Poster: A snowHead
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Hi , I'm seriously considering taking my tourer to the mountains this season , possibly Austria . I'm looking for advice on what to take , where to go , how to make the most of the heating systems etc . any advice greatly appreciated .
Mark
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Watch out for the toilet cassette. By the time you've climbed from sea level to resort elevation the pressure in there will be big enough to spray those bright blue chemicals all over you when you open it up. Been there. But only once
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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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You'll never get it on the lift!
Coat!!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Get a BIG propane bottle and a catalytic heater. I like the WAV range.
If you are going to stay on a site with lecky and you want a water supply get the heated tape you can wrap around the water pipe and hose. then insulate with foam.
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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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@esaw1, Never had that problem!
Its always best to insulate everything!
@Markab1971, we took 3 different caravans on ski holidays over the years because it worked out as a relatively inexpensive way for the 5 of us (2 adults with 3 sons) to go on a number of ski holidays each year, and to make very last minute decisions about weather to go, and where to go. The flexibility is still a benefit but with the rise in fuel prices, and camp site fees I don`t think the cost benefit is still necessarily valid, but I`d guess you`d still be able to get bookings on most sites last minute out of peak times.
You need a fully winterized caravan, ie well insulated with efficient heating. Although we had full gas central heating (use propane gas in cold conditions) in all 3 vans we generally only used it to rapidly heat the van. We also took a couple of low wattage fan heaters which were left on 'prevent freezing' setting when we were out during the day, and which we had on low overnight.
Our first caravan did not have an an on board water tank, so the jolly old aqua roll was suited up in an immersion heater jacket, stood on thick polystyrene tiles, tied in a bin bag and stood inside the porch awning. A properly insulated on board tank is easier lol
Insulate everything!
Forget the waste-master and have an open bucket to catch grey water. You can empty a frozen bucket you can not empty a frozen waste-master
A steeply sloped porch awning, provides a great transition area from outside, to in the van, and allows you to brush off the worst of the snow (when falling etc) off clothing and shoes.
Its easier to camp in snow than it is in semi freezing slush/mud, so sometimes the slightly higher sites are a better bet though more difficult to access.
Bottles of beer and white wine chill nicely in the snow!
Most sites have boot/ski/drying rooms but if not, its possible to set up a mini tent within an awning with a fan heater, to dry kit, in fact I think I saw one commercially made a while back. Though one of our vans actually had a shower room that did it very well!
Oh, and did I mention, insulate everything
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@CaravanSkier, thanks for your reply . We have a German caravan with onboard water tank . Do you use skirts around the caravan to reduce the cold coming up through the vents under the van ?
Thanks for your reply
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I have only scratched the surface looking into it. The biggee for me was making sure the gas cowl never got enveloped in snow. Mine has less than 4" from the roof
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Have toyed with the idea of staying in Landry, as lower level, at Easter. However gave up on the idea as thought 5 of us and associated clobber would be a pain if weather was poor - plus the time getting there etc
Some great points here though - and may consider it again when it is just 2 of us going
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