How to beat the heat at the Gorge this weekend

[divider]Tips & Tricks[/divider]

Be careful about what you eat and drink

You’d be surprised how much more you can do to stay hydrated and cool outside of chugging water and finding shade. Be sure to avoid sports drinks like Gatorade, as the massive amounts of sugar they contain will dehydrate you. In terms of food, be mindful of the amount of protein you’re eating, as too much can sap the water from your system. A good rule of thumb is to add an ounce of water for every ounce of protein you consume to balance it out. On the other end of the spectrum, foods like fruit, nuts, and berries are a must, as they mostly are composed of water (in addition to their other natural nutrients).

On that note, also be sure to go light on the caffeine and alcohol. Both are diuretics, and as such will severely dehydrate you when consumed in large quantities. Alcohol especially poses risks in the desert heat for a whole host of reasons, and regulating your consumption could be the difference between a fun weekend and spending your day in the medical tent.

Camp Smart

Keeping your body temperature regulated at night can be just as important as it is during your waking hours. To make sure this happens, face the door of your tent toward the prevailing winds so that you’re sleeping with proper airflow. When you arrive at your campsite, a tent-fly is useful for maintaining shade at all hours. That being so, setting up a tarp or a canopy directly above your tent will go even further toward keeping the morning sun off of you, and help you avoid waking up in a cold sweat at 6am on limited sleep.

Make sure your campsite has plenty of shade!

During the day before you enter the festival, try and spend your time out of the sun and under a canopy, with tarps strung up on the sides the sun is rising on. The more time you spend motionless baking in the sun, the harder it will be to stay cool when you’re up and ready to head into the Gorge.

Treating Sunburns

Sunburns are supremely bad for both your skin, and overall health. In heat even in excess of 70-80 degrees, they can be potentially dangerous, with the most extreme cases leading to fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and weakness. With that in mind, sunscreen with a high SPF should be at the very top of your packing list. Pack enough to last you the day; you’ll need to be reapplying every couple hours, as you will sweat it off in the heat.

If despite your best efforts, you happen upon a sunburn, fast treatment is key. Solarcaine will likely be your best bet in this case, as a spray designed to cool the surface of your skin, while moisturizing to reduce dryness. You can find it at your local Walgreens or drug store in the skincare aisle near the sunscreen.

Have Fun & Look Out For Each Other!

Nobody wants to end up in the hospital hooked up to a saline bag this weekend, so be sure to look out for your friends! If you see someone in trouble, be on the lookout for harm reduction volunteers, who will be able to radio in the issue and get them to medical assistance as fast as possible. Share and refill your hydration pack with your group frequently, and designate times to hit up the free water stations conveniently located around the festival. You don’t have to babysit 30,000 people yourself, but if everyone looks out for each other, everyone goes home happy.