -- and other challenges (sharp spiny plants and venomous snakes are easy to avoid with a little preparation and know-how). But just in case, Grubbs troubleshoots the worst-case scenarios. Throughout, he gives an understanding of desert climate and seasons, and the unique plants and creatures at home in it.

173 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2005

About the author

The author has a serious problem- he doesn't know what he wants to do when he grows up. Meanwhile, he's done such things as wildland fire fighting, running a mountain shop, flying airplanes, shooting photos, and writing books. He's a backcountry skier, climber, figure skater, mountain biker, amateur radio operator, river runner, and sea kayaker- but the thing that really floats his boat is hiking and backpacking. No matter what else he tries, the author always come back to hiking- especially long, rough, cross-country trips in places like the Grand Canyon. Some people never learn. But what little he has learned, he's willing share with you- via his books, of course, but also via his websites, blogs, and whatever works.

Reviews

[Sean Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every so often, especially if I haven't done anything serious outdoors for a while, I'll read a book like this. Good advice, nothing really radical, about what you'd find in any camping book.