Ski RV's, who's sleeping in parking lots?

[GeezerSteve]

Curious if your batteries (assume 2 deepcycle 12V?) are stored within the heated portion of the camper, or are exposed to the cold at those temps.

Yes, 2 x 12V deep cycle. Batteries in recent FWCs in floor level interior cabinet, proximate to heater, i.e., pretty much interior, and easily warmed up a bit more by cracking cabinet door open.

The furnace is late-70s vintage. I expect a 2014 furnace would be somewhat more efficient.

More than somewhat. More like 2X or 3X less current draw.

Where do you live that +5 F is considered cold?

PNW. We have had nights in the interior down to -12F, slept fine in winter bags.

[mattig]

That's a foreign concept to me. The whole notion of getting opinions from others is about different points of view I had not considered from where I see it.
And I thought the point of a travel rig was to travel to unknown locations. I guess your mileage varies. Good luck with your rig.

That's a foreign concept to me. The whole notion of getting opinions from others is about different points of view I had not considered from where I see it.
And I thought the point of a travel rig was to travel to unknown locations. I guess your mileage varies. Good luck with your rig.

I love you and all your opinions. Let's not fight anymore.

I have low self esteem and have chosen to take it out on skinny jeaned, man-bunned, beard-oiled betas and their incessant YouTube/IG hyperfocus on bullshit that just doesn't fucking matter. Not saying this describes you, just that I've lumped "stealth camping" in with these other hate list items. Hatred is not righteous or enlightened, but it's just like, my opinion or whatever.

Yes , point of travel rig is to travel, but point of my travel rig is to stay at the mountain on Saturday nights. If I use it to camp or fish, I also know where I'll park and how much I'll pay for it. One price I will never pay is that of the soul-crushing shame of spending the night in a Walmart parking lot.

While that hipster records his "stealth camping: Walmart edition" video from his selfie dash cam, there's a guy in a 5th wheel that has been in a busy Target parking lot in West Portland all weekend (without moving or being ticketed) who just doesn't give a fuck.




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[jackattack]

One price I will never pay is that of the soul-crushing shame of spending the night in a Walmart parking lot.

There have been nights when I have absolutely thanked Ullr that I found a Walmart parking lot to sleep in. It's absolutely a worst-case scenario but when you're just too tired to go on and in a strange urban environment it's arguably the best place to be.

Also, "camping" in the Walmart lot is not "stealth" in any way. It's shame-free open camping, everybody knows it and accepts it.

[mattig]

In other news, I just went and looked at a Lance 995. Thing was a fucking palace considering it doesn't need a dually.

It's awfully tempting to just go the camper route and be done with all the internal debate and sprinter build planning.

Feature for feature, the truck/camper would cost about the same as a built out sprinter.


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[mattig]

There have been nights when I have absolutely thanked Ullr that I found a Walmart parking lot to sleep in. It's absolutely a worst-case scenario but when you're just too tired to go on and in a strange urban environment it's arguably the best place to be.

Also, "camping" in the Walmart lot is not "stealth" in any way. It's shame-free open camping, everybody knows it and accepts it.

Yeah, I'm just pretending to dislike stuff at this point to hear myself talk. Camping wherever is all good with me (as long as there's no YouTube vid about it).

I'm not enough of a free spirit to not know where I'm going to sleep/camp in advance. That'll change when I semi-retire some day though.

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[GeezerSteve]

One price I will never pay is that of the soul-crushing shame of spending the night in a Walmart parking lot.

You, sir, are a fragile snowflake

I'm not enough of a free spirit to not know where I'm going to sleep/camp in advance.

Uh, yeah, we get that. Too bad for you

[Rideski]

Yeah that's cool Matt. Nope doesn't describe me in any way, well except the weed part. Well I've been given a few knit hats too. But I have a truck with a shell and a Jeep, and have slept in both a lot.

Also, "camping" in the Walmart lot is not "stealth" in any way. It's shame-free open camping, everybody knows it and accepts it.

Agreed.
And so then my original question before I derailed myself with semantics was the wood stoves from a few posts back.
I was going to use the word stealth but didn't want to annoy Matt

So even though it's not truly stealth being in Wally or dozens of other places (not to mention places you're really not supposed to be) wouldn't it rock the boat a little to have wood smoke rolling out?
The drying aspect sounds great, campfire smell on ski clothes and in the neighbors face not as much.
Do you have secondary heat in case?
Pellets sound like a good idea. compact, clean, no saw, handfull in the dark.

[mattig]

You, sir, are a fragile snowflake

Uh, yeah, we get that. Too bad for you

Et tu, DIY?

I told you, I'm not going to upvote your Walmart stealth camping tutorial.

The free spirit thing is a bummer, and not by choice. I haven't had a full weekday off in 11 years. Long story.

Anyway, none of this tangential imbroglio would be a thing if we were discussing over beers as opposed to internet. I'm pretty sure we need to meet up for that in a certain retail chain parking lot, or at least lot 4 in Feb. I'll be the guy in the van or camper or ? You can say mean things to me. I can cry. It'll be great!

/Hijack.





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[mattig]

And so then my original question before I derailed myself with semantics was the wood stoves from a few posts back.
I was going to use the word stealth but didn't want to annoy Matt

So even though it's not truly stealth being in Wally or dozens of other places (not to mention places you're really not supposed to be) wouldn't it rock the boat a little to have wood smoke rolling out?
The drying aspect sounds great, campfire smell on ski clothes and in the neighbors face not as much.
Do you have secondary heat in case?
Pellets sound like a good idea. compact, clean, no saw, handfull in the dark.

I tried to find a way to be cynical about the wood stove thing, but they do seem pretty cool for cold/humid applications especially.

Could you get away with that as the only source of heat? I feel like I might still want propane or diesel in a pinch, especially if i had a diesel van where the auxiliary heater could pre-heat coolant/motor before taking off in cold weather.

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[willmckay]

I tried to find a way to be cynical about the wood stove thing, but they do seem pretty cool for cold/humid applications especially.

Could you get away with that as the only source of heat? I feel like I might still want propane or diesel in a pinch, especially if i had a diesel van where the auxiliary heater could pre-heat coolant/motor before taking off in cold weather.

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I gave the wood stove a lot of thought before installing it but it just seemed to fit my needs well. I've got a small propane heater as well and that works fine. Also the stove is pretty efficient, really only producing noticeable smoke for the first 20 minutes plus reheating left over pizza has never been easier.

[detrusor]

Has it worked since, or no?

Assume you've already seen this?

Specifically: 5 FMP - Fuel Metering Pump

This had to be replaced on ours, relatively early in it's life.

Also possibly this: 6 Burner Tube

Thanks for the info. Worked great until got to altitude. I think it over fueled relative to the lack of air. Could never get it to fire again.

Being serviced by the local thermoking/Espar shop as we speak.

It’s mounted under the passenger seat with the glow plug and screen facing the center of the vehicle. Means I cannot access without removing the seat. I’d like to switch it 180 degrees and run the heater tubing back around the unit so I can do quick field maintenance.


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[Tnarg]

I'm too lazy and too drunk to search this long ass thread, so flame away! Is anyone here pulling a travel trailer to the hill? I have a GX470 (5500 lb capacity) and I'm debating buying a trailer to pull around WA, BC, OR, ID, and MT. I'm pretty good at pulling a trailer, but I've never done it in snow, and I've definitely never done it going downhill leaving places like Baker and Crystal. I really don't want to sell my rig to buy a van or truck (I've done the Vanagon Syncro thing, wish I'd have kept it at this point) so a 15-20 ft trailer is looking appealing. Anyway, if anyone has any experience positive or negative using a trailer as a mobile ski lodge I'd love to hear it!

[mattig]

I've asked this question in the past and researched the fuck out of it, the consensus is that it's not a good idea if you plan to use it in snow or ice, or if you won't be able to avoid doing so.

That said, if you didn't need to use it and could simply opt to use it during nice weather windows, it can work well. Tap does it that way on Bachy and loves it. Key for him is that if it might snow, he just takes the truck, but if the forecast is dry and roads are dry, he has front row lodging.

Bottom line, you don't want to be caught out in the shit with it, unless you can wait for a safe window.

The counterpoint to all of the above is that it CAN be done if you're driving slow enough with chains on the trailer and trailer brakes, but I didn't hear back from anyone that does that intentionally if they have a choice to do it another way.


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[BCMtnHound]

I'm too lazy and too drunk to search this long ass thread, so flame away! Is anyone here pulling a travel trailer to the hill? I have a GX470 (5500 lb capacity) and I'm debating buying a trailer to pull around WA, BC, OR, ID, and MT. I'm pretty good at pulling a trailer, but I've never done it in snow, and I've definitely never done it going downhill leaving places like Baker and Crystal. I really don't want to sell my rig to buy a van or truck (I've done the Vanagon Syncro thing, wish I'd have kept it at this point) so a 15-20 ft trailer is looking appealing. Anyway, if anyone has any experience positive or negative using a trailer as a mobile ski lodge I'd love to hear it!

It’s doable. Bad roads will slow you down more than most other traffic, you’ll be that guy holding up a dozen vehicles on a mountain road with few pull-outs. Practice with your braking system, especially to correct trailer skidding, is necessary. Make sure your side mirrors are sufficient to see behind the trailer too.
Weight in the tow vehicle is your friend but be very aware of all the vehicle weight specs; maxing out your tow capacity of the GX470 with a squirrelly trailer throwing you around on slick roads will not be fun. Some places/passes require chains on trailers during bad conditions.

[jackattack]

People haul big trailers to Stevens and Mission all the time. Be sure you’re prepared to chain up so your trailer brakes work in bad conditions.

[Micol]

I'm too lazy and too drunk to search this long ass thread, so flame away! Is anyone here pulling a travel trailer to the hill? I have a GX470 (5500 lb capacity) and I'm debating buying a trailer to pull around WA, BC, OR, ID, and MT. I'm pretty good at pulling a trailer, but I've never done it in snow, and I've definitely never done it going downhill leaving places like Baker and Crystal. I really don't want to sell my rig to buy a van or truck (I've done the Vanagon Syncro thing, wish I'd have kept it at this point) so a 15-20 ft trailer is looking appealing. Anyway, if anyone has any experience positive or negative using a trailer as a mobile ski lodge I'd love to hear it!

dont be this guy
trailers is trailers....
pic courtesy of colorado i-70 bitch thread....

[Tnarg]

Goddamn. Can't someone just tell me it's eazy peazy? [emoji23] I have a 90 mile round trip commute that's killing me on gas anyways so I might have to sell the Lexus and just buy an old 3/4 ton truck and slide in. Not looking forward to that hassle though. That being said, I have seen trailers up at Baker. But that road is not one you'd want to jackknife off the side of....

[Tnarg]

dont be this guy
trailers is trailers....
pic courtesy of colorado i-70 bitch thread....

Oh fuck..... That WOULD be me, especially after too many beers in the lodge... Haha

[Micol]

Goddamn. Can't someone just tell me it's eazy peazy? [emoji23] I have a 90 mile round trip commute that's killing me on gas anyways so I might have to sell the Lexus and just buy an old 3/4 ton truck and slide in. Not looking forward to that hassle though. That being said, I have seen trailers up at Baker. But that road is not one you'd want to jackknife off the side of....

i set up a suby forester with a twin foam mattress cut down and curtain rod that circled behind the drivers seats and beyond with black out Polartec fleece curtain, roof box, and i was set, can be done, (total stealth mobile too) dont expect it to also be your daily driver , because some of the systems you put in place to make that work get screwed up when it becomes your everyday transportation, unless you are nomad transient living on the road, and then its all ok.....but a campler is like adding a cats tail to your body sans any benefit of balance improvement...

trailers, black ice, bald tire tourons, 4x2, cell phone yappers, rolling coffee shop talk fests, Q5 speed freaks, no chain semis, etc etc all lead to boat on side of road....beware, you cant control anyone but yerself....

[Name Redacted]

A decent pair of tires on the trailer can solve a lot of these problems as will some trailer brakes.

[LightRanger]

A decent pair of tires on the trailer can solve a lot of these problems as will some trailer brakes.

Word. A small-ish Escape trailer with their winter package plus decent clearance and AT tires would be pretty cool.

[Tnarg]

i set up a suby forester with a twin foam mattress cut down and curtain rod that circled behind the drivers seats and beyond with black out Polartec fleece curtain, roof box, and i was set, can be done, (total stealth mobile too) dont expect it to also be your daily driver , because some of the systems you put in place to make that work get screwed up when it becomes your everyday transportation, unless you are nomad transient living on the road, and then its all ok.....but a campler is like adding a cats tail to your body sans any benefit of balance improvement...

trailers, black ice, bald tire tourons, 4x2, cell phone yappers, rolling coffee shop talk fests, Q5 speed freaks, no chain semis, etc etc all lead to boat on side of road....beware, you cant control anyone but yerself....

I'm too spoiled and into my creature comforts to do the sleeping in subie thing anymore! I lived in the back of a subie back when I was 21 for a while, but with a girl and a 95 lb lab I need more space. I envy those who can still get away with it though

[simple]

Q5 speed freaks

Oops..that might be me. I love drifting it sideways and scaring tourists

[emoji1783][emoji1783]

[mattig]

Word. A small-ish Escape trailer with their winter package plus decent clearance and AT tires would be pretty cool.

I want to say I discussed that option in this very thread. Either way, older, wiser peeps talked me out of it. I still think you could totally get away with it with a big gnarly truck and super light weight little expo trailer (fold out kitchen, bed, heater).

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[teleee]

I use this rig year around. Good tires and trailer brakes, with well distributed weight and I have never had an issue even in the worst of conditions.