Quite a few of our friends who live on the east side of Washington (hot/dry in summer, cold/snowy in winter) have become snowbirds. Most choose the SW desert for their winter nest. My guess is it is fairly close, and they are already acclimated to dry heat so can tolerate it much better than I. We tried it one winter and enjoyed some beautiful camping (Singing Dunes, Superstitious Mountains, Joshua Tree, Lake Havesu). My take-away was: hot, dry, no trees, very little water. Nice hiking, gorgeous sunsets. I'm glad we spent some time there, but the desert is not for me. It's a big world out there - nice to find your own sweet spot(s), and to also explore other regions. We head south again after the holidays, perhaps down to Mexico or SE to Texas. We'll see which way the wind blows us.
