Desert Survival Travel???

**tarheelfan** · 08-11-2007, 12:42 PM

I just watched the first episode of "Survivorman" where he is placed within the Kalahari Desert. Survivorman chooses to walk during the day from shade tree to shade tree taking rests whenever he begins to overheat, which is quite often due to the extreme heat. Bear Grylls chooses to walk at night and rest in the day when he is placed in a similar situation...im not concerned on arguing on who is the better "survivor" out of the two but rather which do you think is the better method?? Any opinions???

**Sarge47** · 08-11-2007, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by tarheelfan

I just watched the first episode of "Survivorman" where he is placed within the Kalahari Desert. Survivorman chooses to walk during the day from shade tree to shade tree taking rests whenever he begins to overheat, which is quite often due to the extreme heat. Bear Grylls chooses to walk at night and rest in the day when he is placed in a similar situation...im not concerned on arguing on who is the better "survivor" out of the two but rather which do you think is the better method?? Any opinions???

Les pointed out that in the area where he was, agressive scorpions prowled around at night and he didn't wish to get stung.

Survivaldude would do the same! This also makes me wonder why Bear didn't mind walking in the Kalahari at night. BTW, did you notice how Les "dis-stilled" his urine before drinking it?

**donny h** · 08-11-2007, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by tarheelfan

Any opinions???

The amount of water your body uses to travel in the desert heat is staggering, several gallons a day may be needed to sustain life, along with some electrolytes to stave off the hyponatremia that can be brought on by such massive water intake.

Most years in the Mojave, I'll hear about someone who broke down on a quad or motorcycle, tried to walk back to camp, and died within a mile or two, and folks have died of heat stroke in Death Valley only 100 yards from the car.

The conventonial survival wisdom in the desert is to shelter during the heat of the day, and travel at night.

I saw that Survivor Man too, one thing I noticed is some days were hotter than others, walking around at 140 degrees is unimaginable to me, but that one day was only in the high 90s, maybe it one of the cooler days when Wes was walking in the sun.

The high 90s in the desert barely qualifies as hot.

The urine still was cute, it's better than guzzling pee Bear style, but why didn't Wes use the available vegetation in the still as well?

**tarheelfan** · 08-11-2007, 03:25 PM

BTW, did you notice how Les "dis-stilled" his urine before drinking it?

Yea, i beleive thats definately the better option in my opinion...lol

And donnyh, thats sum hardcore stories...that's be terrible to end up in the desert like that. I believe i'd try my chances at walking at night mostly, it getting down to 40 deg at night like les mentioned i believe i'd rather be walking around than sitting still, but he did have a fire so who knows wat id do??? haha...

**wareagle69** · 08-11-2007, 04:42 PM

it would depend on the time of year. summertime no way i'm walking in the day.winter absolutley day travel.

**Fog_Harbor** · 08-12-2007, 02:24 PM

Not being a desert dweller, or having any conceivable reason to go to a desert, I'd have to say that my first impulse would be to walk at night, and rest during the day, thereby conserving my sweat. But I guess there could be several circumstances that could change that - scorpions may very well be one.

I fell asleep during the episode, so I missed most of it. It'll be on again, four or five times, so no worries.

**Strider** · 08-12-2007, 03:54 PM

I don;t really know about that desert, but in some deserts, it gets to near or below freezing temperatures... if I could, I'd wait the first night and see how cold it gets... if really cold, I'd wait till morning, and walk as the sun is coming up. Then, I'd set up camp as the sun climbs through the middle of the day, and then as it starts to set, I'd go off again. I think this would be slow going, but it might work...
On the other hand, if the night temp seems ok, I'd probably hike then instead of the day.

**FVR** · 08-12-2007, 10:24 PM

I work everyday out in the "elements" doing physical work. It is the life that I chosen, for now. I bust my arse in what lately has been 100 plus degree weather. I am conditioned to work in the heat, I drink alot of water and a good share of gatorade. Being 44, I know that breaks in an air conditioned truck are essential in surviving the day doing what I do.

Yet, after a 12.5 hour day Sat. (yesterday) I suffered severe heat cramps in my arms, legs, and butt.

Desert survival would suck, right up there with being stranded on the ocean.

**owl_girl** · 08-12-2007, 10:47 PM

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778851.html

**Strider** · 08-13-2007, 11:39 AM

Cool site, owlgirl...

**Tony uk** · 08-15-2007, 11:00 AM

I would only travel during the night but thats depending on what sort of things live there and other factors

**survivalhike** · 09-04-2007, 05:37 PM

In that particular Survivorman episode did anyone else notice all the medium sized animals running around in some of the shots? There we're goats, sheep, and some smaller four legged mannals as well. I was thinking the entire time that there would have to be some source of water close by that was sustaining those animals. I'm sure he stayed put in order to demonstrate survival with almost no water, but he could have followed the game trails (at night...in the above argumant I'm going with night time travel because it will be cooler) to the water source and showed how to dig a hole near the water to have the ground filter the water or something. Just a thought.

**wareagle69** · 09-04-2007, 08:11 PM

ok depends on the time of year but as we both know i don't get that cold around phx at night in the winter tes i have had to wear a jacket and have seen snow on the four peaks but.. travel thru the desert in the summer at night sure horseback so all the mohave greens can rattle at my 1800 pound draft horse. winter time sure but i have travelled both extensively day and night winter and summer i didn't think it was to bad. now lake hava brew on the other hand...

**James_G** · 09-09-2007, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by donny h

walking around at 140 degrees is unimaginable to me

On my first job working in the Middle East I used to work 12 hours a day walking and physically exerting myself wile wearing body armor and 40 pounds of weapons and gear in 140+/90% humidity heat

And solders here in Iraq do 10X that wile drinking warm water

I did that for a couple of years straight, 6 days a week – so you can do hard work and walk outside in the desert…but it most seriously sucks, it surely took a few years off of my life…hahaha

~