 Poster: A snowHead
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@Weathercam, when I am talking about bad weather, I obviously do not mean snow covered roads and snowing. Hence why I said snow chains and front wheel drive. I am talking about weather you would not ski in. For me that usually means avalanche risk is high.
Watch the weather, and anticipate where the dump is going to come. Drive there before the snow comes, and stay the night. The snow will be there when you get up in the morning.
One such morning.... (oh what a beautiful day!)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Bigtipper wrote: |
More insulation, less windows. Get a latex reflex foam mattress. Very cheap, rolls up and delivered in a roll. Unrolls and expands to full normal size mattress. Super comfortable. (I also have a 3 inch memory foam topper which I put on spring based mattresses. I would not go back to spring based mattresses now, even if it means I have to change the mattress more often)
Build a box under the bed to store skis. The higher the bed height, the warmer you will be. Keep a basin for the cold air to fall to in the van (like an igloo basin for cold air).
Maybe add a urinal, or a portaloo.
Some heating? |
The latex mattress sounds interesting. I don`t really want to build any boxes or beds myself though, still haunted by my year as an apprentice joiner a very very long time ago.
I`ve got a urinal, an empty volvic bottle 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| dode wrote: |
@Deedee, rock'n'roll beds are surprisingly comfy. What you should fit depends on your budget and what you will use it for really. Curtains/fly screens and tables are probably essential.
Leisure battery for habitation lighting?
Hook up socket for 110v.
Poptop roof so you can stand up in the back, need to put skis in a tailgate rack if you did.
Not sure how far north you are, but getting gas might be a good idea for heating. (It will also serve to heat a water heater, work fridge, allow a hob/grill... depending on how far you want to go.)
Plenty of dedicated vw forums and conversion sites out there for ideas/advice. |
A pop-up roof would cost me almost as much as i paid for the van! Looking into getting some kind of night heater but they`re pretty expensive. I`ve got a really warm sleeping bag and the van is getting insulated so it might not be too bad. Good camping tip actually is to use your stove to heat up a hot water bottle 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Deedee wrote: |
The latex mattress sounds interesting. I don`t really want to build any boxes or beds myself though, still haunted by my year as an apprentice joiner a very very long time ago.
I`ve got a urinal, an empty volvic bottle |
The base of a futon fits in the back of most vans (you might have to trim around the wheel arches). I used a futon and futon mattresses. (I had to change them due to liquid spills on the first mattress and the consequent problems with cold and wet conditions).
If you sit it on raised planks, you can get your skis underneath.
An empty volvic bottle was not sufficient for me. I used a 5 gallon petrol can, with a long funnel.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@alyefs, Surely now you live in the alps you would have observed what locals drive around in. In Les Arcs it is mainly beatup small citerons and such like. Very rarely do they have 4 wheel drive.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It was your characteristic disparaging reference to "tourists" that prompted me, @Weathercam. Most of us are "tourists", sadly unable to charge our skiing related expenses to a business account. You are welcome to "perceive" and roll eyes at my lifestyle. I'm happy to say that people who know me personally do not see me as "over-cautious". Indeed, things such as driving hundreds of miles alone round the bundu in southern Africa (sometimes on a motor bike) or sleeping overnight in the car in French motorway aires have been described by some as positively foolhardy. I don't know why you've jumped to the conclusion that I'm afraid to drive in Paris but then, neither do I particularly care.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 26-08-16 21:55; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
You can get yours into a volvic bottle?
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No, @ski3, into a large funnel..... 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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It's when you need to go in the freezing cold and can't even find it that causes many problems  and leads to jokes like, I was only trying to warm it up before use officer that may lead to your being accompanied off the slopes.
I'll finish with the smut now so people can get back to a more serious debate of campervans.
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@Deedee, like I said, it depends on your budget. A fairly cheap and easy to do (so I have been told- not tried it myself) option would be captain's seats. Really opens up the habitation space. If you are not going for units behind the drivers seat then you could do both front seats. Unless you are travelling solo.
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You know it makes sense.
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Take out the passenger seats completely. Put a portaloo there. Do not pick up hitch hikers.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Big tipper has turned into bigpisser.
And withercam still the most sensitive of souls for such a hard man.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Bigtipper, Can you put a seatbelt on a portaloo for the 10 year old?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been thinking whether it would be worth taking a couple of months off and heading over to the Alps in my van for the season. Would it be easy enough to find places to park up every night during the winter? Maybe ski a week in one place and head to another resort for the next week, and so on.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Deedee, Champoluc and Chamonix (only places I've noticed, never, ever wanting to sleep in a camper van) both have quite a few parked up.
I suspect many/most resorts have that availability.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Back to topic, I'm struggling with the "don't drive in bad weather" comment.
OK, there's bad weather and bad weather, and has been known for the admin to get caught out, but it's the Alps FFS. Snow happens.
4x4 and good winter tyres and you won't need chains.
FWD and 4 good winter tyres and you will occasionally need chains.
Summer tyres and you might as well park up for the winter.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
Summer tyres and you might as well park up for the winter.
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Why?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Back in the good old days I used to go ice climbing in the French Alps with summer tyres and 2 snow chains in a battered Escort. Never had a problem that careful driving or staying an extra day couldn't sort out. Saying that, my current Forester with winter tyres is much, much better.
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| Deedee wrote: |
| Looking into getting some kind of night heater but they`re pretty expensive. I`ve got a really warm sleeping bag and the van is getting insulated so it might not be too bad. Good camping tip actually is to use your stove to heat up a hot water bottle |
If you're planning to overnight in a van in the mountains, in Winter, 100% defo go for the night-heater.
Putting an Eberspacher in was the best mod I ever did to the BU5 4 DUB (yes folks, even better than the sound system.)
Unless you're capable of insulating like a refrigeration truck, then you're going to encounter nights that are pretty unsurvivable without heating... and those you do survive will be bloody uncomfortable.
Pick one up 2nd hand and find someone on T4/T5forum who will fit it for a reasonable fee.
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@under a new name, I spent a long time driving in the Alps in a van going up and down narrow, windy, icy roads and bad weather was just too dangerous.
If it snows too heavy you just cannot see, and if it is snowing and windy, then even when you have your windscreen wipers on full with your lights on in the dark all you can see is the snow reflecting your lights. You can barely see the road, if you were actually driving on one.
I drove from St Anton over a high pass to Davos in such weather. At the very top of the pass, in high wind, snow, no visibility, and no road left (covered with snow and not cleared), I just pulled over and slept in a lay by. (if it is snowing you tend not to need any heating)
After a few days in Davos, and skiing in St Moritz, I decided to try to get to Zermatt via a pass. Again it started snowing heavily, was windy, and the pass was closed. I decided at that point to turn around and go via Zurich as most of the roads were just not useable in this weather. Granted I could have taken the train, but I would have had to return to get the van. So I just drove on, as I had booked some accomodation in Zermatt over Xmas in a youth hostel.
I would not be without snow chains, but never really noticed that winter tyres were necessary. The rare time that the van would not move, I just put the snow chains on. Never failed to get it moving, even on a very steep incline on the road to Tignes just before the covered tunnel area after Tignes les Boisses. It was covered with ice there, and in the dark wind and snow it was miserable. The van just would not go up on the ice without snow chains.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Bigtipper, I've lived in Geneva for 10 years now with around 60 days a year skiing and more just farting around with chores and have yet to encounter anything that would make me overnight in the car.
Mind you, I am rarely above 1,600m and rarely on roads that aren't cleared.
Sometimes one has to drive rather slowly due vis, but that's fine.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@johnE, doing a season without winter tyres in anywhere that snow is exoected is just nuts. There is a chasm of conditions between when chains are a good idea and summer tyres work. You need quite a lot of snow for chains to be effective and your summers tyres are no longer effective way before chains do anything than chew up the tarmac.
Oh and, @Bigtipper, the idea of trying to cross a closed high pass in winter is also nuts unless you have tracks. E.g. A snow cat.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I used to have a Mazda Bongo. Not the 4wd version, but fitted with the best snow tyres 4 of them, I never had a problem. That was in the 2011 winter when Chamonix had 20m of snow. I'm not sure if it helped, but popping 2 large bags of dog food in the boot as counter-weights felt like it did! Also started first time every time in -25. I miss that gas guzzler.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, Should have mentioned Pam, it's campervan specific. It's very common for campervan drivers to be away for long periods of time...have checked small print and spoken at length with insurer. 10 year olds and hoses? Nope...only for washing the vehicle when I'm on the roof with a long mop handle!
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FAQ
well that's my attempt at a willy waving humorous response.
