Surviving The Desert on the PCT 

19:56, I grew up hiking the Southern California Desert areas and miss them so much. I've tried explaining this to many people but they just don't understand. Thanks again. --JY

Great video! Dixie I have a safety tip for you and I wish you would share with others when hitchhiking always take a picture of the license plate of the car that you are about to get into it and send it to a friend and let them know where you are I thought this was a wonderful tip and just wanted to pass it along Love all your videos been keeping up with you since the start of the AT keep up the great work

Dixie.... you have a gift!! Love your videos. Good photography and delightful, down to earth commentary. YOu are a delight. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your CDT. Take care and God bless.................................. Ax

This So Cal girl loves that you loved our desert! You picked an good year to experience the desert cuz it usually doesn’t look quite that pretty. As always, love your videos.

Dixie, I did think the desert would be terrible until I watched your film hiking thru it. Looked fantastic! (except maybe the Mohave part, LOL) Can't describe how much everyone has loved your films!! You've got to be the cutest, toughest, intelligent lady I've ever seen and if I didn't have 30 years on you, I'd be chasing you up the CDT this year!! I was in the engineering field also and wish I'd met you there. Keep going and I'll keep praying for your success!!

Interesting stuff. I spent some of my growing up years in a little town in the Mojave desert, about 25 miles from Wrightwood. The desert can be beautiful and it can be deadly - it can kill you and it can heal your spirit. It demands respect and in return gives days of desolate splendor and nights full of stars. Happy Trails.

I live in the desert and you are right. There is a certain beauty that draws you in. I love it as much as the mountains of New Hampshire.

Ready to see you Hike the CDT!! Come on girl you can do it!

Hahahahaha Dixie makes me laugh so hard! "Is someone lighting up over there? Oh No its paddle dog bush and its right over there"

The umbrella seems like it was totally worth the weight. I’m sure it helped you not get burnt from the sun too! Love your videos Jess! Hope you’re doing well!!

That is a really good rundown, of cali-deserts :)

Thanks Dixie....Wednesdays are always family dinner and Dixie video nights, please keep um coming...you are awesome !!!!!!

Just love your videos. I've been following you before the you started PCT. Just want to say that you have very professional video that no one can top you (hiker-wise, of course) And your PCT videos, funny and informative, thank you again.

This is great! I would love a video on the sierras and cascades as well. I’m actually more afraid of the sierras... dealing with snow and ice and basically mountaineering sounds terrifying.

You can still get heatstroke even if you’re drinking water so an umbrella is a really smart idea for the desert.

The only time I saw a tarantula hiking in the Southern California desert was on a night hike on Mt. Wilson. My boyfriend Steve bought these cheap rechargable flashlights. They ended up dying on our descent. When I finally got one to turn on for a few seconds, sitting to my right on the same huge rock with me was a very large tarantula. Fortunately, it did not bite me. Since then, I have always made sure to carry multiple light sources while hiking.

Great video! I'm attempting a thru hike of the pct in '19 and have had a lot of negative response from family and friends due to the dangers of the desert (esp water). Showing this to all my nervous family in the hopes that it'll comfort them. Thanks for keeping up all the great content!

I learned through hard experience (22 Years Infantry) that you ALWAYS carry "snivel" gear (army slang - if you don't have it, you'll be sniveling). Something warm, something to keep you dry.

On the hydration issue. I was reminded by a ranger on the kaibab trail in the Grand Canyon that paramedics can treat dehydration out on the field but they can't treat hyponatremia (low sodium). As you stated, adding electrolytes is essential. I would say super essential.

Would love more details on cowboy camping. Having trouble visualizing how to avoid the little critters like scorpions from crawling on you when you are napping or sleeping at night. Always look forward to your videos.

Great topic; great presentation, Dixie. My heart opens when you talk about the magic of the stars at night, an experience which bonds us adventurers with one another. May everyone have that experience!

Excellent video with lots of useful information about desert hiking. Was amused to see my name on your sample of the water report -- I'm "Professor" and maintain the water cache at Scissors Crossing. I especially enjoyed following your PCT odyssey, lots of memorable moments like "I remember that place!" and "aw, Dixie skipped a nice town". Also, kudos for the links to lighterpack. It's helped shave a lot of excess weight! :^)

I live in the desert, and anyone planning on hiking the PCT please be careful about rattlesnakes at night. You will probably mostly see them during the day, but in the hot summer months they're more active at night than during the day. You'll definitely need a head lamp for this time of the year. Also if you find a dead one don't touch them because they can still bite you or hold down their head or cut it off before you touch the snake (some people like to keep their rattle, which is why I say this)

About cold weather gear and sending it home. When I was a kid we camped in the summer in the Sierra's often and it would get really cold at night. Might wait to send gear home until you experience a few nights in the mountains.

There is something special about the desert. I'd suggest Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey for a great perspective.

In Northern Arizona we learn to always have your poly pro with you all year, maybe lighter in the summer but always with you. Some of the most miserable nights I've had were search and rescue missions in the summer shoulder seasons. It can be 100f during the day and 50f at night, worse if it rains on ya.

"Never heard of an issue where their food bag was chewed into". Wow. Maybe I was the oddity. So many encounters with mice chewing through the mesh in my tent and into my food bag when I through-hiked in 2015 The most annoying part is that they don't know how to get back out of your tent so they run all around trying to find a way out

Great information girl, I could listen to you explain the phone book. Your enthusiasm is contagious. Thank you

My first desert experience was in the Catalina Foothills outside of Tucson. Coming from Memphis, I thought the desert was baren. I never saw so many birds and small animals in my life. It was late summer so the flowers were pretty much gone. Change my mind. The desert is magical.

Another great video. Thanks and can't wait to see you tackle the next adventure!

Ya know--- you are really good at this!

you give such amazing advice & tips in your videos. I hope one day I get to hike the PCT or AT! I always look forward to your videos Dixie XOXO

Great video! Thank you for sharing your experience - it’s always interesting to listen to you and I love your photography that brings out the beauty of bugs, plants, snakes and sunsets - more like that please. And thanks for the warning about the poodle bush.

Thanks, Dixie!

Love the fall colors in the trees behind you, here in San Diego we don't get fall colors

At the risk of looking a little ridiculous: Do you think relective emergency blankets could be a good idea for sun protection, maybe even as a poncho made from emergency blankets? I'm aware that they're intended to keep you warm, but I suppose it should work the other way around, too, when it's really hot (similar to firefighter suits).

Hey Dixie, I just want to thank you deeply for the amount of inspiration your work is giving me. You really are a nice person. I'm a french dude planning to do the PCT in 2019, but I have to admit i'm really scared about snakes. It has always been an issue for me, but I feel like it's time to face this. I hope i'll find the courage. Anyway your videos helps a lot. Take care.

Haha - coming from Australia, the desert is just about the only part I do feel equipped to deal with comfortably

I cooled my water, in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, with wet, cotton tube socks. Pulled the socks over the water bottle, then poured a little water over the cotton. The water evaporates, and has a cooling effect on the bottled water. Just a thought. Temps in in those deserts was 126 degrees F, in the sun, 116 degrees F, in the shade. Kentucky

Thanks

Dixie - thanks for the info, I think you played it well. Just want to reiterate, scorpions are no joke and I had a friend almost lose his leg because of being Zapped by one. They like to crawl into your sleeping bag so I would take special care if you decide to Cowboy camp. You will find them all the way up to and over the 10,000' elevation mark. All in all, the desert will be a great experience. You just have to keep your wits about you. Thanks again for the video and please keep them coming. Anaagodziiht

Note..in the desert, the temps can change between night and day by at least 20 degrees. The human body cannot properly adjust to such fast temperature changes. So, this does mean that if you do not have the proper sleeping gear, you could become hyperthermia. I have seen this when I was in the Marine Corps station at 29 Palms...which is just East of the PCT. I have also seen guys so dehydrated that the medic could not start an IV through the normal means with a needle...he had to get the Marine to drink the saline solution (the IV). When were in the field...quite often we would cowboy camp as Dixie puts it. But, we would dig a hole that was at least 6 inches deep, and use the dirt to create mound around it. Then we slept in the hole. This method would help to get us out of the wind a bit, and keep us a little warmer.

Could you create a more in-depth video on how you hang your bear bag in different part of trails? (Dessert, mountains tops, plains, forests, etc.) Thanks!

Great video, good info, and always nice that you throw in pics or video of what you're referencing. Great channel,, keep up the adventure life!?

The ursack is kick butt. Personally own one and if a bear or bigger animal gets hold of it, your food may be crumbled up they will not get into it.

Love your videos living in whitewater we do get bears here not many but we do. As for the scorpions harmless like a bee sting. The Sun spiders are cool. Snakes just keep your eye open

The 700 miles from Mexico to Kennedy Meadows is far from being all desert - if looked at as Eco Systems or as Biomes. This myth has got to stop on the PCT. True, though, Southern California is hot and dry.

You mentioned the poodle dog bush but not what it does and why it's dangerous. For everyone who is interested: it is poisonous and creates crazy bad blisters on your skin. It is survivable similar to oak or ivy, but very painful and the blisters can get infected.

Bob controls the temp in the desert. (Bob=Big orange ball=the sun) If Bob's up, it's warm. Bob down, cold. I work in the mountains in Gallup NM.

Thanks for the information.

Rattlesnakes in the desert; I was born and raised in the Mojave desert and never saw, or heard a rattlesnake even when I was a kid and would go looking for snakes and lizards.

Hey Dixie,, enjoyed your recap video, and loved the Wiley coyote clip of the desert. Must feel strange being home with all the amenities,,,life is good. If you are a stargazer wait until you on The CDT ,,YOU will LOVE IT AT ALTITUDE!! Might even take along a guide book of the constellations, pick out one for yourself. But be carefully, if they're moving watch out it might be UFO's....lol....until next time.....stay safe and God Bless....

Fantastic information Dixie! I followed your entire PCT adventure this year and I am hiking the PCT in 2018 but was contemplating skipping the desert, this video may quite possibly have changed my mind, so thank you! I do have one question, however. As an avid camper/hiker/survivalist etc, I love to live off the land, why is it that no one ever uses natural resources for food? I know berries, and vegetation are often consumed, but I feel if I were to see a rattlesnake on the trail, I would be excited about a nice protein filled lunch or dinner. Is this frowned upon, banned or just poor etiquette? Thanks for your inspiring videos this year. can't wait to follow your CDT adventure!

Nice video, Dixie, as usual. You mentioned "Poodledog bush" was something to watch out for, but I don't think you mentioned why.

lol, I remember you mad about that post office. good thing they were crabby. good video, thanks 😁

Hi Dixie, love your videos! Your series on the PCT has really inspired me to seriously consider doing a similar thru hike! Quick question: what is your typical hiking schedule for the different regions of the PCT (i.e. start time, siesta time, end time, etc)???

The siesta tip was unexpected. Thanks man!

The difference in heat in the desert is it's more of a "burst into flames" kind of heat and not sticky, clammy, muggy. Also, a couple of points on rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes are like people. Some are moody and some aren't. I've seen them completely docile and I've seen them super aggressive and because of that nature, don't expect them to always rattle. That's a common misconception. If they're lying at the edge of a trail and feel that you can't see them, they may not rattle. They'd rather not draw attention to themselves and may only rattle as a last defense. They are not looking to attack people. They are scared to death of us but will stand their ground if cornered. Also, the venom will not bleed out if you allow it to bleed. I say this only because I would hate for anyone to feel like the bite may not be as bad because it bled well. Imagine a shot in the arm from a doctor. The medicine will not bleed out of your arm if you let it bleed instead of covering it with a cotton swab. Once it's injected into a muscle, it's done. If you're bitten in a vein or artery, the bite can be extremely life threatening. A bite from a large specimen in, for example, the femoral artery could lead to death in minutes so always be aware when it snake country.

I just saw your video, so I know this comment may not be timely, but beware of cholla, which is known as jumping cactus. I swear it can jump about 1 foot to get you. It can penetrate anything short of metal. The normal reaction is to pull it off you. Resist. If you try to pull it off, you'll get stickers in your hands. A bar-b-cue tongs works well. But, a pocket comb is best. bet it between the bulb and you and pop it off. Then remove the pins with a pliers.

The umbrella tip is great.

Love you Dixie!!!

Very Helpful Dixie, love the desert also, seems the Alpine snow can be much more of a challenge?

I'm watching all of your videos.

Quick comment from a desert dweller (I live in Phoenix and this summer we hit 118). hottest part of the day is not noon, it is when the sun is beating most directly on you, but the hottest part of the day is around 3 p.m. Heat continues building up after noon, when the sun is highest in the sky, as long as more heat is arriving at the earth than leaving. By 3 p.m. or so, the sun is low enough in the sky for outgoing heat to be greater than incoming. Sometimes the hottest time is earlier because a weather system moves in with cool air early in the day. Please consider that when hiking through. It can stay really hot at night in Arizona. I know in California it gets cooler in the evenings. so for the California people looking to hike in Arizona like in the Grand canyon consider that.

Gopher snakes are common and not venomous, but could easily be assumed to be rattlesnakes. Worth looking up the differences before hiking the area imo.

There are long handled titanium sporks if you get tired of digging around in your food pouch with a short spork!

Oh my gosh, you saw the northern lights???? My bucket list.

Cool vid as always! Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the video 🙏 you’re a very informative person haha great stuff

Should I section hike the desert with my 2 teenagers? The snakes and far water sources make me nervous...?

Thanks for post. Good deal. Did you carry the umbrella or attach/ lash it to a shoulder strap?!?!?!hey! Tks, also I invite you to see the stars on the open seas, the southern Cross and constellations all over. There's an app, SkyView comes with cheapo binoculars, that allows you to point your phone any direction to see constellations there... Even on the other side of Earth. Add it for CDT star gazing.

hi: i do overnights bikepacking. I cowboy camp and at night, I have the hills all to myself. I don't use a stove. I soak food. And at night, I go barefoot hiking near my camp spot. It is desert.

I do like your posts, so much information in such a short time and even understandable for a non-english speaking person like me :-) I did the Araroa Trail and my main source of carbohydrate was rice, but I looks like there are almost no one else carrying rice - I wonder why is that? I use pot cosy, so basically I jus boil to water and let the cosy do the job.

Wonderful thank you!!

Thank you for the great video!

Loved seeing Wily Coyote traipse through the video. Lolol..... Will have to look up info on that Poodle Dog bush. I remember you saying it was nasty stuff in your trail videos. May I ask how you keep track of your mileage? Is it via a map, or the app on your phone? Does the phone have a setting that measures how many steps you have taken, or some other GPS method? Thanks!

so everyone talks about cloths, and not only are they expensive and weight something but a small bottle of sunscreen or spray on i feel would be best

in this case, i will start my PCT in Kennedy Meadows

Ya Deserts are crazy. I was in Jashua tree park and you think it's going to be desolate and all that but it's actually of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I wish I had looked up one night, I was there for tennis not nature but I still should have known :P

Jessica a.k.a Dixie, where do these videos as the weather always seems nice?

Well done Dixie very insightful and on point editing .. .. Happy Holidays :)

Thanks!

Girl! You are so damn inspiring!

I’m from California so I had no idea what she was talking about when she says “ RAYMON noodles! Took awhile to realize she’s saying RAMEN..( pronounced RAH-MEN in my neck of the woods).... lol American Regional Accents!

Did you run into people that didn't use trekking poles on thru-hikes?

Very beneficial vid. Thanks again.

Good one!! Thanks

WE love your videos ! What I want to know is you said you drank less when you used your umbrella. How much water do you think you saved?

Could u or have u did a video on what kind of food u took and can’t wait for ur next trip

a controversial method for snake bites, and various other venomous/poisonous stings, is the use of a low voltage stun gun. is it guaranteed? no. but, there are bush doctors out there who swear by it, so I usually try to carry one just in case. it also doubles as your personal protection.

why not just de hydrate your water and re hydrate it as needed?

Okay, not a question about the PCT, but I'm curious what kind of bird with the huge wing span is flying around behind you at the 3:18 mark?

I'm curious to know more about night hiking, particularly safety tips and how to not lose the trail. Is it easy to lose the trail in the desert?

Dead critter is a perfectly acceptable water taste. You get used to it, if you live that long.

Does anybody have any thoughts about a Rat Sack in the desert to protect food from them critters?

I'm curious-you always mention Smart Water bottles--is this just a personal preference? Or are the bottles more robust?

I’m more concerned about heights and steep, scary places in the mountains. I hope you do a video about just that aspect of it.

Did you kept your umbrella after kennedy meadows ?

I did some biology research in a remote part of AZ near Mexico that is frequented by immigrants and coyotes (the drug trafficking kind). We were instructed to never approach any backpack or bag no matter how old it looks (you never know who is watching the bags because they might contain drugs or cash). If we were to see any immigrant, we could offer them food and water if they looked like they needed it, but we could not talk to them or aid their passage. I feel super bad for immigrants that cross through where I was. The land was harsh and very unforgiving :(

I don't know if you covered this. But what happens if you touch a poodle dog bush?