The muddy chaos at Burning Man won't deter one stranded Minnesotan from returning
BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. — One person is dead and an estimated 70,000 people are stranded in the remote Nevada desert after storms flooded the site of the Burning Man festival.
Officials told attendees to shelter in place after the storm flooded the makeshift Black Rock City, where the week-long festival is taking place. Organizers are urging people to conserve food, water and fuel as the mud has made leaving nearly impossible.
"Every year has its own challenges," said Koreen Valdovinos.
The Minneapolis yoga instructor has attended Burning Man six times and is stranded this year in the mud.
"People have compared it to Woodstock, but I'm going to say it's better than Woodstock [laughs]!" she said.
RELATED: Nevada flooding forces Burning Man attendees to shelter in place
The rain flooded the grounds this weekend, turning desert dust into a muddy mess.
"The biggest challenge really is the fact that this is like an alkaline dust here, which means that not only is it really sloppy and messy and slippery and you can't drive through it, you can barely walk through it. But also it can create chemical burns, so you have to have real protection for your feet," she said.
Burning Man organizers have information about what they call "Playa Foot" on their website. With ankle-deep mud, many attendees are going barefoot or wrapping shoes in plastic bags to protect themselves.
The week-long experience focuses on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance, according to organizers. Attendees are required to bring everything they need to survive in the desert.
"We're all here not just surviving but we're thriving. We're making more connections in our community than we probably would have if everything went perfectly," Valdovinos said.
Some attendees aren't waiting for the mud to dry and for the exit gate to reopen. Instead, they are trekking five or six miles by foot to the closest road.
"That's a challenge for those of us left here because if they leave their stuff, someone has to take it," Valdovinos said.
The goal is for attendees to leave no trace, which is proving difficult as mud covers peoples' belongings and trash. Valdovinos hopes her group can leave Monday and begin their drive home to Minnesota then.
"That might not happen [laughs]!" she said.
Even after all she's experienced this year, Valdovinos said she still would go again to Burning Man in the future.
"Honestly, you come out here looking for an adventure. You don't come out here looking for a perfect time, otherwise I'd go to an all-inclusive resort. This is meant to be unpredictable, and that's exactly what we got," she said.
Burning Man organizers said they're dropping mobile cell trailers to help people get in touch with each other. The airport and gate in and out of Black Rock City remain closed as of Sunday evening.