Desert Survivors is an affiliation of desert lovers committed to experiencing, sharing and protecting desert wilderness wherever we find it. We recognize the places we love to explore will not remain wild unless we give others the opportunity to experience them as we do and unless we remain vigilant and active in our efforts to monitor and preserve them.

Desert Survivor backpackers tread carefully over and around pools of water in the upper reaches of Bull Canyon during a February 2012 trip to the Granite Mountains in the Mojave National Preserve.  Our trip leaders are experts at ultra-light backpacking and will teach you how to do-way with unnecessary pack weight and explore remote places with relative ease.  Desert Survivors sponsors car camping, backpacking and river rafting  trips so anyone can experience the desert.   Become a member and join us on our wilderness adventures.  Photo by Bob Davis.


Latest News & Upcoming Events
                                      Spaces Available for the Yampa and Green River Rafting Trips
A recent cancellation has opened up two spaces for the June 6-10, 2012 Yampa River Rafting Trip.  If you are interested in exploring this last, major undammed tributary of the Colorado River with us, please contact the trip organizers Bob Lyon (lyon@desert-survivors.org) or Michelle Bashin (bashin@desert-survivors.org)

The June 11-16, 2012 Green River Rafting Trip is still open.  This 83-mile trip will travel through the most remote part of the Green River in Desolation and Gray Canyons.   Join us for rafting and camping on beaches with spectacular views of river and canyons.  Please go the Spring & Summer 2012 Trip Schedule  for information on how to sign up.


                               A Plan To Sell Mojave Groundwater To Southern California Cities
Cadiz Inc., a private developer, plans to pump an average of 50,000 acre feet/year of groundwater from underneath the Mojave Desert for the next 50 years. Water would travel through a pipeline to the Colorado River Aqueduct and then on to cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. The project is not only shortsighted, but is totally unsustainable as hydrologists have found that the intensive pumping exceeds natural recharge rates. This imbalance could adversely impact groundwater resources and negatively impact our desert national parks, federally designated wilderness and other public lands.  Read more about Cadiz Inc.'s plan to make private profit from this public resource in this L.A. Times article. 

The National Parks Association is sponsoring an on-line petition, asking Interior Secretary Salazar to conduct a comprehensive review of this plan.  We encourage everyone to sign.

                                                          Summer 2012 Trips
Check out the Trips page for info on our summer activities.   There are two backpack into the Great Basin Desert in Washoe and Humbolt Counties, Nevada and a car camp at Mono Lake.  On July 7th, 2012 Desert Survivors will hold its annual summer picnic/hike/camp in the East Bay hills above Castro Valley.  This event will feature a camping semiar with lessons on Map/Compass/G.P.S. Pathfinding, Backpacking, Lightweight Backpacking, and the Identification of Desert Plants.   The dates have been set for an epic Fall 2012 hike that begins at the top of Mount Whitney (elevation 14,496 ft.) and will end 18 days later and over 100-hiking-miles away in Death Valley at Bad Water (elevation -282 ft.)  This hike should not be missed. 

You can download a pdf version of the Summer Trip Schedule by clicking here.    Please check back to this website for any additional Desert Survivors trips that may be added to the schedule.

The Desert Survivors Spring & Summer 2012 Trip Schedule 

Join Desert Survivors!

This website is maintained by Desert Survivors as a public service. Desert Survivors is a 501(c)3 non-profit public-benefit organization based in Oakland, California. More than 95% of our revenue comes from membership dues and donations. We have no corporate sponsors. You can support our work by becoming a member for $30 per year (or more if you can). Non-member donations are also gratefully accepted. Send checks to Desert Survivors, PO. Box 20991, Oakland, CA 94620-0991. All donations are tax-deductible.

To pay with a credit card, click here for membership, or here for donation.

Thank you for supporting Desert Survivors!