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Have any of you ever lived in high desert?

I

IndianaLife

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We are contemplating a move this year, which would take us from under 800 feet of elevation in the Midwest to high desert at almost 6000 feet of elevation. We'd be as rural as we are now, with the only exception being there'd be a gas station 10 minutes away instead of 15 minutes away, but the desert in general is unknown to me, as is that elevation.

We wouldn't be able to grow anywhere near as much food as we do, maybe 1%, but I have no idea what to even think about beyond a few days of water storage at a minimum. If any of you have ever lived in such a location, I would love any tips/tricks/things I'm not thinking about so I can make an informed decision for my family, and hit the ground mostly prepared if we do end up moving.
 
Yes, we live in the high 'semi-arid' region of the southern Rockies (a mesa in the San Luis Valley) - but it's at 9000', not such a relatively low elevation. ;)

There's a lot to consider, but we love it, and raise chickens and goats with no real issues, except water (and growing associated with it.) Greenhouse is a real help, and growing in a short season is a learned skill.

Water catchment is a must. (We don't have a well.)

There are winter challenges, too - many not obvious, but requiring a more lengthy response. (And it WILL get more important, because what's really happening is global COOLING.)

You're welcome to IM, email, or talk if you'd like.
 
I spent a fair amount of time in the Sierra Nevadas in August and September. It’s hot as hell; during the day. The coldest I’ve ever been was during a 60 degree night that followed a 120 degree day.

The stars were spectacular though. I’ve never seen even a movie do them justice. You can understand why our ancestors thought they were living entities. The sky looks alive at night out in the desert.
 
The Revolting Man said:
I spent a fair amount of time in the Sierra Nevadas in August and September. It’s hot as hell; during the day. The coldest I’ve ever been was during a 60 degree night that followed a 120 degree day.

The stars were spectacular though. I’ve never seen even a movie do them justice. You can understand why our ancestors thought they were living entities. The sky looks alive at night out in the desert.
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Was it hotter than here in the south with the humidity? Always been curious
 
The Revolting Man said:
I spent a fair amount of time in the Sierra Nevadas in August and September. It’s hot as hell; during the day. The coldest I’ve ever been was during a 60 degree night that followed a 120 degree day.

The stars were spectacular though. I’ve never seen even a movie do them justice. You can understand why our ancestors thought they were living entities. The sky looks alive at night out in the desert.
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The is a special kind of wrinkly for high desert folk.
 
Here at 37 degrees North, and 9000' - the hottest day we have ever seen was in the low 90s, direct (typical) crystal-clear Colorado sun, and single-digit humidity. We typically see only one or two 90 degree days in a summer. But lots of 80s.

Not even REMOTELY as hot as my college years in Missouri, where 80 degrees and fog (100% humidity) meant you couldn't dry off after a shower. And I remember seeing 100 degrees and 100% at MIDNIGHT on a July 4th many years ago.

No comparison. I'll take the 'high desert' in the summer at high elevation any day.

PS> And, yeah - we LOVE 'dark skies'. (I'm an amateur astronomer, it's wonderful.) Some moonless nights you'd think you could read by the light of the Milky Way (actually, I really have gone out and thought it was a cloud, until I realized where I was looking.)
 
Mark C said:
Here at 37 degrees North, and 9000' - the hottest day we have ever seen was in the low 90s, direct (typical) crystal-clear Colorado sun, and single-digit humidity. We typically see only one or two 90 degree days in a summer. But lots of 80s.

Not even REMOTELY as hot as my college years in Missouri, where 80 degrees and fog (100% humidity) meant you couldn't dry off after a shower. And I remember seeing 100 degrees and 100% at MIDNIGHT on a July 4th many years ago.

No comparison. I'll take the 'high desert' in the summer at high elevation any day.

PS> And, yeah - we LOVE 'dark skies'. (I'm an amateur astronomer, it's wonderful.) Some moonless nights you'd think you could read by the light of the Milky Way (actually, I really have gone out and thought it was a cloud, until I realized where I was looking.)
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Yeah I looked at the climate for the area and it's about the same heat in the summer as here, but the highest humidity is in the mid 40s instead of 100% like here, and warmer in the winter. Uh, yes please?
 
IndianaLife said:
We are contemplating a move this year, which would take us from under 800 feet of elevation in the Midwest to high desert at almost 6000 feet of elevation. We'd be as rural as we are now, with the only exception being there'd be a gas station 10 minutes away instead of 15 minutes away, but the desert in general is unknown to me, as is that elevation.

We wouldn't be able to grow anywhere near as much food as we do, maybe 1%, but I have no idea what to even think about beyond a few days of water storage at a minimum. If any of you have ever lived in such a location, I would love any tips/tricks/things I'm not thinking about so I can make an informed decision for my family, and hit the ground mostly prepared if we do end up moving.
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We're east of Yellowstone at about 6400 feet and it is mostly dry here. Not far off from being a 'high desert' but definitely dry. Except for during the monsoon in the summer and then it can get humid or sultry as some people say.

The thing that stands out to me is you have to make adjustments to some of your cooking when you cook or bake at altitude.

We sometimes have guests who have difficulties adjusting to the altitude but if they're here long enough they usually do fine.

The air is usually clearer than down below. If you don't mind breathing stuff you can't see then this won't be a problem!
 
The Revolting Man said:
So much hotter, screw those idiots who say “but it’s a dry heat!” No. It’s an extreme heat and is hotter than anything this side of an electric oven.
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Really? I didn't expect that. Working in southern Louisiana with my dad, lots of people came from Arizona and New Mexico and they said they would take the dry heat any day over working in Baton Rouge.
 
theleastofthese said:
Really? I didn't expect that. Working in southern Louisiana with my dad, lots of people came from Arizona and New Mexico and they said they would take the dry heat any day over working in Baton Rouge.
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They’re morons. There is nothing to can do to 120 degrees to make it feel less hot than 95 degrees. I thought I was going to go insane one day. I didn’t think I could actually endure the heat anymore. I work outdoors in Georgia. I’ve never had AC in any house I’ve lived in. The heat (I was wearing body armor while in an armored HMMWV) was so bad I didn’t think I could make it till night. I drank 5 gallons of water one day. Screw dry heat. Give me the humidity.
 
When I was younger I went on a trip to Egypt. It was 45c during the day (113F) and just unbearable. The hotel rooms with air conditioning going at full blast could get it down to about 30c (86F). I would have a cold shower, and the moment I got out I'd start sweating with the heat. It was so dry and so hot, that eventually I'd just decide that I didn't need to see yet another temple on the tour, and staying in an air conditioned room was preferable. All the temples pretty much looked the same anyway by that point. Being young, I didn't drink nearly as much water as my body needed, which probably made it worse.
 
The Revolting Man said:
They’re morons. There is nothing to can do to 120 degrees to make it feel less hot than 95 degrees. I thought I was going to go insane one day. I didn’t think I could actually endure the heat anymore. I work outdoors in Georgia. I’ve never had AC in any house I’ve lived in. The heat (I was wearing body armor while in an armored HMMWV) was so bad I didn’t think I could make it till night. I drank 5 gallons of water one day. Screw dry heat. Give me the humidity.
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Goodness, I don't know how you even handle the southern heat with no air conditioning. If I'm at home and it's above 90, I've got the air conditioner on, lol. Maybe I'm traumatized from working outside in Louisiana for so many years. Me and my dad were so surprised when the contractors were like "we can't wait to get back to Arizona, it's too hot here" 😳
 
I am an Arid-zona native. So dry climate my whole life.
This means there are differences. In the humidity blowing your nose keeps it clean. Out here we get buggers that require a bit more to remove them....ESPECIALLY if you are inhaling powdered anything....dust...manure...etc.

I'll take the dry. Here swating cools you. In the humidity it just makes you soggy. Lol
 
The Revolting Man said:
Do you have something you need to confess Jolene?……:confused:
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Ummm nope. Never done drugs. Sniffed more powdered crap then I like to think about though.....and we mourn the breaking of our favorite nose pickin' fingernail here. It's almost a dissability when ya lose that!
 
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