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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    tashigang
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    tips for van camping with 10 feet of snow expected?

    Was just getting ready for a few weeks in a tahoe ski area parking lot when I saw the predicted epic storm set coming.

    aside from the usual prep (food,heat, shovel, air ,co alarm) any other suggestions for dealing with that much snow?

    last winter a 4ft storm made it hard to get out of the vw van, even with a sliding door that only had to be pushed out 4 inches.

    Hayduke Aug 7,1996 GS-Aug 26 2010
    HunterS March 17 09-Oct 24 14

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    on the rivah, VT
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    2,190
    Check this out: [ame="https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169864"]Sleeping in the car in the winter? - Teton Gravity Research Forums[/ame]

    Lotsa good stuff there.
    go Go GO!

    23-24: 36. 22-23: 56. 21-22: ?. 20-21: 10+?. 19-20: 79. 18-19: 86! 17-18: 80. 16-17: 56. 15-16: 40. 14-15: 33. 13-14: 56ish. 12-13: 51. 11-12: 65. 10-11: 69. 09-10: 65.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    between here and there
    Posts
    6,236
    maybe set up some kind of tarp (if allowed where you are parked) to deflect the snow away from the van, giving you some air space to work with. That and make friends with an apt.
    More fucked up than a cricket in a hubcap

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Stuttgart
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    1,411
    They actually have awnings you can buy and mount on your VW. Not sure if gowesty.com has them. I did not buy one, but it was always something I was close to getting during the seven years I rolled around in my camper van. In lieu of that, the tarp idea is good. What also works is a good tent rainfly with some bungees or something to create any kind of vestibule around your door. Good luck and enjoy the storm!
    "Girl, let us freak."

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    bucks county pa
    Posts
    2,663
    Mount a tarp to the top of the vehicle some how..then stake out the bottom while snow allowing the snow slide off...this should allow for planty of room outside of the vehicle to move around somewhat....go with a good size tarp to give you space...it works well..have done it with one foot or so being the most but it does work...
    always forward but never straight

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    tashigang
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    yes,the tarp is a good idea. i figure it must be a steep angle with some sort of support to keep it from collapse against the side of the van. maybe even set up a 4 season tent beside the door to create a space to at least get the door open and climb over the dome of the tent.

    also maybe put the vw top up. i have never done that in snow,but it could provide an escape route. it would be too heavy to lift with snow on it. also put in a few post supports to help keep it up.

    Hayduke Aug 7,1996 GS-Aug 26 2010
    HunterS March 17 09-Oct 24 14

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    SLUT
    Posts
    3,347
    you need to invite a friend (me) to help shovel it out.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    on the mountian
    Posts
    1,409
    you shouldnt need much since that healthy jinx should keep the storm totals down

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    tashigang
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    1,564
    you are invited.but one of us has to be able to get to the shovel,which i leave outside for that reason.

    Hayduke Aug 7,1996 GS-Aug 26 2010
    HunterS March 17 09-Oct 24 14

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Alpine Meadows, CA
    Posts
    4,452
    Which parking lot are you camping in? If Alpine Meadows, I may be able to help out.
    **
    I'm a cougar, not a MILF! I have to protect my rep! - bklyn

    In any case, if you're ever really in this situation make sure you at least bargain in a couple of fluffers.
    -snowsprite

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    The Cone of Uncertainty
    Posts
    49,306
    Put up a flag on a flagpole so someone can find you. If you could rig some sort of antenna for your phone on the flagpole into the van that would be cool.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    You do realize that where ever you park, you're going to be waking up to gigantic plow lines around your van right?

    Have a steel bladed shovel handy.
    Besides the comet that killed the dinosaurs nothing has destroyed a species faster than entitled white people.-ajp

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    nevaduh
    Posts
    740
    Just keep in mind that alpines parking lots gEt taken out by avis every so often.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    PacNW
    Posts
    954
    Bring a good steel shovel and just keep moving the snow away from the van. 10 feet is a lot but it doesn't come all at once during the six hours you sleep or ski.

    As others mentioned . . you just jinxed yourself and the rest of Tahoe big time.
    "Don't tease me about my hobbies, I don't tease you about being an asshole"

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Posts
    3,806
    Pick up some flex pipe, you can use it to route the exhaust to heat the interior








  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Carson City
    Posts
    19
    Don't forget to bring a towel in case all that snow gets you soaked.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    The bottom of LCC
    Posts
    5,750
    Drive down to Reno for a couple of days because if they really get 10 feet there probably won't be much open right away. I'd park in the Sushi Pier 2 parking lot and live off of AYCE sushi for a day or two.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    tashigang
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    thanks for the good ideas.
    even masshole dave,but ill save that for after the pancreatic ca dx

    Hayduke Aug 7,1996 GS-Aug 26 2010
    HunterS March 17 09-Oct 24 14

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
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    LV-426
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    Quote Originally Posted by dfinn View Post
    Drive down to Reno for a couple of days because if they really get 10 feet there probably won't be much open right away. I'd park in the Sushi Pier 2 parking lot and live off of AYCE sushi for a day or two.
    And if that's the place in the strip mall where Costco is, you can also just forage Costco's snack trays anytime you're hungry!
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    tashigang
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    1,564
    catch 22
    If I can get to Reno, I would not have any trouble with the 10ft of snow,and therefore would have no need to go to Reno.

    catch 22-b
    If I was at Costco, I'd go for ahi at $10/pound and add the rice myself over sushi at $10/2 pairs

    however,if there were no costco,its always good to know a sushi place

    Hayduke Aug 7,1996 GS-Aug 26 2010
    HunterS March 17 09-Oct 24 14

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Eastside Til I Die
    Posts
    2,236
    Quote Originally Posted by dimension4 View Post
    Don't forget to bring a towel
    Words to live by.

    Where in Tahoe you gonna be campin'?
    ((. The joy I get from skiing...
    .))
    ((. That's worth living for.
    .))

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    PNW
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    1,633
    Quote Originally Posted by dimension4 View Post
    Don't forget to bring a towel in case all that snow gets you soaked.
    Quote Originally Posted by thefrush View Post
    Words to live by.

    sage advise

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Canmore, AB.
    Posts
    518
    Every two hours drive the van from your parking spot to the bottom of the hill..... then reverse back along the same tracks..... Then you'll have no snow on your van and a clear route to the goods.....

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    SLC
    Posts
    1,124
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveTV View Post
    Pick up some flex pipe, you can use it to route the exhaust to heat the interior

    The winner!

    Seriously though, it might be worth getting 8-10 feet of pvc pipe (with a flag on the end) so that you can mark where you are and have at least one clear air source (maybe you need 2, one on each side of the van to get some circulation?). The CO monitor is a good idea, but if you really were buried 8 feet deep, what are you going to do if it goes off?

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    The Leper Colony
    Posts
    3,460
    Park it down by the river.

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