Photo from Time Out Dubai.

Quick - what do you think of when you hear about Dubai? Ridiculously large sky scrapers? Luxury shopping and resorts? Oil? Better add camping to the list because according to Time Out Dubai there are some amazing opportunities for desert camping just outside the city.

Desert camping outside Dubai sounds pretty awesome to me: spots where there is no light or noise pollution and no tire tracks (probably because they were erased by the wind the night before). There is plenty to see as well: sand monitor lizards, sand cats, and desert gazelle (if you’re lucky). Driving and hiking are some of the more popular pastimes for desert campers.

However, this warning from the article makes me think desert camping in the UAE may not be for everyone:

You should never journey into the desert without another vehicle – or another two if you’re going into Liwa. You must also be a competent desert driver and equipped with GPS. Be sure to check all fluid levels, tyres and the weather forecast before setting out.

It’s not really clear why you need multiple vehicles - breakdowns? hijackers? Clearly the tip on checking fluid levels and weather conditions is a good one for any type of desert camping or hiking excursion.

Finally, I want to share a camping tip this article reminded me of about staking a tent in the sand. While I was in the Air Force we often set up large canvas tents (called GP Mediums) in the sandy soil in Colorado and Florida and my NCOs taught me this trick: instead of pushing tent stakes straight into the sand, angle the stakes AWAY from the tent at a 45 degree angle. Of course this seems counterintuitive but it turns out the friction (or suction as some claimed) is what keeps your stakes secure from lateral movements caused by wind. A vertical tent stake will quickly be rocked back and forth until the hole is enlarged and releases your tent stake.

Now you’re ready to pitch your tent in the desert outside Dubai!

Over at the Watching the World Wake Up blog “Watcher” writes about a recent hiking and camping trip in the Sonoran desert. The blog post itself is pretty interesting and touches on everything from cacti identification in the field to photosynthesis but what I find most interesting is the fact that this group was the first to summit Sheep Mountain in 365 days (though it’s not clear how they verified this).

These days it’s tough to find a place on the planet where no one else has been for months - apparently even the summit of Everest sees many more visitors each year than Sheep Mountain. Of course that could be due to the fact that Sheep Mountain is littered with exploded and unexploded ordinance from Luke AFB fighters but I suppose that’s a small price to pay for solitude.

With the rise of the internet it’s becoming even harder to keep secluded spots secret any more. Websites like Geocaching.com lead GPS hiking enthusiasts off trail to find secret spots and swimmingholes.info spills the beans on places to take a dip in the summer. One of our favorite swimming holes in Durham, NC is a beautiful and secluded former quarry and the guy who first gave us directions warned that we shouldn’t post anything about it online for fear the place would become overrun. We hear the same thing from time to time on our mountain bike website as well - that somehow certain trails should remain “secret stashes” accessible only to those in the know.

I guess I fall somewhere in between wanting to keep less-traveled outdoor spots that way and sharing them with others. Besides, some spots like Sheep Mountain are so remote and rugged that they’ll always stay relatively untraveled, even with the most enthusiastic online endorsement. So feel free to share - just be prepared to go further and deeper outdoors to find solitude next time…

The author at White Sands National Monument in March, 2006

We’ve been talking about hiking in extreme environments over the past few weeks and one of my favorite hikes over the years was at White Sands National Monument in south-central New Mexico. Sand dune hiking is like nothing I had ever done before (or since) and in my book that makes it extreme.

First of all, hiking at White Sands is extremely difficult since the ground beneath your feet is constantly shifting. If you’ve ever attempted to jog in the sand at the beach you know this can be a difficult proposition and the fineness of the sand at White Sands makes even walking particularly challenging. Some dune slopes at White Sands can be steep, especially on the leeward sides.

Hiking sand dunes can be disorienting as well as there are few landmarks to orient yourself. In fact, since the winds are constantly shaping the sand, footprints are quickly erased and dune profiles change constantly. Sand storms are always possible as well meaning low (or no) visibility in windy conditions. Most sand dunes are located in areas with little rainfall and therefore there is little surface water to quench your thirst.

White Sands National Monument is an incredible place to experience dune hiking. Also check out Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado where the dunes are so large and the sand so fine that many folks bring their skis and snowboards to ride down the sand!