Desert Survival

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Desert Navigation Techniques Staying on Course, Staying Found

Finding Water In the Desert What to Look For When Parched - Finding water in the jungle is relatively easy--just wring out your shirt for starters. But in the desert, when mile after mile of sand and rock stretches in a shimmering sea before your eyes, the search for water can become somewhat tenuous.

Desert Travel & Survival Tips. by R. Maschek. How to avoid problems while traveling in the desert.

What is a Desert? There are almost as many definitions of deserts and classification systems as there are deserts in the world. Most classifications rely on some combination of the number of days of rainfall, the total amount of annual rainfall, temperature, humidity, or other factors. In 1953, Peveril Meigs divided desert regions on Earth into three categories according to the amount of precipitation they received. In this now widely accepted system, extremely arid lands have at least 12 consecutive months without rainfall, arid lands have less than 250 millimeters of annual rainfall, and semiarid lands have a mean annual precipitation of between 250 and 500 millimeters. Arid and extremely arid land are deserts, and semiarid grasslands generally are referred to as steppes.

The Desert Environment - Deserts in the Southwestern United States are areas of extreme heat and dryness, just as most of us envision them.

Death Valley and Death Valley National Park - Click on 'History and Culture'. and Death Valley National Park pictures

Surviving Out In The Desert Southwest. Good advice from the US Scouting Project. [Link updated 4/12/11]

Desert Survival Safety Tips ( submitted by John E. Akers June 1993) When planning a trip into the desert, always inform someone as to where you are going, your route and when you expect to return. Stick to your plan. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

The Great Basin-Mojave Desert region This site takes a while to load, but once it's loaded there is more info than you would believe on the Mojave region. Careful study of this article will no doubt increase survival potential in this area. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

Chihuahuan Desert Home Page Huge resource on this area. See also: The Chihuahuan Desert Region and CHIHUAHUAN DESERT [Links updated 4/12/11]

Phoenix Fire Department Desert Survival page Basic tips. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

Animals Of The Desert The more you learn about the animals of the desert, the better your chances of survival (by following the RIGHT ones to water). This short fact sheet has some good info. [Link updated 4/12/11]

Scorpions - We Have Scorpions in Arizona! There is no doubt, we do have scorpions in Arizona. Here are some things to know about scorpions in general, Arizona's venomous bark scorpion in particular, and how to keep scorpions away from you and your family.

Fluid Replacement Recipes for Dehydration. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

SUSTAINING SOLDIER HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA. Members of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) prepared this handbook of preventive medicine guidance to assist unit leaders in Southwest Asia (Saudi Arabia & Kuwait). This handbook is intended as a guide and reference for unit Commanders and NCOs. It includes pointers for sustainment of health and performance throughout predeployment, deployment, operations and redeployment. It addresses a broad range of important health issues including: environmental exposure, avoiding disease hazards, hydration and nutrition, managing work and stress, NBC protection, concerns for women soldiers and maintaining morale. Excellent information for desert survival. [Link updated 4/12/11]

SUSTAINING SOLDIER HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE IN SOMALIA. U.S. military forces are deploying to Somalia, an alien and formidable environment along the northeastern African coast. Deploying soldiers, sailors, and airmen will confront a very harsh climate, exposure to disease risks, military stresses associated with peacekeeping duties, and the psychological burdens of witnessing an unfolding human tragedy. While covering Somalia, this text has excellent information on desert, disease, and psychological survival. Check it out. [Link updated 4/12/11]

WINNING IN THE DESERT. While primarily for the Saudi Arabia & Iraq area, the desert info is excellent for nearly any desert type biome. Also has a cool map of the middle east.

TIPS ON FIGHTING IN THE DESERT

Desert Safety Guidelines and Tips. Scouts are meant to go the extra distance and venture into areas most people fear to tread. That was one of the original purposes of scouting. Scouts do this because they are prepared by their training for the different surroundings they will encounter. [Link updated 4/12/11]

"FM 90-3: Desert Operations" Army & Marine Corps manual for desert op.s. A key reference for commanders & staff regarding how the desert affects personnel, equipment & operations. It will assist them in planning and conducting operations in desert environments.

"Backcountry Disease" Dusty Dan lays out a brief article on such goodies as Lyme's, Giardia, Rabies, Hantavirus (the new bad boy of respiratory disease) & Bubonic Plague. What about Anthrax? Not here. Courtesy of the National Park Service - US Dept. of the Interior.

"Bites & Stings" Excellent article on snake, gila, insect & "killer bee" bites and stings. Includes signs & symptoms + treatments. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

"Desert Environment: What is a Desert?" Desert USA presents an in depth article on the desert environment, in general. Good overview. Follow the links to short articles on the four regional deserts of the U.S.

Desert Insects & Spiders There are several poisonous insects you may encounter in the desert. While healthy adults usually survive these encounters, you should be aware that they are potentially life-threatening to young children, older folks, or anyone with allergies. See also: Poisonous Reptiles and Desert JPEGS [Links updated 4/12/11]

Finding Water in Desert Survival Situations Much of the Colorado Plateau consists of semi-arid desert with few reliable water sources. Don't count on finding water unless you have firsthand knowledge of the area and know what you are doing. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

Outdoor survival techniques: for the desert Description: Desert survival techniques that you will need if ever lost in the desert, how to get water, food and shelter. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

Fog collection Robert Schemenauer and Pilar Cereceda describe the unique process of collecting fog as a complementary source of water supply. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

How do animals and plants survive in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona , USA ? A PowerPoint presentation supplied by North Chadderton School, Oldham, Lancashire, England

The Fine Art of Desert Survival By Gregory McNamee. There's something about a summer visit to Death Valley that makes me grateful to live in the comparatively lush and mild desert of Arizona. (pdf) [Link recovered 4/12/11 - now hosted on site!]

Tricks to finding water in the desert The ability to transport and find water is perhaps the most crucial element for survival in the desert. In extreme temperatures the human body can require over a gallon of water a day.

DR. EA ADOLPH WATER SURVIVAL TABLE This table shows how long a man can live with various amounts of water in various temperatures IN the SHADE and assuming that he is not physically active.

Desert Survival is Never Easy © 2004 Gary L. Benton. Many areas of the world are arid and seem to completely lacking water. I wrote the word “seem” on purpose. In fact, these areas do receive water, but not regularly. Some deserts can go for long periods, perhaps years, without water and then experience a heavy rain. For a survivor though, the desert environment is a harsh and often victorious enemy. It is unforgiving of mistakes and often your first mistake will be your last.

Desert Survival 101 Approach the desert with caution and respect. Dehydration and disorientation are two of the more lethal mistakes people make out here. Carry water with you at all times. Being prepared for all contingencies will make your discovery of Arizona smooth and enjoyable.

Desert Survival The most important item in any survival kit should be common sense. The more the better. Know what you are really capable of doing. You are not superman and your vehicle is not a trophy truck. You can have some pretty exciting adventures if you learn to trust knowledge and skills that you really have. Know what your limits are. Know when to stop. See also: Desert Plants & Desert Soils & San Felipe Climate on this site.

Death Valley and the Art of Desert Survival by Gregory McNamee. Death Valley need not live up to its name if you know the proper techniques of desert survival. Those techniques are transferable, too; once you learn them, you can apply them to any desert anywhere - even to an unseasonably warm day in Dorset, for that matter...

Surviving out in the Desert Southwest There are three enemies to people in the desert: hypothermia, dehydration and hypothermia. The following guidelines will help you to avoid these enemies. Great scouting tips.

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