Tenting in Glamis.

[Dimick]

Alright, just wanted to get a concensus of who has tented in Glamis. Normally it would not be a problem but, I will have my wife and 9 year old son with me. They are both into camping but I have heard Glamis weather can get rough. For those familiar the group going is staying wash 10, and I would like to keep as close as I could to them. Any suggestions?

[enquadrider16]

umm, just make sure that u check the weather and make sure its not gonna be windy, have a heater and you should be fine, if nothing works u could always just sleep in your truck

[1BADYFZ]

Slept in a tent one night this january out there and said phuck that.
1. It was cold
2. It was rough as hell sleeping on the ground
3. The guy next to me started his air compressor at 5 am and ran it until 7

So the next night we stayed at the Super 8 west of Blythe, you get a nice bed/TV/ nice hot shower and peace and quiet for 60 bucks a night. Alot easier to start the day that way vs waking up sore and hardly any sleep.

but.. then again, I could of just had a bad experiance. Im sure the temps are warmer now and if you dont cheap out on bedding your stay might be better than mine.

[dariusld]

This winter has been very mild. It hasn't been very windy or cold. You will be fine. Those others must be 12 year old girls.:D

[Dune Surfer]

I tented A glamis 50+ day a year for the last 5 years. Here is what you need to know:
I gets cold at night. Bring warm sleeping bags and you will be OK

There are no bathrooms at the washes, you might want to camp on Gecko road where there are bathrooms.

You will have to buy a $25 weekly pass. They check and the fine is $100

Get air mattresses. You will hate it otherwise.

Bring everything you need including water. No services.

It can get windy to the point of noway you can sleep, blowing your tent over windy. If that happens you are screwed. Don't be alarmed though it is not an everyday thing.

Buy 12 inch metal tent stakes. The stakes that came with your tent will not work in deep sand.

There are ahole people who will run thier generator all night long, but if you ask them to stop after ten pm most will stop. That is the rule there.

Glamis is the best riding in the country and worth the minor problems.

DONT RIDE GLAMIS ALONE!!! You will get lost and could die if your not experienced at riding the big dunes. A Rookie died last weekend. Ask almost anyone if you can tag along with them, Most are more than willing to help out.

Tale water with you when you ride. It's a big place. If you ger lost or breakdown you will want water

Either use paddles or air down to 3lbs for riding in the sand. Hard tires don't work in the sand.

If you have any other question pm me

[250r4life]

yeah this last guy covered it pretty well... i too would camp at gecko- one because the facilities are better (the washes have portable porter johns, and gecko has permanent concrete ones... much better) and @ the washed you have to ride through a bunch of crap to get to any dunes... the dunes are a lot closer at gecko...
a tent isnt too bad if there is no wind, but if there is it is miserable. you will not be able to sleep, and your tent will fill up with sand... not fun...
warm sleeping bags, a cover or two, and a nice pad or airmattress and you are straight...
ive never had a problem with generators keeping me up- i sleep right through them... there are people riding all night anyway, so if you're that light of a sleeper, good luck...

i must confess, i got tired of tenting and sleeping and living out of my truck, and bought a trailer this year... man, having a shower each night, sleeping in a bed with just a cover and the heater on, out of the sand... man, if you can swing it, its the only way to go... worth every penny... :D

[Jackie]

Brawley Inn nice rooms or take a trailer.
the wind can fill your tent with sand in a hurry. when its windy the sand gets into everything.

[dariusld]

Also a tarp helps if it rains and placing your tent in front of a good wind break (huge motorhome or your truck) also helps. They make tents designed for windy conditions, unless you already have a tent.

[SandShark400]

i've tented at buttercup, gordons well and midway, no problems at all!

[ssgirl28]

Tent away!!! It's all good no matter what...just ride on!!!

[JIMTED79]

No one mentioned that if it's busy in the washes it's a dust bowl. And if you have never been out there before and take a nite ride good luck finding you tent when you try and head back. GECKO all day long for the first time.

[trx440]

It's all about your expectations and camping experience.

My first trip to the dunes was Thanksgiving 2000 and a rain/wind storm came through. Everybody was leaving. People still talk about that "Epic storm". Me and my buddies from Indiana had no problem but we used to camp out in Jan-Feb along the shores of Lake Michigan. I understand Arizona and California guys are a little thin skinned when it comes to cool weather but that is to be expected.

12 inch finned stakes are a must and available at any decent sporting goods store.
Set your tent up on the east side of your vehichle as storms come from the Pacific. The opening on the tent needs to be on the east side of the tent also. If you have an Easy-up type awning put that over the opening to the tent so that you step out into a covered area. Make sure you attach 4 tie downs to the frame at each corner of the Easy-Up and cinch it down to something heavy. [ATV's, truck's wheel or frame, etc]
If you have a piece of Astroturf bring it, I have an 8x20 piece and it is the thing I can least live without. It's so convenient to be able to function without being in the sand.
Line your coolers, Gear bags and storage containers along the eastside of your tow vehicle for additional wind blockage.
This time of the year nights are in the mid 50's to low 70's. It's nice out there. It can be in the 40's though so bring a couple of sleeping bags so you aren't freezing if you have no tolerence for cold nights. I have a -20 degree mummy bag which I never use anymore, I use a standard 30 degree bag and I'm fine with that even in January.
As stated before, padding for sleeping is vital. It's not that sand is so hard as it is lumpy and uneven. I would suggest a 3x7 piece of 5" egg-crate foam over the air mattress. The air in the matress is the same temp as the outside air/sand and if it is cool it keeps you cold. The foam insulates you from the ground and retains your body's heat. This important if you have a cheap standard issue department store sleeping bag.
A $20 rechargable lantern comes in handy also, I just bungie mine to the center of my Easy-up [underneath the cover]
If you have room, bring as much firewood or Duraflame logs as you can. Fires, coctails and stories are half the fun of the Dunes.

One last thing,

DON'T FORGET THE BABY WIPES! Nothing worse than monkey butt by Saturday at lunch!

[250r4life]

i broke down and bought a trailer this year. man, it was worth every penny... shower each night, sleeping on a bed with a heater, out of the sand... oven, microwave... i would reccomend it to anyone...

[Coolidge]

Good info. How 'bout RV's/Motorhomes? Can you park them w/o any probs? Just sold my trailer & got the RV. Showers, a/c & heat, Hot coffee, cold beer (not nec in that order...) Hard to go back to a tent. BTW, 'where' EXACTLY is Glamis? I am in Antelope Valley/Palmdale area (Hwy 138) and have never been, but want to badly ~Guy

[trx440]

The Imperial Sand Dunes run from Mexico [just west of Yuma, AZ] NW towards the Salton Sea,

Glamis is towards the north end of the dunes. on the southside of highway 78. It's 20something or so miles from the Glamis Store to Brawley heading west on 78.

If you've never been to the dunes, I'd say go to Buttercup your first time. B-Cup is just south of I-8 and just west of the Cali/AZ border.

The dunes are much more predictable, with less razorbacks and witches eyes on the transitions. Lot's of easy parking for big RV's too.

And you better hurry, it's going to be 96 here in Phoenix today, so it's getting warm. The average temp is still in the mid 80's though. It will be packed for Easter weekend.

.

I went this weekend it was a little windy but manageable.I always sleep in my truck.