Solve water before anything else
Power gets the attention, but water is what runs people off their land. Most high-desert parcels don't have a well, and drilling one can cost more than the lot did. So plan to haul and store from day one.
- Figure on roughly 50 gallons per person per week once you account for cooking, dishes, and a quick shower. Plan storage for at least three weeks.
- Food-grade poly tanks or IBC totes are the cheapest way to bank a few hundred gallons. Keep them shaded — UV and heat grow algae fast.
- A 12V on-demand pump turns a tank into actual plumbing for under a hundred bucks.
- Know your refill points and their hours before you're empty.
Size solar to your worst week, not your best
The high desert gives you huge sun most of the year, then hands you a cloudy, short-day stretch in winter. Build for the bad week and the good days take care of themselves.
- Add up the watt-hours you actually use in a day instead of guessing at panel count.
- Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries cost more up front but survive deep cycling and cold far better than lead-acid.
- Keep a small inverter generator as backup for the gray-day stretch.
- Most batteries lose capacity below freezing and shouldn't be charged when frozen — insulate the battery box.
You can work from out here now
This is the part that changed in the last few years. Remote work off-grid used to mean driving to town for signal. Not anymore.
- Satellite internet (the low-orbit kind) works where there's zero cell coverage and is the default for most off-grid parcels now.
- If you get even one bar of cell signal, a roof-mounted booster can turn it into a usable hotspot for less money.
- Mount the dish or antenna with a clear shot at open sky — junipers and ridgelines block more than you'd expect.
The "town run" is your real recurring cost
The hidden tax of off-grid life isn't gear — it's the drive. A round trip to a real grocery store can eat a half-day and a tank of gas.
- Buy shelf-stable staples in bulk on a monthly cadence instead of reacting to every shortage.
- Keep a running list so one town trip covers ten errands, not one.
- For the in-between stuff, a local delivery run is almost always cheaper than your own gas and time.
The high desert is not "always hot"
People plan for July and get blindsided by January. At elevation you get real winter — sub-freezing nights, occasional snow — on top of the hot days.
- A small wood stove is the workhorse for heat: no power draw, and fuel you can gather or buy local.
- Insulate and skirt anything you live in.
- Stock heat backup — extra propane, dry firewood under cover — before the first cold snap, not during it.
Plan for the day something goes wrong
Being remote is the whole appeal and also the whole risk. Help is farther away, so you carry more of it yourself.
- Keep a real first-aid kit and know the nearest clinic and fastest route before you need it.
- Tell someone your plans if you're heading further out.
- Clear defensible space around structures and know the burn rules for your season.
- Keep a few days of water, food, fuel, and a way to charge a phone reachable without power.
Out near Concho or St. Johns? We'll bring it to your land.
Water, propane, groceries, gas cans, lumber, a forgotten part from town — Concho Dash runs errands and deliveries straight out to off-grid parcels in the area. No app, no membership. Text what you need.
See what Concho Dash hauls → Text or call · 480-201-7275Want the full version?
The complete High Desert Survival Guide goes deeper on water systems, winter prep, fire safety, and a season-by-season checklist — written from actually living it.
Get the High Desert Survival Guide →