The Ins and Outs of Getting In and Out of the Butn

Getting into and out of the Butn is a unique adventure. 70,000 burners are all trying to take a two-lane road to the vast open landscape known as the Playa. Here are some tips for the trip:

1. Getting in and out of BM is a process that takes 1.5 to 2 days on either end. Give yourself plenty of time before and after the event, which technically runs from Sunday to Sunday.  The hotels in Reno are delightful in their own way. If you're flying in, plan to stay at least one night in town before and after the Butn.

2. When driving, stay off the shoulders and don’t pass other vehicles.  The roadside is mostly dust and pebbles. Only pull over on pavement or gravel parking lots, or you may get stuck. And don’t pass other cars. You may be tempted to try and zoom past the RV in your lane. But guess what’s in front of it. Another slow ass RV. Take it easy, and get there safely.

3. Gas up before you leave Reno. There aren’t many places to stop, and lines will be long in Gerlach.

4. Observe the speed limit! You’ll be passing through small towns, and the limits are to protect the residents. Once you hit the Playa, its 5 mph. This is a CRAWL, but the police will ticket you and probably harass you (more on this later) for exceeding it. So slow down.

5. Leave no trace covers the road to the Butn. Secure your gear (including trash on the way out) and don’t leave any MOOP. Do consider leaving some dollars at the roadside Indian taco stand, just mind where you park.

6. You will likely wait in long, creeping lines for hours to get in. So have real food and water handy in the car.  Try to avoid sitting in your car in the baking desert sun at 2pm (time your arrival/exit). And assume the dust is coming in your AC vents.

7. If you stop to use a portapotty on Gate Road, park the car. Don’t have someone drive ahead, thinking you’ll find them. It is MUCH harder than it sounds, and you could easily find yourself stranded miles from your camp. It happens every year.

8. Gate Road Radio (broadcast once you get to Gerlach) is never accurate. We listen to it anyway.

9. Will call is almost always crazy. Make some friends, share some cookies, enjoy the ride.

10. Do the thing the Greeters want you to do. You'll be happy you did. Just trust me.

11. During Exodus, we "pulse." When the road out of the Butn gets congested, they stop letting people leave for an hour. Everything stops moving on Gate Road. Sleep, do soduku, make a foolish attempt to brush your hair. Turn off your car. This is great because once you do make it to the pavement, you typically keep moving until you're back to Reno. It also helps to keep tired drivers off the road.

12. Don't drive tired. This is the No. 1 cause of fatalities during the Butn. Find some pavement to nap on or switch drivers. We love you and want you back next time! 

Law Enforcement at the Butn (Just Say No!)

Ah, the police. If you do get pulled over by the police, your entire goal is to keep them from searching your car. A "search" means they take all your crap and throw it on the ground. Socks. Carrots. Chapstick. It's all going on the ground, piece by piece.

 Likely, they'll be nice at first. They'll say something like "mind if we take a look around?"  The answer is "I do not consent to a search." If they threaten you or persist after you say no, ask "am I free to leave?" Ask until they answer. If they don't let you leave, record how long you have to wait until they do. It's irritating, but some police do cross the line. 

Once you're at the Butn, you'll want to assume everyone who is not from your camp is an undercover cop. If someone offers you drugs (even a puff of their vape pen), decline and leave. If someone asks you for drugs, reply that you don't have any and leave. 

Only undercover cops talk about drugs at the Butn. I've met three undercovers at BM, and a friend was actually making out with one in his tent before he realized it. 

If a new "friend" is in camp and offers/asks for drugs, make them leave. If you say yes and it is an undercover cop, they can and will toss the whole camp looking for drugs. If you're smoking weed, expect some cops to show up and start throwing things on the ground. Don't plan on smoking weed at the Butn. It's the fastest way to make everyone hostile.  

The local counties make a lot of money fining Burners for drug possession, and getting busted (or getting campmates busted) can ruin your day/week or worse. So it's best to have a bright line rule. 

Just say no, y'all!