Tens of thousands still stranded at Burning Man as burners deal with flooding aftermath
A mass exodus of tens of thousands of Burning Man attendees was underway Monday after a rare late-summer storm flooded the Black Rock Desert area north of Reno, turning the dried lakebed playa into a muddy, soggy mess.
One died at the festival over the weekend. The Pershing County Sheriff's Office confirmed it is investigating the death and said the family has been notified both of the death and the active probe. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told CBS News on Sunday that the death occurred during the extreme rain that swept through parts of northwestern Nevada on Friday and Saturday, but not because of it.
Millbrae resident and venture capitalist Chris DN was among the thousands of attendees who were stranded Sunday.
"Wow, this is really deep and gross, somehow I need to take these off before going into that bus," he said in a video pointing to plastic bags taped over his shoes.
DN shared a video of how he slogged through the mud around his camp, which is called Titantic's End.
Supplies like plastic bags and socks are in high demand. More rain fell on Sunday, though the bulk of it had passed.
"Look at this overflowing ... with mud, trying to get back to my bed, oh my gosh ..." said DN of the porta potty situation.
The bathroom situation isn't pretty. Still, DN says he knows he's one of the lucky ones because his camp is well-resourced and stocked with food and water. It also has sturdy infrastructure and electricity.
"If you don't have your own Porta Potty you have to walk maybe a quarter of a mile," he explained in a video.
DN said he was staying in a bus with about 18 people.
Organizers said Sunday evening the roads in Black Rock City are still too wet and muddy to officially open them for people to get out. But if they can clear the way on Monday, they will allow people to leave in vehicles by 9 a.m. That traffic jam could be longer than 12 hours.
People are free to walk off the playa if they choose to do so. Celebrity DJ Diplo and comedian Chris Rock made the five-mile trek on Saturday.
Cell phone equipment was brought in to boost service and help those stuck in flood campsites. For those who choose to stay longer, the traditional burning of an effigy known as "the man" has also been rescheduled from Saturday to Labor Day.
Despite the upheaval and disruption, there were moments of kindness and community.
"What I have seen personally is resilience. I've seen a huge amount of people coming together. I have seen strangers hugging strangers. I have seen people gifting things to others," said attendee Justin Schuman.
Burning Man organizers said those who choose to leave on foot would be provided bus transportation to Reno from Gerlach.
DN said he's planning to make that five-hour, 15-mile walk on Monday.
"This is a lot more gross than you could imagine, but Titantic's End 2023," he said.
