If you are not a resident of California and your OHV is not registered in your home state, you are required to have a "California Non-resident OHV use permit" sticker to legally operate your vehicle at Dumont Dunes. These stickers are required in addition to a weekly or season Dumont Pass.
If you need to pick up a sticker for Thanksgiving Weekend, you have a couple options out at Dumont this year. DuneMart, on Vendor Row, has plenty of them in stock and the BLM will also have some at the visitor center.
Stickers are $30 and expire on Dec 31st, 2017.
Other Places to buy your CA Non-Resident OHV stickers
Henderson, NV
ProShop Motorsports & Marine
575 W Lake Mead Dr.
Henderson, NV 89015
phone: 702-564-8895
hours: Tue-Sat, 8AM-5PM | Sun-Mon, Closed
Las Vegas, NV
Carter Powersports
6275 South Decatur Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89118
phone: 702-795-2000
hours: Mon-Sat, 9AM-6PM | Sun, Closed
MORENO VALLEY, Calif. – The Dumont Dunes subgroup to the Desert Advisory Council (DAC) will be holding its next meeting on Sat., Nov. 26 at 10:00 a.m. in the Dumont Dunes Off-highway Vehicle (OHV) recreation area near the visitor center.
The meeting will provide the public an opportunity to participate in subgroup discussions related to management of the Dumont Dunes Recreation Area. The Dumont Dunes subgroup discussions and public involvement assists the BLM in managing the recreation area.
Immediately following the meeting, the BLM Barstow Field Office will host a “Meet the Medics” event at the medical compound on-site. The public is invited to have coffee, hot chocolate and snacks with the medical response staff assigned to the Dumont Dunes Recreation Area.
Representation on the subgroup consists of California OHV interests, Nevada OHV interests, OHV organizations, San Bernardino County, biological sciences and local communities.
If individuals are unable to attend, but would like to provide comments regarding Dumont Dunes, please contact Katrina Symons, Field Manager, Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Rd, Barstow, CA 92311, 760-252-6000, ksymons@blm.gov.
Thanksgiving is the day of giving thanks for everything we are blessed with in our lives. It’s the time of year when us duners take a few days, hit the sandbox and enjoy it with our friends and family. In order to keep with the Thanksgiving Day tradition, we get creative and cook our feasts out of our RV's at Dumont. Some deep fry their turkeys, others use methods like infrared cookers or deep pit style. The dunes are our home and we wouldn't have it any other way. It's one of the longest holiday weekends of the year, therefore some sand-fanatics who live farther than most regulars make this their one big trip of the season. Others come out early and enjoy a whole week in the sandbox.
Dune Masters and Sand Pipers
In true Thanksgiving tradition, the waterpumpers return to Dumont! The Dune Masters and Sandpipers Club will be hosting their 48th Annual hill climbs and drags. That's right, 48! The club was founded back in 1968 and they have returned to Dumont every year since then with their V8 powered buggies. They make up a big part of the history of Dumont Dunes so be sure to check them out. They will be set up on the steep, left side of Comp Hill for the hill climbs on Friday and then on Saturday the drags will take place along the back stretch of sand highway, where you would drive out to the north pole.
Schedule
Friday, November 25th, 10am Hill Climbs at Comp Hill
Saturday the 26th, 10am Drags on the back stretch
Sorry, Club members only in competition but spectators are welcome at both events.
Forum Discussion
Last Year's Trip reports & Pics
Thanksgiving 2015 Gallery
http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/gallery/category/20-thanksgiving-2015/
Good times are here again! Dune season kicked off Halloween weekend bringing back the energy of the pre-recession days of Dumont Dunes. Let's face it. Some of the holiday weekends over the past 5-6 years have been rather stale and low on attendance. This year seemed a bit different though. There was an added element of vitality and excitement in the air. This recent boom may have been sparked by the side x side craze. Back in the day, duners would acquire big ticket sand toys by using their home equity. Nowadays, companies like Polaris and Can Am make it easy to finance a toy that the whole family can enjoy year round. Whether this is what reignited the spark or not, Halloween weekend definitely had a huge crowd as shown from duner, Chad Lozier’s, high flying drone. The BLM recorded 16,000 duners were in attendance.
As if that didn't give us a good enough perspective, paragliders, Bill Baby and Ryan Thomas, flew overhead capturing the view from their own bird's eye view. Talk about the best seat in the house!
Vendor Row was lacking a few vendors this year compared to other years, however duners still got over there as early as Friday morning to cash in on early weekend deals and to get some dune shopping in. Beefy Boys BBQ served up breakfast, lunch and dinner while California Casuals offered their famous holiday weekend t-shirts that almost every duner has owned at some point.
The weather was overcast a good portion of the weekend, but the sun managed to break through the clouds making for some much needed A/C time in the RV. Temperatures were warm all weekend ranging from the low 70's after the sun went down to 93 degrees on Saturday afternoon! It was shorts weather all day and into the night. Campfires weren't even fired up until late.
Speaking of weather, the recent rain that hit Dumont that Monday and Tuesday before Halloween weekend made for some choppy sand conditions. The dunes were already tracked and rutted out as early as Friday morning. So much for a smooth dune run before the crowds rolled in! That sand was wet underneath all weekend. It didn't stop everyone from having fun though. Just getting back to the sandbox after a long summer was good enough.
The BLM opened their doors to the visitor center. Park Ranger Art provided safety and wildlife information and let duners pet the lizards and snakes that were on display.
Rangers and medical staff were ready and responded to a few accidents throughout the weekend. One fatality was reported when a Banshee rider was unable to stop at the top of Banshee Hill. Full story here.
Once the sun went down on Saturday it was Trick-or-Treat time! Little duners and even some of the parents got into costume and went camp to camp for candy. Dumont is arguably the best way to spend Halloween for kids and adults. Duners decorated their camps and really got into the spirit out there as always.
This year we saw the Star Wars crew, dinosaurs, nuns, pimps, and lots of Donald Trumps! Comp Hill was literally lit up with lighted whips that stretched 5+ rows back. Drones were flying around with ghosts hanging from them, the Star Wars Landspeeder was making it's rounds passing out candy and taking pictures with everyone, and there was the loudest stereo system in the world blasting music from the front row into the crowd. That's not all. People were actually racing this year too. Imagine that...racing at Competition Hill. Let's not forget the famous McFlurry. It was in tow up and down the aisles as people cheered it on.
Video presented by Bruner Racing
Drone footage by Jeff Bruner and Jimmy Redmond
Sunday morning started as another overcast day. The sun came out for a minute, then out of nowhere there were 30+ mph winds blowing sand and dust so hard that it was impossible to see across the camp area. It came at an unfortunate time for duners as most were just getting packed up. Some of the people who were camped in tents faced even more of a challenge. The wind turned their dune home into a hang glider!
As we all know, this "W" word is what makes Dumont so awful and great at the same time. It can ruin our day of duning but at the same time fix the place right back up after a busy weekend. Come Monday, the dunes were back to how we love them, nice and smooth.
For more pics and trip reports, check out the Halloween thread on the forum...
More photos from our social media have been posted in the gallery...
Next up, Thanksgiving!
It's only a few weeks away. Start getting those dune toys ready now because it will be here before you know it.
On Saturday 10/29/2016 around 11:30 am, Gustavo Aranda Castaneda a 32 year-old resident of Riverside, CA was riding his Banshee up Banshee Hill at Dumont Dunes. He wasn't able to stop before reaching the top and rode off of a 60-70 foot dropoff. Gustavo, also known as "Gus", was wearing a helmet and was ejected from the quad. Medics arrived and performed CPR, but unfortunately he did not make it. He was pronounced dead on scene at 12:43 pm. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
We extend our condolences to the family and friends of Gus.
"Gus leaves behind his bereaved wife, Daisy Aranda of 26 years old, two children Nathan and Isaac & a loving extended family. The Aranda family had plans to vacation this upcoming week but is now suffering at the loss of their loved one. Gus was a hardworking man (Vons Store), funny, caring and was always willing to help others. He loved his children and wife with such passion and would have gone above and beyond for them. This sudden loss has brought much heartache to the family. The family was unprepared for this incident and is asking for contributions to fund a beautiful memorial ceremony for Gustavo Aranda-Castaneda. He will be forever remembered as a wonderful father, husband, friend, son, and confident. Gus, you made it home! Wait for us, we’ll see you soon! We love you Gus! Thank you all for your support and prayers. God Bless!"
If you would like to help the family with funeral costs during this unfortunate time, you can donate here,
https://www.gofundme.com/gusaranda?ssid=789492535&pos=2
Duners were blown away with what rolled into Dumont Dunes this year for Halloween Weekend! Star Wars characters Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and Princess Leia pulled up to Comp Hill in the Landspeeder X-34. Cel phones and cameras couldn’t come out quick enough. Everyone surrounded the homemade creation and were in awe at how far these guys got into the Halloween spirit. The Landspeeder drove up and down the rows at Comp Saturday night playing the Star Wars music and handing out candy to everyone. Between the music, the costumes, and lightsaber swords, the force was strong with this crew! Duners loved it and thanked them for their hard work and dedication. Once again, Howard, Trish, Walter and Laura, of Las Vegas, wowed Dumont beyond everyone's expectations.
photo by Neal Rideout
photo by Neal Rideout
photo by Neal Rideout
photo by Neal Rideout
The Story Behind the Star Wars Landspeeder RZR
Halloween weekend at Dumont is one of the most festive weekends of the year. For some people, it’s a fun excuse to throw on a funny wig or go as far as wearing full costume or string some orange lights up on their rig. Some choose to take things to a completely different level though.
Meet Howard and Walter of Las Vegas, NV.
You may remember their past Halloween RZR creations such as the Kia commercial hamster-car or the Flintstones mobile.
Each year they’ve lifted their creations off the RZR chassis and hung on to them in Howard’s shop.
They made such an impression at Dumont and on the internet with these builds that they felt like they had to take it up a notch this year. I think they succeeded in doing that, don’t you? After the Flintstone's car, the bar had to be raised even further. Howard's wife, Trish, came up with the Star Wars theme idea and from there the build was in full force. Since Star Wars is so hot (especially lately), they completely converted their same 2015 RZR XP 1000 into the easily recognized Landspeeder.
A photo of the Landspeeder was printed up as a reference for the build, taped to the workbench, and work began!
They started with the same bone stock, 4 seat RZR 1000 that was used for the previous builds. They built a skeleton frame around the outside to make up the overall shape of the Landspeeder then added sheet metal to form the body. Most people would probably stop there. Actually, most people would never even go that far in the first place! They then refined the body with bondo, paint, and added fully functioning jets.
Many hours went into shaping the body and getting the paint just right. They didn’t skimp on the details. For example, they added the authentic dent in the front and even went as far as building a custom Star Wars Landspeeder style steering wheel, windshield and dash with functioning lights and controls.
Even though they had this thing looking identical to the X-34 Landspeeder, that was not enough. Presentation is key! So in addition to the smoking, LED-lit jets, they added an outdoor sound system to blast the Star Wars theme songs. The seats were raised in order to show off their elaborate Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia costumes.
Hundreds of hours went into this project and they managed to pull it off in just a few weeks leading up to Halloween Weekend. Howard, Walter, Trish and Laura have blown away the community once again and outdone themselves. Any idea what they might have in store for next year? Suggestions?
Around 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning, a 3 year old little girl was hit by a buggy near one of the finger dunes in the camp area. It was a hit and run. Life flight was called out and she was transported.
Update 10/30/2016: Little Regan is recovering.
Posted via her father on our Facebook page,
"My daughter is doing well. She suffered a 5 inch laceration from the bridge of her nose up to the top of her forehead just below her hair line, A small gash to the right side of her head, some minor cuts to her right arm and possibly going to have some bruising. Thank god she did not have any internal injuries or anything life threatening. This could have been so much worse."
Medical Fundraiser
A Go Fund Me page has been set up by the grandmother to help the family with medical expenses.
https://www.gofundme.com/reagan-bostwick-medical-fund-raiser
The BLM Visitor Center will be OPEN during the Halloween Weekend from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
Inside you will find:
Brochures on a wide variety of subjects such as the Desert Tortoise, Amargosa Vole, OHV recreation and safety, abandoned mine lands, Tread Lightly tips, as well as a Dumont Dunes guide, and more.
Information on locations outside the Dunes -- like Tecopa Hot Springs, Death Valley National Park, Shoshone Village, China Ranch, T & T Railroad Museum, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge & Visitor Center, Mojave National Preserve and more.
Applications for the BLM OHV Volunteer Ambassador Program
What you can do:
Pick up and return your completed Jr. Ranger Activity Guides for children ages 6-12 yrs. old at the visitor center and meet Park Ranger Art with his display of desert wildlife...lizards, spiders, and snakes! Park Ranger Art will be providing safety & wildlife programs throughout the day.
Dumont holiday season pass....CHECK.
Toys prepped, shined up and that cool new flag is ready to mount up as soon as it rolls out of the trailer...CHECK.
Funny costume & trick or treat candy for the kids...CHECK.
$500 worth of food and booze plus half the house loaded up in the RV for a 3 day trip to the sandbox...CHECK.
What else you could possibly need for a few days of epic fun with your friends and family at Dumont?
Your head!
Don't leave home without it.
I've seen it year after year. People are so amped up about the first big weekend at Dumont that they tend to overlook some simple things that might save their life.
1. Protect your dome!
Always wear a helmet, even in side x sides. They save lives. Besides, it's the law out there.
2. Don't get ejected and run over!
Buckle up even if you are just hopping over to another camp. Accidents often happen when we are least expecting it.
3. Keep your head on a swivel.
Crashing hurts! Halloween is very busy and people come out of nowhere. Look out for each other more than normal.
4. Nobody likes a showboat.
Yes, going fast and wheelies are awesome! I love them both. However, leave them for the dunes, not the camp area or congested areas like Comp or Banshee Hill.
5. Dunes & drinks only go well together around the campfire.
Think you are a professional drinker and you can still drive carefully? Think again. Your judgement is always impaired when you've had a couple. Not only that, if you are pulled over or involved in an accident, the charges of DUI and manslaughter still very much apply in the dunes. Don't become another statistic or cause pain to others.
Have a fun and safe weekend out there, everyone.
Some duners cashed in on the untouched sand one week before they get hammered over Halloween. With weather varying from sunny to overcast and a few drips of rain, it turned out to be a great mix of weather for a day or two in the sand.
Starting off the weekend, agphd on Instagram sent us these great shots of the untouched sand and wicked razorbacks followed by one of those epic Dumont sunsets!
The Miles family (submitted via our FB) had the dunes all to themselves and even got a few of those passing raindrops as the cool looking clouds paid a visit.
(photo by kailah.milesss via IG)
(photo by Heather Martin via FB)
(photo by Amy O'Malley Miles via FB)
(photo by Amy O'Malley Miles via FB)
They closed out the day like many others do and watched the sun go down in the horizon.
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