Hopefully the stuff below will help ya out...

GETTING IN: THE GATE

When is the best time to arrive to avoid those long entry lines?
Typically we see the longest lines in the first 18-24 hours of opening.
If you think that showing up right when the Gate opens will allow you to beat the rush, you’re wrong; thousands of other people have the same idea. If you arrive during these hours, expect a long wait at the Gate and pack an extra dose of patience. No one enjoys a “Frustrated Ferguson!” We know you want to experience the dusty playa as soon as you can, but if you can wait a day, you will find your wait time to be much shorter. On all days but opening night, you will find the shortest lines in the early morning hours, generally from 3am-10am.
Can I show up early, before the Gate “opens?”
No! No one likes an “Early Emily.” Our permit stipulations issued by the Bureau of Land Management do not allow participants to arrive before the Gate opens, except for those who are involved in set up and have prior permission. We make an agreement with them about when the event starts, so if we allow people in early, then we would be breaking that agreement.

Also consider this: The pre-event period is when we are building the city, which means there are construction sites and heavy machinery that can be dangerous. Participants wandering the playa will slow down the set up process. We do not yet have the resources to handle participants (medical, staffing, ice, etc.), and people showing up too early taxes the resources we do have.
Well, what if I decide to show up early anyway?
You will be turned away and sent back to Reno. Showing up early may cause you to get into the event later than if you show up on time (really, we mean it). When people show up early, it requires additional attention from our staff, and that means we may have to stick you out in a lot somewhere while we give our attention to the participants who followed the rules. Seriously, it overtaxes our staff and makes things suck for you and us. No one likes a ’Grumpy Gateperson’! If you arrive before the Gate opens you will not be allowed into the event and you may be sent back to Reno.
Can I drive out to Gerlach earlier in the day and just wait in town or along the road until the Gate opens?
NO, NO, NO! This is the worst thing you can do. Under no circumstances should you wait on the side of the road anywhere along highway 447 or 34, or in Gerlach. This is a serious safety hazard and places our event at risk. The road shoulders need to be kept clear for emergency vehicles, and out of the respect for the local residents please do not park in town.
What will make my entry through the Gate easier?
Be prepared; don’t be a ’Disorganized Danny’! When you roll up to the playa, have your ticket and any applicable paperwork (copy of mutant vehicle registration, early arrival pass, etc.) in your hand. Not your friends’ hands, not in your trunk, not in your friend named Hans’ trunk. Be prepared to show your ticket to the Gate volunteer as soon as you hit the gravel (heck, get it ready in Gerlach!).
Your car will be searched at the Gate. If you pack accordingly (and yes, we will want to get to the back of your box truck and have you open that big container) it will make it easier on everyone, which means you get through faster. If you have a large vehicle or a lot of stuff, we appreciate it when you help us during the search. Read the Survival Guide and know what items are not allowed into BRC (firearms, fireworks, dogs, plants, MOOP creating material, unregistered mutant vehicles, and motorcycles or other vehicles that are not your primary transportation).
What if I need to go to Will Call/Box Office?
The following steps should help make your Box Office visit smoother:
  1. Upon arrival, do NOT proceed to the Gate to be searched if you do not have your tickets in hand for all people in the car.
  2. NEW FOR 2011 - WILL CALL IS LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF GATE ROAD AS YOU APPROACH THE GATE. STAY IN THE SECOND LANE FROM THE LEFT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO THE WILL CALL LOT. (The left most lane on Gate Road is the exit lane). This will be BEFORE you reach the Gate.
  3. Go to Will Call/Box Office, get your tickets and return to your vehicle
  4. Guide your vehicle back into the entry lines via the marked lane from the Will Call lot.
  5. Proceed to the Gate for vehicle search and entry into the City!
Do not add an hour (or more!) to your wait time by not following the steps above!
Remember, everyone in your vehicle must have a ticket in hand when you reach the Gate or your entire vehcile will be turned around and sent back to Box Office to sort things out.
Can I run and get my ticket at Will Call while the rest of my crew waits in line?
NO! Too many times we see people who lose their vehicle; there is a better chance than you would expect that it will happen to you too. We don’t allow people to walk in the lanes for safety reasons, and if you wander outside of the fence we may think you are trying to sneak in. That takes our attention away from processing vehicles, which slows things down for everyone.
I keep hearing about a speed limit of 5 mph on Gate Road, is that really true?
Why yes, it is. The faster you drive on Gate Road, the more dust your vehicle kicks up and the more your tires break up the hard packed playa and turn it into fine powder. Much of that dust ends up blowing into the city during high winds.
Gate staff are out in the lanes 24 hours a day, breathing that dust. If you are going too fast, you are more likely to injure our crew, especially when it’s dark or dusty. For the health and safety of the volunteers who help you to get into BRC, don’t be a “Speedy Spencer.” Please obey the 5 mph speed limit!
Woo hoo, I made it to the playa! Can I start the party while I am waiting in line?
Nope! If by party you mean break open a cold one, then no for sure. Gate Road is subject to driving laws like any other road. You can get cited by law enforcement for having an open container in the vehicle, even if the driver is not the one drinking. Every year people get pulled over and cited. Don’t let this happen to you; don’t be a “Lawbreaking Larry.”
What if I am a staff member or a person approved to enter early for set up, what do I need?
If you are arriving before Will Call opens (which is Wednesday pre-event at noon) you MUST have a physical ticket in hand. Everyone must have a ticket for entry, even you. If you show up without a ticket in hand before Will Call opens, you will have to wait at the Gate until your manager or point of contact can deal with the situation. Sometimes this means overnight or for many, many hours. No matter how much you beg us, we cannot let you in without a ticket.

If you are arriving before the Gate opens to the public, you must have an early arrivals pass (the one with the barcode) for entry. Every person in your vehicle must also have a valid barcode, they are not “good for two.” A valid early arrivals pass for everyone in your vehicle is required for entry.

You must print this pass before you arrive at the Gate - we cannot print it for you and we do not accept passes on your phone/computer.

If you are unsure about whether you have the right credentials, talk to your manager before you leave for the playa! They issue these credentials. If you show up at the Gate without the right credentials, we will attempt to help you solve the issue, but we will not let you in without a ticket and an early arrivals pass. Don’t be an ’Uninformed Ursula’!
Hey man, I totally cannot afford a ticket this year. But I plan to get to the Gate and see if I can manifest a miracle through generous gifts from the community. Is that cool?
Please don’t. Please make your miracles happen before you get to the Gate. All too often people who end up at the Gate without money to buy tickets will end up trying to sneak in or will start to suffer from dehydration or worse. As much as we feel for your cause, you will not be allowed to sit at the Gate without a ticket. You will probably get mad at us for asking you to leave, but with a little bit of planning and radical self-reliance we can all get what we want.
I know I don’t have the right paperwork, but it’s not very Burner of you to make me wait here for so long. I’ve been on the road for two days and I’m tired, can’t you just let me in? You guys are kinda mean, what’s up with that?
Dude, no one likes an “Angry Allen” or a “Mean Mary.” The Gate’s job is to make sure that everyone who enters has a ticket, the right paperwork if applicable, and does not possess any prohibited items. We don’t make the rules, nor do we issue the tickets and paperwork you need. If you show up without the proper credentials, or you have prohibited items, we can’t let you in no matter how angry you get or how much you beg.
We will attempt to help you sort out your issues, or tell you what your options are. The process will be what it is, but the more patient and easy going you are, the more enjoyable it will be for everyone.

It’s true, sometimes we are curt with our instructions. Usually that happens during our busiest times, when we are dealing with long lines and people doing things they are not supposed to, and managing multiple issues simultaneously, including some that may impact the safety of our crew and other participants. Sometimes we don’t have the time to explain why; sometimes we just need you to follow our instructions at that moment. Remember, all the instructions you’ll get at the Gate are available far in advance on the Burning Man website.
We’re sorry in advance if we don’t have time to chat!

Please don’t take out your frustration on our staff. They are volunteers, here to help you get into BRC. They are doing their best in difficult situations under difficult circumstances to help make Burning Man happen. Remember, no one likes a “Dishonest Denise” or a “Fencehopping Freddy.” Be patient, play nice and wait your turn. Cutting in line and running through fences not only makes you lame, it will guarantee that you get into the event a lot later than you planned.

GETTING OUT: EXODUS

When is the best time to leave if I want to avoid the line?
Every year is a little different, but these times and days have generally been good:
  • Any time before the Man burns
  • Sunday between 2AM and 5AM
  • Monday between 2AM and 5AM
  • Early morning on Tuesday
What is this Pulsing thing I keep hearing about?
Pulsing is a system of moving vehicles at regular intervals toward the highway on Gate Road to avoid the long slow creep forward that challenges the sanity of even the most patient among us.
With Pulsing, vehicles are allowed to stop and turn off their engines (from an hour to 15 minutes depending on how close you are to the front), then are “pulsed” forward all at once. We generally implement Pulsing during the peak driving hours on Sunday and Monday.
The explanation as to how it specifically operates gets technical, but if you are interested in how we make it work, see HERE.
Does Pulsing get me out quicker?
Nope! The length of time it takes to get out is dictated by the number of cars and the carrying capacity of Highway 34.
Pulsing does nothing to affect either of those factors. Pulsing does accomplish two objectives:
  1. It makes the Exodus (dare we say) more enjoyable for the masses since they are allowed to take a break and mingle with their neighbors during stopped periods
  2. It saves fuel, and we all think that’s a good thing, right?
Last year’s data suggests we were successful in accomplishing both objectives.
Why can’t you guys just make another exit so we don’t have to wait so long?
The answer is simple...all roads lead to the same 2-lane Nevada Highway 34/447. All that traffic still has to merge somewhere. Having more exits would not affect how many cars can travel on the one lane out of town, and therefore it would not make your trip faster. It would also be more dangerous to have the merge on the highway when it is not under the control of our trained Flaggers and staff. Our stipulations with the Bureau of Land Management dictate what the entry/exit point is, and they only allow for one.
Why can’t you use both lanes (both directions) on 34 to speed things up?
If we used both sides of Highway 34, there would be no way to get vehicles (especially emergency vehicles) from Gerlach to Black Rock City (and to points north of BRC). Besides, those two lanes would need to merge to one at some point (we can’t run side-by-side all the way to Reno!), which puts us right back to where we started. It wouldn’t save time...it would just move where the final merge happens. Remember, there are local residents in the area who still need these roads. It isn’t all about Burning Man!
Is there any way to speed up how fast vehicles get on to the highway?
There are a few. The best way is to have positive control of the intersection of the gravel top of Gate Road and Nevada Highway 34. We control that intersection about 18 hours a day on Sunday and Monday with Nevada-Certified Highway Flaggers. With their stop/slow paddles, they make it possible for vehicles to enter the highway without stopping to check if it is clear...it is always clear because the Flaggers stop all other traffic.
The second way is to run two lanes of traffic right up to the edge of the highway, then quickly alternate them out onto the highway. We do this about 50% of the time...if we did it 100% of the time, we would exceed the carrying capacity of the highway. The speed limit through Gerlach is 25mph, so if we allowed vehicles to exit the playa more quickly the resulting backups would move from the playa into town, and that could lead to additional traffic issues. This would be bad.
What happens if I just decide to head across the playa and find my own exit?
Any vehicles found to be outside the perimeter of BRC or Gate Road are in violation of the Event Closure Area. Closure Area violations are ticketed by the BLM. They really are out there watching and you will be ticketed. Then you will be returned to the back of the Exodus line. Sounds fun, right? Also, some areas of the playa are thick mud hidden by a seemingly dry surface. Every year vehicles get stuck in that muck trying to escape the line. We laugh and point at the cheaters.
I just really hate sitting in my car during Exodus, isn’t there any way it can be better?
YES! You can volunteer with Exodus! Not only does this mean that you will get to be outside moving around while others are waiting in that line, but you will also be contributing to making this process better for our community.
Burning Man’s very existence depends upon on people generously gifting their time, energy, and resources to make the event happen, and this doesn’t end with Exodus. Think Exodus can be better? Then help make it happen!
Is there a place I can dump my trash on the way home?
There are many authorized locations that will happily take your trash and recycling for you. See HERE!
As tempting as it may seem, you may not dump your trash in privately-owned dumpsters or dumpsters at stores and commercial centers. Every year we get complaints from local citizens about this issue. And if you dump your trash on the side of the highway you are ultimately making others in your community clean up after you, and that is truly unprincipled and lame.
Why do I see trash along the side of the highway after the event?
We encourage participants to secure their loads properly. Many do. A small percentage do not. And a small percentage of 20,000+ vehicles is still a lot. Please act responsibly and make sure to pack your loads, including trash, securely!