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Comment by xrd | Hacker News Reader

Having been there on and off for twenty years, rain storms during BRC are not a new thing. Maybe this is something extraordinary (I'm not there right now) but I really doubt it.

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It rained a lot in e.g. 2014 but it was just before and at the start of the event. I don't think there was a time there was anywhere near 73k people already inside unable to leave expecting a couple of days of rain to come right when everyone was planned to head home. At best outlook, this is going to be one of the worst events to have gone to. I don't think it'll be a disaster but I would say it's extraordinary.

This is worse than 2014 for sure. Plus more rain is forecasted. We got here on Thursday so were aware, but did not think it would be this bad.

In 2000 there was a storm like this starting Monday afternoon. So most people left before or during the start. I think there was only 500 that were stuck for a few days. Since then I've always been aware this could happen. One of my friends was up there and bailed out yesterday for that reason.

One of my long term thoughts about the event is the BLM really needs to require those guys to buy and install ground protection mats to put on their gate road. Probably cost $300k for a mile of the stuff or $10 per participant.

Could anyone even drove to gate road in this epic mud without a tank?

I think the extraordinary thing here is that it's happening right when everyone wants to leave.

Is it normal to not be able to leave burning man (airport shut down, no cars, no bikes?)

I’ve never been. But the feeling of being stranded with no possible way of leaving would have me going crazy in about 3 hours.

Rain like this is rare buts it’s shut down exit like this before, this isn’t unprecedented. Even during a normal year they shut down entry/exit when sandstorms reduce visibility - often for a couple of hours every few days.

Sandstorms are obvious a problem.

But why rain? There's a road leading up there, right? (or at least somewhere near the festival grounds). Most people will come by car or RV. They can still drive on that road I'd think?

If the festival grounds turn to mud, well... maybe a little detour to get back on that road.

(personally I'd be in no hurry to leave. But if you wanted to, what's holding you back? Organisers saying "road closed"?)

The event is held several miles “into” the dry lake bed - once you get off the paved road, you drive about 1.5 miles on the dry lake bed before you get to the “gate” of the event boundaries. You can see this pretty clearly if you look up its location on Google maps. Right now, the event is completely surrounded, for miles, by muddy lake bed. If you tried to drive your wheels would get jammed up.

It's not regular mud, and you can't really drive on it. It builds up on the wheels and can be pretty deep. It's closer to clay.

Walking to 447 is 3.5 miles, if I did not have a vehicle then it would be the easiest option for egress.

Last time I was there in the rain I remember walking was quite difficult since every step added 4-6 inches to your height.

Can you make a snowshoe like device to help with this? Not saying to do so and hope everyone comes out merely a bit dirtier than normal.

Snow doesn't stick to your shoes the same way mud does. Snow shoes are meant to distribute your weight over a larger surface area to prevent you from sinking down. With mud, it's not so much sinking down as it is clinging to your shoes.

plastic bags, duct taped to your ankles is best

Don't walk in the mud. Or do, and be laughed at / cajoled by everyone else.

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