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Lot camping Opinions/Advice (Tent, Car, Trailer, Etc)
For those of you that don't live near the mountain: do you ever sleep in the parking lots (or near the mountain) to save money/be first in line? If so, what is your setup and how is it?
I'm talking anything from sleeping in the back of your car all the way up to sleeping in a trailer (not gonna include RVs because of course you're gonna use one if you have one; plus they are a tad expensive)
It's one thing when I go up with a group; but when I go up alone and meet people there, it just gets old crashing on couches, paying for hotels, etc.
I was thinking I could save some money in this regard with something like a rooftop tent, teardrop trailer, etc.
I have slept in my car and, while doable, it is not my ideal situation.
Leaning toward a rooftop tent if I do decide on one of these, but wanna hear anyone's input/experiences (pro or con) on "camping" to ride.
alright so theres a few thoughts i have when it comes to pulling this stuff off.
1. not everywhere let’s you post up for the night. pretty much all of summit county has outlawed sleeping in your car and they’ll wake you up and give you tickets if you’re for example living in the walmart parking lot in frisco. do your homework before hand on what’s legal and what’s not. even if it’s illegal, you can usually find some places that aren’t as heavily trafficked. (this is summit county specific, but check out your local spot before hand and get the low down.)
2. car camping or truck bed camping will be nicer than one of those roof top tents. those things, while nice, aren’t really cut out to be an overnight winter home. it’ll be mega windy and cold.
3. i always go the car camping route, and since i got a truck, the truck bed camper route. it’s more lowkey, so if you’re staying somewhere you shouldn’t be, people don’t really tend tend to notice a tacoma with a topper as much as they would a roof top tent or an rv. you can spend like 60 bucks on some lumber and build a platform in the back to throw gear underneath and no one will ever know you’re there.
4. if you’re in a car, always crack a window or else you’ll wake up wet from your own breath. not really fun to start of your morning that way.
tldr; don’t get a tent or a trailer, keep
it lowkey and you won’t get caught
I use a pickup truck with a tent that pops up over the bed. For keeping warm I use a mr buddy heater and a coleman stove to cook, they use the same kind of propane tanks which can be bought at walmart so thats a plus. As far as sleeping arrangements, I use a thermarest mondoking with a bunch of sleeping bags. I think one of the most important things you can do is get a mattress with a high r value to keep your body heat in while you sleep. I also keep a gatorade bottle or 2 by the bed so I don't have to go outside to pee, its all about keeping warm. Honestly having to set a tent up in the cold sucks ass so if you can get a truck with a topper then do that instead. And if it's going to get below 20 degrees then I would avoid camping all together because its pretty fucking miserable when you wake up and everything is frozen.
ConesForBreakfasAnyone got any info/advice for doing this at Hood during may?
Hood can actually be more trouble than it's worth. I had a friend who was living out of his van and a ranger ultimately made him leave the van and charged him with living permanently on federal land or something, a whole big mess that resulted in him parking his van in town and coming back with a tent.
I got a 4runner that I fold the back seats down and sleep in. Bring two sleeping bags and I put two pairs of socks on as well cuz my feet seem to get cold. Other than that I just wear long johns and sleep like a baby. I've camped in -5 F degrees like this and was very comfortable. My buddy who has a similar setup camped in -20 F and said it was a little cold, but not bad.
You don't need a heater.
You can make these setups as complex or simple as you'd like. Bringing two sleeping bags in the most important part
Moidalright so theres a few thoughts i have when it comes to pulling this stuff off.
1. not everywhere let’s you post up for the night. pretty much all of summit county has outlawed sleeping in your car and they’ll wake you up and give you tickets if you’re for example living in the walmart parking lot in frisco. do your homework before hand on what’s legal and what’s not. even if it’s illegal, you can usually find some places that aren’t as heavily trafficked. (this is summit county specific, but check out your local spot before hand and get the low down.)
2. car camping or truck bed camping will be nicer than one of those roof top tents. those things, while nice, aren’t really cut out to be an overnight winter home. it’ll be mega windy and cold.
3. i always go the car camping route, and since i got a truck, the truck bed camper route. it’s more lowkey, so if you’re staying somewhere you shouldn’t be, people don’t really tend tend to notice a tacoma with a topper as much as they would a roof top tent or an rv. you can spend like 60 bucks on some lumber and build a platform in the back to throw gear underneath and no one will ever know you’re there.
4. if you’re in a car, always crack a window or else you’ll wake up wet from your own breath. not really fun to start of your morning that way.
tldr; don’t get a tent or a trailer, keep
it lowkey and you won’t get caught
Hell ya, all good pointers!
I should note that I will be doing this mostly in the Sierra's: a few of the resorts tolerate/allow overnight in the parking lots; and for the ones that don't, we are blessed with about twenty sno-parks throughout the region! For $25 a year, one can park a car, trailer, RV, etc. in designated lots along the highway or near popular backcountry spots and resorts (they are marked "sno-park"). Pretty much every resort/mountain in the Tahoe area has one of these 15 minutes away from it at most (often times 5 or less).
I have gone the car camping route in my Subaru XV a few times (I have about 6' 2" of room when I put the seats all the way up): platform in the back, cut to fit mats on that, then I place sleeping pads on that and use a sub-zero sleeping bag. Have window deflectors so I can keep the window cracked without letting storm in. I guess I am just looking for alternatives/to upgrade it more? I don't have the greatest back (scoliosis), so the closer I can get myself to a real bed setup, the better. Even better the closer I can get to resembling a mobile living space beyond that of simply sleeping in the car.
What deterred me from getting a trailer (besides the obvious costs associated with buying one or the effort associated with building one) was towing that son of a bitch of mountain passes: I often will drive through blizzards over the passes after work (at night) to get some fresh lines the next morning, and I can't imagine that being fun with a big hunk of metal/wood in tow.
The rooftop tent appealed because it seemed easy to setup/take-down, they come with built in memory foam beds, and they allow the car to be used for storage/a kitchen/drying gear. Normally I would agree that they are not equip to handle a blizzard (one of my chief concerns), but from what I can gather, there are some that are designed for snow use and that people claim to work really well for them.
For example, this Maggnolia Extreme was allegedly designed for back-country touring, can be equip with anti condensation mats and extra insulation, and (unlike other tents that would get stiff and hard to put away in the cold) it strikes down in minutes (people claim) due to the crank system. Can also be upgraded with an annex/changing room to cover the ladder area.
The referenced post has been removed.
Ah see if I had these larger cars like all you guys I'd probably be in a better boat: I'm sleeping out of my Subaru XV when I do it: enough room when I put the chairs up, but it def is cozy haha. Plus the with my dog, it gets a little cramped.
Any advice/guides on making them more complex? I've got a bed platform, cut to fit mats, etc: all the standard stuff. I've gone the car camping route and I'm just looking for alternatives or upgrades. It's why I liked the idea of the rooftop tent: that becomes your bedroom and the car can be used for something else.
Also, where do you normally car camp it? What region do your normally ride?
Sfont87If it’s within your budget you could build out a van
Thought about this. Honestly with friends in the solar, electrical, and automotive industries, it wouldn't be too bad to convert a van to a living space.
Where it was becoming cost prohibitive for me, was finding a van that had 4x4/AWD (or converting). No matter how I figured it, it added at least 10k to 15k to the project. I've always driven in the snow in trucks or AWD cars, so I don't want to start having to out chains on a van.
If anyone here has cheaper suggestions on conversions orknows where to get a cheap 4x4 van though.....
druseph33Thought about this. Honestly with friends in the solar, electrical, and automotive industries, it wouldn't be too bad to convert a van to a living space.
Where it was becoming cost prohibitive for me, was finding a van that had 4x4/AWD (or converting). No matter how I figured it, it added at least 10k to 15k to the project. I've always driven in the snow in trucks or AWD cars, so I don't want to start having to out chains on a van.
If anyone here has cheaper suggestions on conversions orknows where to get a cheap 4x4 van though.....
Check a junk yards for parts. Use YouTube to do all the work yourself. It'll save you thousands
I should note that I will be doing this mostly in the Sierra's: a few of the resorts tolerate/allow overnight in the parking lots; and for the ones that don't, we are blessed with about twenty sno-parks throughout the region! For $25 a year, one can park a car, trailer, RV, etc. in designated lots along the highway or near popular backcountry spots and resorts (they are marked "sno-park"). Pretty much every resort/mountain in the Tahoe area has one of these 15 minutes away from it at most (often times 5 or less).
I have gone the car camping route in my Subaru XV a few times (I have about 6' 2" of room when I put the seats all the way up): platform in the back, cut to fit mats on that, then I place sleeping pads on that and use a sub-zero sleeping bag. Have window deflectors so I can keep the window cracked without letting storm in. I guess I am just looking for alternatives/to upgrade it more? I don't have the greatest back (scoliosis), so the closer I can get myself to a real bed setup, the better. Even better the closer I can get to resembling a mobile living space beyond that of simply sleeping in the car.
What deterred me from getting a trailer (besides the obvious costs associated with buying one or the effort associated with building one) was towing that son of a bitch of mountain passes: I often will drive through blizzards over the passes after work (at night) to get some fresh lines the next morning, and I can't imagine that being fun with a big hunk of metal/wood in tow.
The rooftop tent appealed because it seemed easy to setup/take-down, they come with built in memory foam beds, and they allow the car to be used for storage/a kitchen/drying gear. Normally I would agree that they are not equip to handle a blizzard (one of my chief concerns), but from what I can gather, there are some that are designed for snow use and that people claim to work really well for them.
For example, this Maggnolia Extreme was allegedly designed for back-country touring, can be equip with anti condensation mats and extra insulation, and (unlike other tents that would get stiff and hard to put away in the cold) it strikes down in minutes (people claim) due to the crank system. Can also be upgraded with an annex/changing room to cover the ladder area.
Ah see if I had these larger cars like all you guys I'd probably be in a better boat: I'm sleeping out of my Subaru XV when I do it: enough room when I put the chairs up, but it def is cozy haha. Plus the with my dog, it gets a little cramped.
Any advice/guides on making them more complex? I've got a bed platform, cut to fit mats, etc: all the standard stuff. I've gone the car camping route and I'm just looking for alternatives or upgrades. It's why I liked the idea of the rooftop tent: that becomes your bedroom and the car can be used for something else.
Also, where do you normally car camp it? What region do your normally ride?
I'm at hood most of the time, bachy sometimes too. If you already have the platforms and pads and stuff in your car that's about as complex as you can get in a car I think. I don't think anybody has ever put a stove or something inside a car, but maybe haha. It's pretty easy to make the platforms hinged so you can fold your seats back up without having to remove the platforms. That's about as good as it gets I think.
I go the sno-park route too. There's one 2 minutes from the Meadows lodge
Being in the Sierras/Tahoe another thing you need to think about is if you are camping in heavy snowfall will a rooftop tent/pop up be strong enough to handle the snow? To me it seem like your best bet is a truck or AWD/4WD van. Safari/Astro vans are the first thing that pops into my head. I have a couple of friends who camp/live out of their Safari/Astro and it seems like the most ideal way to ski bum. Otherwise I would say get a truck with a camper shell/topper or a slide in truck camper depending on what amenities you want.
Liam_j10I just put a mattress in the back of my suv
Same. Old futon mattress in the back of my Jeep. Leave a window cracked, and climb into a nice winter sleeping bag with a solid whiskey blanket on top of that. Works every time.
wass41Same. Old futon mattress in the back of my Jeep. Leave a window cracked, and climb into a nice winter sleeping bag with a solid whiskey blanket on top of that. Works every time.
Fr, doesnt need to be anything more than that haha
It seems, barring some crazy mods to turn my car into a mini-camper, I have reached the limit on outfitting my little crossover (I have seen guys put thousands in to tear out the seats, create kitchens, wire outlet, etc but at that rate, I could just get a van or trailer).
Trust me guys, If I didn't already have my perfectly functioning payed off Crosstrek, I would absolutely take ya'lls advice and just go with a big truck for the shell or a big SUV to slap a mattress in the back haha.
I would absolutely love to convert a van, it just seems like an expensive option when you factor in the 4x4 (or time consuming if you DIY it).
As for the snow load on the roof tents: I cannot speak from personal experience, but from the research I have gathered and the reviews I have read: the snow seems to slide off the roof on its own for the most part; and when it doesn't, the roof is able to hold a significant load anyway (they can be outfitted with a roof rack on top of the tent to carry bikes, skis, canoes, etc).
Side note: are Sno-Parks only a west coast thing? I see/hear of them in CA/WA/OR, but never hear of them elsewhere....
I lived in my VW Jetta sedan for 7 weeks this summer full time. My best advice is that you are living out of your car not living inyour car. Spend as little time in the car as you can, doing other activities when not skiing like going to the gym or the bar. 4pm to bed time after the lifts stop turning start to feel a lot longer when you have nowhere to go. Make a plan of something to do with yourself.
-Have external battery packs to charge your phone without having to run your engine
-Laundry bag. Keep your clean clothes and dirty clothes separate. Laundry mats are also a easy way to get inside in the evenings when it's really cold.
everything else other people have already said, maybe ill think of more things and update this post.
druseph33If anyone here has cheaper suggestions on conversions orknows where to get a cheap 4x4 van though.....
So like someone else mentioned GMC safari and Astro vans are pretty much it as far as affordable 4wd vans go. But neither of them are made in a stand up height which kinds sucks, then again they will fit in garages and drivethrus. Ford announced 2020 Transit vans will come in AWD, I am currently selling my '15 Transit to buy one, but they are gonna be like $50k, same price as a used 4wd sprinter with 80k miles on it.
I had snow tires and still got stuck a couple times, so I'm considering 4wd a necessity.
Well if nothing else, this thread has a host of useful stealth/car camping info.
Now, as for vans: I have, in fact, been looking into GMC safaris as some of you have mentioned. They do seem to check all boxes in terms of what I need. Plus, I can find a used one in decent shape for roughly the same price as a roof tent, so kinda seems like a no brainier.
And the lack of standing room could be solved down the road by upgrading the roof I'm thinking.....
Gonna crunch some numbers and figure a few things out and maybe return to this thread plus one old van Haha.
Keep it coming on the advice though guys. I'll probably be doing a roadtrip this winter, so any tips are appreciated (especially if you have the low-down on some good boondocking spots)
**This post was edited on Oct 8th 2019 at 1:19:52pm
Another vehicle you could consider could be the Mitsubishi Delica. They are relatively cheap and have 4wd. Only downsides are they are a bit old and pretty small.
Sfont87Another vehicle you could consider could be the Mitsubishi Delica. They are relatively cheap and have 4wd. Only downsides are they are a bit old and pretty small.
Delica are super cool: that true 4x4 they have makes them very capable off road and in snow.
That being said, they seem to be more expensive than the Safaris/Astros/Expresses ($10000ish range vs $5000ish range)
Plus that right hand drive would be..... interesting, to say the least hah
druseph33Delica are super cool: that true 4x4 they have makes them very capable off road and in snow.
That being said, they seem to be more expensive than the Safaris/Astros/Expresses ($10000ish range vs $5000ish range)
Plus that right hand drive would be..... interesting, to say the least hah
Yeah the right hand drive thing could be an issue😂 I saw one parked on the side of the road on my way to school and thought it looked pretty cool, but I didn’t look too closely at it
druseph33Delica are super cool: that true 4x4 they have makes them very capable off road and in snow.
That being said, they seem to be more expensive than the Safaris/Astros/Expresses ($10000ish range vs $5000ish range)
Plus that right hand drive would be..... interesting, to say the least hah
This is the route I went. I got a 1992 Mitsubishi Delica, the dream has always been a sprinter van, but Couldn’t quite afford one (I’m a senior in hs). I was lucky enough too find one for only 2,000 usd, with about 200,000 miles, my dad and I are currently building it out, the plan is to have it done by ski season. So far I’ve insulated in with sheep wool, put in tongue and groove cedar paneling on the roof and built drawers in the back, and a slide out kitchen. I live about 2 1/2 hours from my favorite ski resort (whitewater) and my friend and I used to camp in the back of his truck, so this is meant to be an upgrade. I would say this is the cheapest answer to the 4x4 diesel van question mark. So far I haven’t had any major issues, neither has my friend, he’s owned his for 2 years, and I’ve owned mine for one year, but that being said their old vehicles. They get good gas mileage, I get about 24mpg, and they’re good winter vehicles. The downsides is that it requires more maintenance, and parts are significantly more expensive, however there is a growing community of delicas. Also surprisingly you get used to the rhd really quickly!
So this is the set up I rock with for skiing. Probably cost me $120 and a couple hours to put it all together. Its split in two parts so I can easily remove it if I need to. the only thing connecting both halves is just a simple drop pin but the key is the little split thing I made in the middle to connect them. I got some super cheap walmart shelves/box things that ill put food stuff, clothes, etc in to try and stay organized. I sleep on the passenger side and I also created a moveable headrest to give me that extra length so I can lay out fully (im 6'1ish) but also still use my pax seat if I need it. I can comfortably store 3 skis (1 park, 1 all mtn ~100mm underfoot and 1 pow set up ~119 underfoot) underneath it. Lemme know if you have any questions, Ive camped out in a ton of random places but I mostly find national forrest to be the easiest. Also my car is 16 Subaru forrester for scale/size im working with.
edit- totally didnt read entirely through the thread to see that you already have a set up, just looking for alternatives. Cant help you there haha but heres just what i got. I used this a ton around the sierras last year and im planning to do the same this year.
**This post was edited on Oct 15th 2019 at 5:51:46pm
