Dumont Dune Riders

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 sand is damp underneath but drying out. Morning temperatures are nice and the afternoons are warm. The helicopter came in Wed evening and trucks with flashing lights were seen coming out of the dunes. Still no word on what happened. photos by @vegas style photo by @sconym

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.

Sneak Preview! #Dumont 2016-17 opening! #dunes #BlowSand #razrs #dangerous

Dumont from 9000m (30,000ft, whoops) via SWA Flt 1846. Have sand on the mind even at this elevation! Can't wait for Halloween Weekend!

Good news about the restrooms! There have been some complaints in the past about the restrooms at Dumont. Many people use them and they can get trashed pretty quickly on a busy weekend. People voiced their concerns and the BLM listened. Meet James "Jimmy" Lynn of Lynn Construction. Jimmy was awarded the Dumont Dunes restroom cleaning contract from the BLM. Make sure you say hello if you see him out there at the dunes. He is a fellow off-roader and you will find him quite friendly!

While we are still a little ways away from the dune season beginning, the cooler nighttime temperatures are an early reminder that it's right around the corner. Before we know it, the toys will all need to be prepped and the RV or hauler will need a good once over. The fact is, almost all of us procrastinate and leave some much needed maintenance items to the last minute. This forces us into a mad rush, usually during the week we plan on leaving, to get things ready in time for that first big trip. Here are just some helpful reminders of what you can do during the months of September and October so you are on top of your game and ready to hit the sand. ATV's, Side x Sides, and Motorcycles Test battery clean air filter fresh oil change and check all fluids check and/or replace drive chains/sprockets or belt (RZR) check and/or repl brake pads Make sure all sand tires hold air. Air them up and recheck them after a few days. Add tire sealer if needed. Make sure registration is up to date and you have a good flag ready to mount. Check all lights. Don't get popped for a ticket at night for inoperative lights. Sandcars Test battery. Is it fresh and good to go for the season? fresh oil change clean and oil air filter repack CVs check (& change?) transmission fluid bolt check entire car check for oil or coolant leaks inspect hoses and belts check coolant level and fan operation check brake fluid level and pads check clutch operation check shifter & linkage check all lights check tires and add sealer if needed replace worn heims inspect frame for cracks verify current sticker or registration and you have a good flag ready to mount RVs/ Toyhaulers Test batteries and check water levels. Also check your connections and cables Run your generator for 30+ minutes and check it under a load. Make sure it is charging your batteries Turn on your fridge and make sure it works under both 12V and propane Inspect tires for cracks or separations and replace if needed. Drive your RV or pull your trailer around town 10+ miles at highway speeds and check afterward. check trailer suspension shackles for excessive wear. Removal of a nut may be required to see if the holes are stretched Check and top off propane levels. Check hoses for leaks Check all bulbs and electrical items to make sure everything is working properly Stock up on necessary pantry items Wash sheets/ blankets Other Items Not to Forget About Season pass. Call the BLM at 760-252-6000 to order or visit a participating dealer. Season passes are not available AT Dumont Flags for all toys stock up on firewood beer

7/25/2016 7:00 PM MINNEAPOLIS, MN (July 25, 2016) – Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII) is issuing a stop-ride/stop-sale advisory, pending a formal recall, for MY2016 RZR Turbo off-road vehicles, due to a potential fire hazard. Polaris is currently evaluating a comprehensive repair solution. Once validated, repair instructions will be issued to Polaris dealers and vehicle owners will be notified that they can contact their dealer about scheduling a free repair. Until then, owners should not ride, and dealers should not sell, MY2016 RZR Turbo models. All owners of affected vehicles are being contacted directly. In addition, updates will be posted on the RZR Recall page: http://www.polaris.com/en-us/company/rzr-recall. Owners can also contact Polaris at 800-765-2747 or online at www.polaris.com. About Polaris Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY® and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence in adjacent markets globally with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com

MINNEAPOLIS (April 19, 2016) Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII) jointly announced with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, today, that the company is voluntarily recalling certain RZR 900 and 1000 off-road vehicles manufactured since model year 2013 due to reports of thermal-related incidents, including fires. Detailed information about the recall is available at www.polaris.com/rzr-recall. Polaris conducted a thorough investigation to pinpoint the root causes and put forward a comprehensive solution to address them. "One of our foremost guiding principles is Safety and Ethics Always," said Scott W. Wine, Chairman and CEO, Polaris. "We know that the foundation of a good ride is a safe ride, and we have been proactive, aggressive and thorough in putting forth a plan to get our vehicles repaired and give us and our customers confidence in the safety of our RZR vehicles." All affected vehicle owners will be asked to contact a dealer to schedule a complimentary service appointment, which should take approximately one hour. Polaris is working quickly to source the necessary parts and is allocating parts daily to dealers as they become available. Dealers will schedule appointments subject to parts availability. "We are working day and night to inform our customers and dealers and to obtain the parts needed for the repairs we identified in our comprehensive analysis," said Wine. "We apologize for the inconvenience to our customers as we work to ensure all the systemic thermal risks we identified are eliminated from our vehicles." Polaris has already begun implementation of its Corrective Action Plan and has made manufacturing updates in new-production vehicles. Polaris also plans to include a warning on new-production vehicles instructing riders not to carry fuel and other flammable liquids in their vehicles, and cautions against carrying flammable liquids in previously produced models. About Polaris Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY® and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence in adjacent markets globally with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com

Springtime is always the time of year when Dumont blooms with vegetation and flowers. This year's bloom, however, is different. Death Valley usually only receives 2 inches or less of precipitation per year and in some years, none at all. In early October alone, there was more than 3 inches of rain. This rainfall is what prompted millions of wildflower seeds to grow creating what has now been called a rare superbloom! Bright yellow desert gold flowers are the first to catch your eye. They can be seen mostly along the north edge of the camp area near the base of the dunes. photos by Jodi Knight Other species of flowers, such as the deep purple phacelia and desert primrose, can be found mixed with the desert gold flowers creating quite the display of colors. Another very interesting one is the pink and purple desert five-spot. The 5 pedals open up in the afternoon and close at night. As mentioned earlier, many of the flowers are easily accessed on the north edge of camp while others are farther to the south end. The super bloom won't be around for long so get out there and see it for yourself. There are probably only a couple weeks where the bloom will be at it's peak. Once the temperatures start to rise, the only flowers that will survive will be at higher elevations (not Dumont).

This President's Weekend had quite the turnout for 2016. BLM reported an estimated 12,000-15,000 people visited Dumont over the holiday weekend. Vendor row was full and quite busy all weekend with some vendors such as GTP Offroad offering end of season blowouts. This was basically the last big holiday weekend for most so many made it count. Sunny and warm weather made for a beautiful weekend with friends and family at the dunes. Aerial photos by Tess Roussin The Las Vegas Jeep Club in coordination with SxS Wars/ K&T Performance put on one of the biggest racing events Dumont has seen in years, Sand Wars! Excitement has been brewing leading up to this event. Many remember last year where there were no races at all due to time constraints and personal commitments with some of the organizers. Well this year they made up for it big time with the Sand Wars. The event was a perfect mix of old and new. Many are into the old Jeeps and dragsters, while the side x sides have grown HUGE in popularity. Guys like K&T Performance have taken the Polaris RZR to levels nobody has seen before. On Saturday, duners pulled up and filled the area scouting for the best spot to watch the races. The races consisted of the Jeep Club doing their regular format of hill climb drag races along with their Turtle Crawl. In addition to the Jeep races, the multiple class side x sides raced on the hill as well. The tricked out side x sides turned heads when they lined up and pulled the front tires off the ground. Many don't ever expect that kind of performance from a side x side. Sunday consisted of the 300' sand drag competition with both the dragsters and UTV classes. With the large crowds you can guess what the nightlife was like over at Comp Hill. Rows and rows of lighted whips and lights filled the entire staging area of Comp. Photographer, Jason Wink, caught some great long exposure shots of the action. In addition to the excitement going on at Sand Wars, Comp Hill, vendor row, camp and of course the dunes, Banshee Hill had a huge gathering in itself. Racers from Utah, CA, and AZ came out to race each other in typical holiday weekend fashion. North Shore Drag Racing shared some photos of the action. Throughout the weekend the BLM staff opened it's doors to the public at the Dumont Dunes visitor center. They hosted a "Meet the Medics" open house and desert wildlife display. Flight for Life made numerous landings throughout the weekend. We only heard of one fatality, but that is one too many. A Utah man died while racing his Banshee on Banshee Hill. Other injuries occurred in other various accidents including a couple accidents on Comp Hill and a broken femur which was near a major artery and the person required immediate Flight for Life medical attention. To share your own pics and stories, hop on to our forum and post it to the community, http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=20585

For some people, a wedding engagement usually takes place in a hot air balloon or over a candle lit dinner. Well not for this couple! After being together for 4 years it was time to make it official. Over President's Day Weekend, Kennon Werner popped the question to his girlfriend, Brittnee Bennett, at the top of Comp Hill. The couple, from St George, UT, have been together for 4 years and visit several dunes throughout the year. Dumont has always been a favorite for them and will now hold a special meaning. Congratulations to Kennon and Brittnee!

Over President's Weekend around 3 PM on Friday afternoon, a Utah man was killed while racing his Banshee ATV up Banshee Hill. He apparently rode off of a steep drop off at the top of the hill. While it it uncertain at this point, some assumed his throttle stuck. Flight for Life was called out but it was too late and he succumbed to his injuries and passed away in his son's arms at Dumont. CHP and the coroner were called in because of the fatal accident. The man, Tony Costanzo, was 53 and was from Provo, Utah. Drag racing Banshees was his passion. If you would like to help his family with burial expenses, please follow the GoFundMe link, https://www.gofundme.com/mkamnhac Forum link, http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=20587

It's one of the biggest holiday weekends of the season, President's Day Weekend! Not only is it a holiday weekend, but this year the Las Vegas Jeep club is coming back with even more action. The Las Vegas Jeep Club and K&T Performance's SXS Wars have teamed up to bring you SANDWARS over President's Day Weekend. That's right. There will be hill climbs and drag races with multiple classes of Jeeps and side x sides. More info on Sand Wars here. The BLM will have their Dumont Visitor Center Open all weekend with information about Dumont and it's surrounding areas. They will also have JR Ranger Activity Guides for kids 6-12 yrs old. There will be daily safety and wildlife programs at 11 AM and 2 PM. Something new this year is Meet the Medics Open House! At 4:30 on Feb 13th. There will be free coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks while you get a chance to meet the BLM staff that manages Dumont Dunes. Oh and one last things...DUNING! Don't forget to go have some fun in the sand and tear it up. The dunes are in great condition right about now. We wish you all a fun filled weekend and like always, keep an extra eye out for each other. Happy duning!

Although it was technically a holiday weekend out Dumont, you would never know it by the looks of things. The only action was at Banshee Hill on Saturday for Four Stroke Association's Four Stroke Wars Xv, their 15 year Anniversary race. As for the rest of the place, it was quiet and empty. "Ghost town" was the phrase that was used. It was a duners weekend...a time to post up on top of a dune and enjoy the silence. By the looks of the member-submitted pics, that is exactly what a few did. Although Dumont offers a great party atmosphere on big holidays, it is just the opposite and is a great place to unwind and turn your brain off on quiet weekends like this one. H Town Performance UTVs Gary Frey says, "Great weekend. Practically had the dunes to ourselves" Derek Carlson posted, "Perfect weather, it was a ghost town." agphd on Instagram posted "Way Too Much Funn!!!" mineurbiz on top of Banshee Hill looking down at the 4 Stroke Wars Kelly's RV Rentals checking out the races Amy O'Malley Miles posted, "‎MLK weekend. Chillin' with my family on Banshee Hill & took this cool pic of my bike. Awesome trip!" forum discussion, http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=20541

A Polaris RZR went up in flames Friday afternoon near Banshee Hill. It appears everyone was OK. They had just enough time to pull the seats and some gear out of it.

Sand Drags and Hill Climbs presented by the Las Vegas Jeep Club and SXS Wars presented by K&T Performance Sand Wars 2016 is just around the corner on President’s Day Weekend February 13-15 at the Dumont Dunes, CA. The full event flyer has been released with info on both the Las Vegas Jeep Club Jeep/Truck/Car part of the program as well as the SXS Wars UTV racing presented by K&T Performance. The Jeep Club side of things will see the normal Jamboree format with Hill Climbs on Saturday followed by 100 yard Sand Drags on Sunday. There have been some tweaks to the class structure for the Sand Drags, full details are listed below. The SXS Wars will feature UTV action with Hill Races on Saturday (on the same steep hill facing the camp area as the Jeeps) followed by racing on the 100 yard Sand Drags on Sunday. This is shaping up to be a great weekend of racing at the Dumont Dunes. For more info on this event, contact Shawn Thompson 702-378-3571 or Dave Stidham at 702-338-4606 for Las Vegas Jeep Club info, or Matt Ling at 559-312-6312 for Side by Side Wars UTV info.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year. This year it is on the 18th. MLK Weekend is designated a holiday weekend by the BLM meaning a holiday pass is required. The holiday pass dates for MLK are as follows: Jan 12 - Jan 18, 2016. MLK Weekend is never very busy. It is actually quite peaceful and most look at it as a "duners weekend". It's a chance to escape the crowds and get some quality duning in without the added stress of dune traffic.

2016! Despite overnight lows below freezing, duners still went out and celebrated the new year at Dumont. Everyone was bundled up in jackets and beenies but also managed to stay extra warm with some daytime campfires. This time of year also meant it was time for many to bring out their dried out Christmas trees and light em up in the fire. There wasn't much of a crowd, pretty common for this New Years, but the duners that were there took full advantage of the dunes. It became very choppy from the traffic and the dunes were were rarely empty. Buggies and bikes were seen duning all day and weekend. BLM reported no major incidents. Join the forum discussion, http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=20516 Community submitted photos here, http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/index.php?app=gallery&category=22 member submitted photos

Contact: ATV Safety Institute Media Relations (949) 727- 3727, Ext. 3091 All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Training Available at Dumont Dunes on December 31 and January 1, 2016 January 2, 2016 (if there are enough sign-ups) Kids 6-17 are FREE Adults Free with Purchase of Most New ATVs Dec. 31, Jan 1-2, 2016 two half-day, hands-on ATV RiderCourseSM to learn the proper and safe use of all-terrain vehicles are being offered from 8 am – 12:00 pm and 12:30 pm –4:30 pm near the Dumont Dunes visitor center. The ATV RiderCourse is conducted by certified instructors from the nationally recognized ATV Safety Institute (ASI), which has been conducting these courses for more than 20 years. Information about class location and availability can be found at www.atvsafety.org (click on “Online Enrollment”) or by calling (800) 887-2887. The ASI ATV RiderCourse is free for purchasers of most new ATVs and it is available to others for a reasonable fee. Local ASI Instructors, John and Nicole Slapper said, “It’s critical that riders and non-riders alike understand the importance of the safe and responsible use of ATVs. Parental supervision is a key element to a child's safety and children under the age of 16 must be supervised at all times when operating an ATV. Parents literally hold the key to their children’s safety. Every ATV has an ignition key, and when a parent or guardian controls the key, they control the ATV’s use.” The ATV RiderCourse offers training for youth aged 6-11 where a parent or guardian must be present or participate in the training, as well as training for teens and adults. The course is conducted completely outdoors and students practice basic safety techniques with hands-on exercises covering starting and stopping, turning – both gradual and quick – negotiating hills, emergency stopping and swerving, and riding over obstacles. Particular emphasis is placed on the safety implications relating to each lesson. The course also covers protective gear, environmental responsibility and state and local laws. The ATV Safety Institute also offers free interactive online courses for youth, teens and adults on its website in preparation for taking a hands-on ATV RiderCourse or as a refresher after they have taken a course. The ATV Safety Institute's Golden Rules: 1. Always wear a helmet and other protective gear. 2. Never ride on public roads - another vehicle could hit you. 3. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. 4. Never carry a passenger on a single-rider vehicle. 5. Ride an ATV that's right for your age. 6. Supervise riders younger than 16; ATVs are not toys. 7. Ride only on designated trails and at a safe speed. 8. Take an ATV RiderCourse SM ; Call Toll-Free at (800) 887-2887, or go to www.atvsafety.org. The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute ® (ASI), a not-for-profit division of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America ® (SVIA), was formed in 1988 to implement an expanded national program of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety education and awareness. The ASI’s primary goal is to promote the safe and responsible use of ATVs, thereby reducing crashes and injuries that may result from improper ATV operation by the rider. For safety information or to enroll in the ATV RiderCourse SM nearest you, visit www.atvsafety.org and click on “Online Enrollment” or call (800) 887-2887. View or download this as a PDF File: RiderCourse_Site_Awareness_News_Release.pdf

Almost 30 buggies made it out this year for our annual Buggy Roundup! The wind blew all weekend but the dunes were empty and we had the place all to ourselves. Some made it a 4 day weekend and some made it for the day on Saturday to get in on the fun. We had a handful of really great group dune rides and plenty of camp antics. Big bonfires, action packed games of flipcup, and a live streaming of UFC kept us all entertained at night. Thanks to everyone who made it out! Check out the pics and stories on the forum, http://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=20475. If you were there, post up your stories and pics from the weekend and tell us how it was for you.