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

[muted reborn]

More pics…nice rig.

It's not a 'rig' it's a cargo van who identifies as a VW Westy! (Inside has similar layout to a Westy - couch that fold down to sleep on with a big pull-knob, v-shaped pop up roof, etc.)

Some shots of camp sites with big views - all different locations

Look close for the van in above photo

We were side hilling our 7300lb truck/camper on a wet/saturated hill over a creek couple days ago and was concerned about the same.

Sounds real fun!

Thanks I will
not so sure when I will get there, possibly nov - feb???
we need to sit down and figure out our second half of the year vacation plans
alittle bit of rain or snow and that place would be a mud pit need to keep that in mind

I would think Nov-December would be great. And if rains, just wait until the morning when the mud is rock hard. The upper loop is is about 7000' so on a good snow year feb might be tricky.

Once I started to leave my bike at home for desert trips my mind has been blown on all the great places in S. UT. Bikes have been taking me to the same places every year.

[Trackhead]

It's not a 'rig' it's a cargo van who identifies as a VW Westy!



Once I started to leave my bike at home for desert trips my mind has been blown on all the great places in S. UT. Bikes have been taking me to the same places every year.

I explored Utah by moto for years and miss those opportunities to cover 300+ miles a day in the desert, but whatever.

I'll improve my ovrlndng nomenclature in the future

[muted reborn]

I explored Utah by moto for years and miss those opportunities to cover 300+ miles a day in the desert, but whatever.

I'll improve my ovrlndng nomenclature in the future

Ah, I meant me leaving my MTN bike at home meant i started exploring somewhere else besides Moab, Hurricane, etc. A moto seems wayyyyy better than any truck or van for covering southern utah, but like you these days I need to bring the family along.

I vaguely remember you posting a trip about riding motos on dirt starting from SLC to the desert....many years ago.

[Trackhead]

I vaguely remember you posting a trip about riding motos on dirt starting from SLC to the desert....many years ago.

2000 miles from Utah to PHX and back, mostly dirt. Miss those days. Took months of scouring Google Earth for feint desert tracks..........
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/f...-miles.669995/

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

2000 miles from Utah to PHX and back, mostly dirt. Miss those days. Took months of scouring Google Earth for feint desert tracks..........
https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/f...-miles.669995/

This is awesome.

[sillybunt2]

Hey Muted, Who makes the pop up on your van? That looks like a sweet rig that a "normal" person could afford.

[muted reborn]

This is awesome.

Agreed! not the one I remembered though, I think TH started in SLC/Provo and went south via singletrack. or it was someone else.

Hey Muted, Who makes the pop up on your van? That looks like a sweet rig that a "normal" person could afford.

I call mine the poor mans Sportsmobile. It's made by GTRV, they don't convert fords anymore. They focus on MB Metris now, which is odd IMO.

If you want a cheap Ford option, I'd look at Wasatch Overland. They can find an old Ford van with low miles for you, and do the conversion. They are flexible in that they could just insulate and wire it, and you do the build, or they do everything custom for you. They don't do pop-ups though, instead they do install hi-tops though - aka party hats - for ford vans. owner has been nice when I briefly met him a couple times, down to earth etc.

If you want a 4x4 conversion too, they work with advanced 4x4 also in SLC. You can save $$$ by just adding a rear locker though and getting a lift, there is so much weight evenly distributed in mine that will take you to plenty places Sprinters can't go. But it won't take you to a ski area on shitty winter roads of course.

[Trackhead]

Agreed! not the one I remembered though, I think TH started in SLC/Provo and went south via singletrack. or it was someone else.

Yup, back when Noah was sporting a Mohawk and a black DRZ to match.

[fastfred]

It's

I would think Nov-December would be great. And if rains, just wait until the morning when the mud is rock hard. The upper loop is is about 7000' so on a good snow year feb might be tricky.

Once I started to leave my bike at home for desert trips my mind has been blown on all the great places in S. UT. Bikes have been taking me to the same places every year.

ACH]

exactly
didn't realize it till it happened
was so obsessed with riding a bike for decades then bad health age and a van opened my eyes
memorial day weekend and a few rando campers a half mile away from where I set up, thats winning for sure

[evdog]

Popped up on IG.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqEL5mkut6a/

[Trackhead]

Popped up on IG.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqEL5mkut6a/

The one ton VW chassis and awesome pulling power.

[Dantheman]

Must be a dream in the hills.

[byates1]

Boy that single roof bar attachment looks extra sturdy

[Mudfoot]

Sometimes you just gotta go to Walmart and brave the insanity for a good deal. Drove through the "campground". Amazing how many nice rigs with out of state plates. Who buys a $100k+ rig to "camp" at Walmart when there are millions of acres of accessible BLM land around?

I am enjoying all the info in the thread drift but the title is Ski Rvs. If you are in the mountains in the winter there are almost no off road spots to park a van. Wife and I did 8 days in SLC last winter with our Mt. Collective Passes. There is a Walmart 10 minutes from the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and another one 10 min from the mouth of Little Cottonwood. Closest RV park was in Draper miles away. We could get up on a powder day, drive to the lineup on Wasatch Blvd. at 7:00 to wait for the Canyon to open and then make breakfast, change into our ski clothes, and chill in comfort waiting to get first dibbs on the free parking and new pow. On the way up to the Tetons we used the Walmart in Ogden to hit two days at Snow Basin.

I always thought camping at Walmart has to be the lamest thing in the world, but I'm definitely a fan when you can do it in the winter. You've got the window shades up for heat insulation so the view doesn't matter. Nothing like having a grocery store, great pizza joint, and an In and Out Burger at the other end of the parking lot if you don't feel like cooking after a day on the boards.

[Foggy_Goggles]

So...like a motel?

Sent from my Turbo 850 Flatbrimed Highhorse

[altasnob]

Just be glad your Walmart of choice still allows you to camp for free. More and more of them do not.

In 2010, about 78% of Walmart stores allowed overnight RV parking. Now, it’s close to 58%.

[fleaches]

Not sure if this is common knowledge but pretty much every Cabela's store has a free RV lot in the back, and many even have dump stations and water. Not as common as Walmart but I have linked them up on cross country trips.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[muted reborn]

Good info Fleaches.

Last night's camp spot:

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I realize there is a time and a place for walmart/cabelas camping. Winter where pretty much all public land is under feet of snow. Sure that makes sense.

In May/June when the weather is perfect and I saw actual campsites or free dispersed sites with views etc 20 minutes from the walmart.....that I don't get.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[muted reborn]

I realize there is a time and a place for walmart/cabelas camping. Winter where pretty much all public land is under feet of snow. Sure that makes sense.

In May/June when the weather is perfect and I saw actual campsites or free dispersed sites with views etc 20 minutes from the walmart.....that I don't get.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Because people don't know it's there, or they don't know it's 20 minutes away, or they don't want to risk not finding a spot, and possibly they just don't care and are fine at Walmart? They could be in the middle of a long road trip and don't want additional 20 minutes out and 20 minutes back from the interstate. They just want to wake up and go.

[Trackhead]

Good info Fleaches.

Last night's camp spot:

It's been a nice cool, rainy, green June so far.

[Dromond]

Good info Fleaches.

Last night's camp spot:

Wow that is a really cool view! The light through the clouds on the carpet of green is amazing.

[John_B]

I don't know squat about truck campers but this may appeal to someone in interest of a project. It's located in North Central WA.

[Trackhead]

That wouldn’t be a hard fix. Some good epoxy and fiberglass and it’s good for another 20 years

[riff]

Put your campers on apple bins or pallets for winter storage folks! Those jack plates aren’t built stout enough for snow load….
Mine’s an ‘88, wish it was newer- the fiberglass is getting pretty fragile. Girlfriend took it to utah this spring and got a handful of new cracks going.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums