Let’s Make Exodus Not Suck

What is Exodus anyway?

Exodus: An ominous word that conjures ancient stories of humans suffering a plodding, treacherous journey through the desert. As it relates to the process of getting nearly 80,000 humans out of Black Rock City in a steady flow of 33,000+ vehicles after the event, that is still pretty much true, though your individual experience may vary.

We all suffered through a grueling, slow-moving, extraordinarily hot Exodus in 2022, and yes, there are reasons why. In this post, we’ll talk about those reasons and learn what’s new for Exodus. But first, let’s get specific about how Exodus operates.

The two-lane road and two small towns within fifteen miles of the event site limit the volume of vehicles that can flow out of the event and keep moving towards I-80. Our Exodus teams work to exit as near the maximum number of vehicles as conditions allow, using a strategy referred to as Pulsing to move vehicles at regular intervals on Gate Road toward the highway. With Pulsing, vehicles stop and turn off their engines, and the experience for drivers is made smoother during our round-the-clock operations.

After the 2022 event, we surveyed the community about their Exodus experience, and got approximately 4,000 responses. That information, along with our own Gate Road data, helped us understand why Exodus sucked for so many of us. 

Each of the factors identified below has different impacts on Exodus experience and wait times. No single issue created the whole situation, but each played a role in the snarl up of 2022. We’ll reveal the problems we unearthed in the first section, and then outline how these were addressed in subsequent years, below.

Information: Though we did not consistently announce accurate wait times on Burning Man Information Radio (BMIR), many people (70% of survey respondents) did not tune in to seek information for taking off from their camp. The dedicated “Gate Road and traffic information” radio station, Gate Advisory Radio Station (otherwise known as GARS) was not operational in 2022.  

Human behavior: Too many people packed up and left BRC at the same time. Rolling whiteouts caused navigation to Greeters and Gate Goad to be slow, with some lost drivers following one another erroneously out onto the open playa, creating chaos when the wind died down and drivers were not in line. In addition, many more folks than usual stayed for the Temple burn, further condensing traffic. 

Staffing: Staffing Exodus operations is always a challenge. Our teams were already operating at a deficit from various factors, including illness and fewer staff returning after the pandemic years.

Weather: Weather sets the baseline for how hard your Exodus may be. In 2019, the weather was fabulous and there were very low average wait times during Exodus. Last year, the weather throughout the event was extraordinarily hot and “dustassterous,” with very high temperatures and high winds. Relentless heat and limited visibility created urgency and chaos for participants and Exodus teams (see Navigation below). The extraordinary heat created more vehicle problems in line, further hampering smooth flow of the cars.

Infrastructure: By the end of the event, the surface of Gate Road begins to show the wear and tear of 33,000 vehicles, making any poorly functioning vehicle an even more serious impediment. Seeking relief from the extreme heat and long wait, more vehicles stopped in the small towns of Gerlach and Empire which slowed the line of cars, causing a domino effect that was hard to recover from until the flow eased up considerably. Likewise, fuel shortages across Northern Nevada over Labor Day weekend in 2022 (affecting Gerlach and Empire, among many other towns) caused delays and frustration as more people stopped to fuel up after running AC while waiting in line.

Navigation: Whiteouts made wayfinding out of the city difficult, and there was insufficient signage and cone markers to assist drivers in these conditions. Further, drivers often follow tail lights in front of them, even if those vehicles are not heading in the right direction (which can happen frequently in whiteout conditions!). Participants driving outside the boundary of Gate Road caused unsafe conditions, but also had to be shepherded back into line.

So, what are we going to do about all this?

TIPS FOR A SMOOTH EXODUS 2023
• Plan all aspects of your Exodus well in advance.
• 4-6 hours before you leave, tune into Gate Advisory Radio (GARS) 95.1FM, and monitor @bmantraffic on Twitter if you have internet.
• Get a good night’s sleep pre-Exodus.
• Only drive sober.
• Avoid leaving during inclement weather conditions.
• Pack water, snacks, medication, and any other essentials you need.
• Ensure your vehicle has plenty of fuel.
• Secure your load before you go.
• Be patient.
• Practice kindness to Gate and Exodus staff, as well as to your fellow travelers.
• Bring games to make it fun!

Information: Knowledge is power! Expect improved wait time information broadcast on both Gate Advisory Radio Station (GARS), 95.1 FM and Burning Man Information Radio (BMIR), 94.5 FM. If you have cell service or internet, check out the @bmantraffic Twitter account too, which is populated with up-to-date traffic information. The digital messaging sign (at Greeters) will remind you to note the time. Please do — this will help us all!

Did you know? Black Rock City has two radio stations.
Burning Man Information Radio (BMIR) 94.5 FM broadcasts travel, emergency and general information, and community programming 24 hours a day. Gate Advisory Radio Station (GARS), 95.1 FM provides you with up-to-date wait times, closures and traffic reports, as well as ways to ease the entry and Exodus process. Be sure to tune into GARS (95.1 FM) as you plan your departure from the city.

Human behavior: Make an Exodus plan for your camp well in advance — whether you are a camp of just a few people or a few hundred — spreading out your departures over multiple days and times, and choosing non-peak times to leave. Before you arrive in Black Rock City, make sure you have enough fuel for the round trip from I-80. Before you leave to head home from BRC, ensure drivers are sober and everyone in the car has food, snacks, water, and any other essentials. Four to six hours before you leave, listen to Gate Advisory Radio Station (GARS), 95.1 FM and monitor @bmantraffic on Twitter to be aware of the conditions you are entering into. Check out the Survival Guide and the Exodus webpage for very useful information, answers to many of your questions, and reminders of how to make the best-odus of your Exodus.

Staffing: The Gate, Perimeter, and Exodus team is actively recruiting volunteers to ensure Exodus staffing is robust in 2023. Interested in volunteering? Check out this page. 

Weather: With GARS back in operation, you’ll get accurate information in real time. Tune in to 95.1 FM as you plan your Exodus and on your way out of the city. Are there rolling whiteouts or dust storms happening? It’s always an option to stay in your camp until they’ve passed. Keep weather conditions in mind for your departure, just as you would for your entire Burn.

Infrastructure: While there’s no guarantee of an uninterrupted fuel supply, we can all remember to fuel up before we arrive on playa. We recommend Fernley, Wadsworth or Nixon. Gate Road’s integrity is impacted by every vehicle that exceeds the speed limit… the protocols during BRC are the same as during Exodus: “stay under 10 mph, and don’t drive on wet roads.”

Navigation: Head to K (Kraken) Street (two lanes exit direction only) and make your way toward 6 o’clock. At night, look for lighted cones and a digital messaging sign marking the entrance to Gate Road when Exodus begins Saturday after 6:00 pm. Top tip: USE ALL LANES!

F Lot, the Final Frontier

We’ve saved an exciting announcement for last… drumroll: We brought a new team to Exodus 2023 to help make the Exodus process smoother and safer: F Lot, the Final Frontier to Find It or Fix It before Pavement.

What is F Lot? We’ve transformed the long-existing “Reunification Station” into a safe destination for problem-solving: impaired vehicles, sleepy drivers, lost passengers, and that last chance to secure your load.

Where is F Lot? Just beyond the Pulsing station on Gate Road, off the right side of the lanes and, most importantly, before you enter the gravel road.

Why would I go to F Lot? Please head to F Lot if you become separated from your vehicle; if you have lost your passenger(s); if your vehicle may need to be towed; if your vehicle has mechanical problems but is still drivable; or if you need to secure your load one more time before the pavement.

Will there be staff at F Lot? Yes, especially during peak Exodus.

Will there be lights and portos at F Lot? Yes! The last opportunity to use portos before the highway is in F-Lot. 

Whatever your challenge is, use F Lot to safely leave the lanes and address it. Go to the right side of all the lanes to enter F-Lot. DO NOT stop on the gravel road as you exit before the pavement. The gravel road is a Flagging operation and the team is not available to problem-solve or remedy your challenge. Stopping there jeopardizes the entire Exodus operation. Take it to F Lot!

So… what does ‘Exodus not sucking’ look like?

• Plan your Exodus well in advance. 
• Tune in to BMIR (94.5), GARS (95.1 FM) and @bmantraffic on Twitter as you plan your departure.
• Drive rested and sober. 
• Have everything you need with you (water, food, and fuel) should the wait be long.
• Remember that wait times vary year to year depending on many variables. And they vary by day, in real time, each year.
• Rolling whiteouts? Stay in your camp!
• USE ALL LANES! 
• If you need help while leaving, head to F Lot (right lane) beyond the Pulsing station on Gate Road, before the gravel road. 
• Adapt your travel plans for a longer Exodus, just in case. 

And finally, as you travel home, remember: take your time, have fun, and be kind with fellow travelers and Exodus teams. Leave No Trace and be thoughtful about your presence in all the communities you travel through — they know where you have been, the dust gives you away!

Big thanks to Shimmer for the content of this post and expertise within, as well as the Magpie and Fowler for your support. Enormous appreciation for the entire Gate, Perimeter, and Exodus crew for your tireless work in Black Rock City.

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Cover image of Exodus, 2022 (Photo by Chayna Girling; Graphic design by Deets Shay)