Rare rains, mud temporarily close Burning Man

Artists and volunteers work on the Temple of Grace at the annual Burning Man event on the Black Rock Desert of Gerlach, Nev, on Aug. 24, 2014, a day before the event opens to ticket holders. (AP Photo/Reno Gazette-Journal, Andy Barron) NO SALES; NEVADA APPEAL OUT; SOUTH RENO WEEKLY OUT Artists and volunteers work on the Temple of Grace at the annual Burning Man event on the Black Rock Desert of Gerlach, Nev, on Aug. 24, 2014, a day before the event opens to ticket holders. (AP Photo/Reno Gazette-Journal, Andy Barron) NO SALES; NEVADA APPEAL OUT; SOUTH RENO WEEKLY OUT

By Associated Press August 25, 2014 2 min read

BLACK ROCK DESERT, Nev. (AP) – Thousands of Burning Man enthusiasts were on the outside looking in Monday after a rare batch of heavy rain forced organizers to temporarily close entry to the counterculture event in the desert 90 miles north of Reno.

Standing water made a muddy mess Monday morning of the Black Rock Desert playa, where numerous vehicles were stuck and northbound traffic on State Highway 447 was being turned back toward Reno.

Organizers said the event would remain closed through Monday and possibly into Tuesday with a chance of rain in the forecast overnight.

Last year, a record 68,000 people attended the event that runs through the Labor Day weekend.

Several hundred people who entered the gates during Sunday’s opening were being told to remain in place at their camps. Many who didn’t make it to event before the gates closed were descending on Pyramid Lake to set up camp about 30 miles northwest of Reno.