Dumont Dunes

16343_101130373247963_8113895_nThe Dumont Dunes are these ginormous sand dunes just north of Baker, off Interstate 15 (you know…home of the World’s Tallest Thermometer). The original Star Wars was partly filmed here — some of the Tattooine scenes, anyway!

I’ve been out there twice. Once, a boyfriend and I went out to hike and look around…and some friendly redneck cruised up in a sand 16343_101130369914630_5983579_nrail (a sort of dune-buggy contraption rednecks use to careen around on the dunes in) and offered us a tour!

That guy took us ALL over the dunes — and that’s no joke! They are huge — and quite steep in parts. He tore down these practically sheer dune faces, much to my terrorized delight — this guy had no fear!

pic by Maze
pic by Maze

He also took us to the far north end of the Dunes, which they call the North Pole, and which is marked by a red-and-white-striped Christmas pole with a mailbox attached, where you can deliver letters to Santa Claus! I don’t think Santa ever checks it, though, because I visited on Dec. 28 or so and the thing was still stuffed full. D’oh!

Anyhoo, Thanksgiving is the big holday out there — each year, tens of thousands of rednecks bring their sand rails, dune buggies, dirt bikes and RVs and camp out at the Dunes for a weekend of racin’, chawin’ and drinkin’. I’ve never gone out for that, but it sounds amazing!

pic by Maze
pic by Maze

I went out there one other time, for a photo shoot with a bunch of other models and my friend, the photographer Michael Maze. We met up with a bunch of wealthy enthusiasts who let us pose with their $200k (!!!) dune buggies, and then took us for a ride up and down the sheer dune faces, just like that other guy did. Fun, but if you want to do a photo shoot, there are better sand dunes…click here.

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