Desert Survival Skills [Paperback]

David Alloway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2000

Remote desert locations, including the Chihuahuan Desert of northern Mexico, southern Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, draw adventurers of all kinds, from the highly skilled and well prepared to urban cowboys who couldn't lead themselves (much less a horse!) to water. David Alloway's goal in this book is to help all of them survive when circumstances beyond their control strand them in the desert environment. In simple, friendly language, enlivened with humor and stories from his own extensive experience, Alloway here offers a practical, comprehensive handbook for both short-term and long-term survival in the Chihuahuan and other North American deserts.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Every year people die in the deserts of California, the Southwest, and northern Mexico. Alloway's goal is to show how these deaths can be prevented through the use of desert survival skills. He covers survival in a logical and sequential manner, starting with "Intelligence: The Ultimate Survival Tool" and continuing with more specific topics such as survival kits, water, fire, shelter, tools and weapons, traveling, and wayfinding. Throughout, he liberally sprinkles true survival stories, which reinforce the need for acquiring desert survival skills. Illustrated with line drawings, photographs, and maps, the handbook includes a brief glossary and over 50 selected references. Alloway is employed as an interpretive naturalist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in the Chihuauan Desert, has worked with the U.S. Air Force on survival skills, and is a veteran of search and rescue-all of which explains why his book is authoritative, comprehensive, well written, and entertaining. Recommended for all public libraries in the region, large public libraries in the rest of the country, and academic libraries.
Thomas K. Fry, Univ. of Denver Lib.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press (July 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292704925
• ISBN-13: 978-0292704923
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book but limited in scope.., November 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Desert Survival Skills (Paperback)

This is a good book on desert survival, though it is a little uneven. It is at its best in describing survival in the Chihuahuan Desert (Texas, New Mexico) of North America. Its usefulness in other desert areas is limited; in particular the sections on finding water and food, or plant and animal dangers, are really targeted to that particular bioregion.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read It BEFORE You Take Off Into The Desert!, November 30, 2000

By 

Dr. Michael Trend - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desert Survival Skills (Paperback)

"Desert Survival Skills" is a both a great read and a book that might save your life. The author is a naturalist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and he's posted at the Big Bend Ranch State Park.

He knows what he's writing about.

The Big Bend area contains some remote real estate, which is part of the Chihuahuan Desert. I live in the Mohave Desert, and sometimes work in the Sonoran Desert. They're similar to the Chihuahuan.

All of these ares are hot in the summer, cool at night, and downright cold at times in the winter. Rainfall is obviously scant, except the dry spells are sometimes punctuated by rains that cause flash floods, which can get you into trouble FAST. (Given that our deserts have sparse population, drowning in the desert is surprisingly common. Water doesn't soak into the ground as it does in more humid regions.)

Deaths occur most frequently when those unfamiliar with the Southwest venture off-road without carrying water, suffer a mechanical breakdown, or get their vehicle stuck. The passengers decide to hoof it out in the middle of the day, become confused because of dehydration, and then perish. For the average American, lack of food isn't usually a problem--most of us can go a month or more without eating--but not having water IS.

The author, David Alloway, covers the bases extremely well. He tells you how to survive until help comes, and he even teaches you how to debrief the folk from Search and Rescue so the next poor soul doesn't have to go through what happened to you.

I was pleased to see that he disposes of a lot of myths, like the one that all catcti are full of water, and edible, so eat away. They're not, so listen to the man. If you must eat, the author shows you how to do this with the least possible risk.

A word to the wise: You don't have to be far from a settlement to get into trouble. I remember several years ago when a man and wife died less than a mile from Pahrump, Nevada. If they had waited until evening, they could have seen the lights from the town, and then walked out.

"Desert Suvival Skills" would be a handy thing to keep in your 4WD. However, it would be even better if you read it before you venture out.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Desert Survival, or Plan Ahead?, December 2, 2004

By 

Will - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desert Survival Skills (Paperback)

This is strictly a desert survival book, not a desert hiking book; i.e. it is mostly about surviving until rescue once things have gone very wrong. But don't look for a lot of information on how to plan a desert hike, learning to navigate, recognizing and avoiding all types of poisonous snakes, or checking out groundwater sources so as to avoid having to use those survival skills. Desert Survival Skills is written by the late David Alloway, who learned his desert skills at at Big Bend National Park. It is a good resource for survival skills in that part of the country, though it is true that some of his book doesn't translate to other deserts of North America and the world. I give it three out of five stars.