Camping and Skiing

[Johnskiismore]

Posted the same question over on SJ as well, has anyone here enjoyed camping out under the stars followed by a day on the slopes? Campgrounds count, but I want to know if anyone has packed up their gear, gone up to the summit, set up a tent, fired up the Peak1 stove to cook dinner, and enjoyed fresh tracks the next morning! Non-developed mountains for skiing will be included.

 

[redalienx11]

never camped on the summit, but i skinned up to castle peak in the uintas of utah and camped for a few nights a skied during the day. very fun.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

What do you plug your bootdryer into?

 

[BeanoNYC]

What do you plug your bootdryer into?

That literally made me LMAO.

 

[Mildcat]

Does sleeping in my car count?

 

[ctenidae]

Does sleeping in my car count?

Only if it's not something you do on a regular basis, anyway.

Ski camping does sound like fun, though. Except for the freezing your nads off when you get up to pee. Been there, done that. Need more than a t-shirt.

 

[Johnskiismore]

Sleeping in your car can count. As I am sure that many of you have done that!

 

[campgottagopee]

I guess kinda----when I first moved up to Smuggs to teach skiing I had no place to live, so i slept in my car for the first 4 nights. I did ski the next day(s) but that's why I was there.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Sleeping in your car can count. As I am sure that many of you have done that!

Well I have done that, but it was at the bottom, and then I got up and got on a chair lift......

 

[redalienx11]

the main concern with ski camping is staying dry while you're not skiing (at night etc).

 

[Mildcat]

Only if it's not something you do on a regular basis, anyway.

C'mon, it's not like I'm homeless. :wink:

Sleeping in your car can count. As I am sure that many of you have done that!

I cheated though. It was only a nap.

 

[ckofer]

Would Walmart camping work?

Not too many excluded in ski country....

http://www.freecampgrounds.com/walmart_nocamping.aspx

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Do they make battery powered boot dryers??? Seriously that's my only concern..because my feet sweat like a motherf$cker

 

[ckofer]

Do they make battery powered boot dryers??? Seriously that's my only concern..because my feet sweat like a motherf$cker

How about if you stuff some of those toe heaters in to dry the liners. Either that or pull the liners and keep them in your sleeping back so they don't freeze. Really. Or....plan C....if you Walmart camp, dry them in the men's room with the hand dryer and then give a clerk $5 to keep them in the store for the night.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

How about if you stuff some of those toe heaters in to dry the liners. Either that or pull the liners and keep them in your sleeping back so they don't freeze. Really. Or....plan C....if you Walmart camp, dry them in the men's room with the hand dryer and then give a clerk $5 to keep them in the store for the night.

What ski areas have a Wal-Mart nearby?? Camping to me seems like a summer thing..

 

[MichaelJ]

Done plenty of winter camping and even winter backpacking, but never combined it with downhill skiing.

However, the issues are the same: staying warm and dry. Hiking in winter you can build up a LOT of sweat, for me far more than on a ski slope. Basically, dress as light as possible, add layers as necessary when chilled, and bring a change of dry clothes and when you stop at camp, switch when you get too cold to keep giving up body heat to dry them off. Keep them and your boot liners in your sleeping bag with you overnight.

My mindset, however, has always been that I like to be more "civilized" when downhill skiing; I like the shower or hot tub, the restaurant or bar, and especially just not having to worry about extra clothes or water or food or pack. So when I winter camp, that's one thing, and may involve XC skiing to get there, but when I ski lift-served, I keep it simple.

 

[ckofer]

What ski areas have a Wal-Mart nearby?? Camping to me seems like a summer thing..

There's one in Plymouth NH - near Cannon, Loon, Tenney (very close) and Waterville. I recommend this tongue-in-cheek unless you are a true ski bum. I also consider camping a warm weather thing and I think you need quite an investment in quality gear to enjoy winter camping.

 

[ctenidae]

I also consider camping a warm weather thing and I think you need quite an investment in quality gear to enjoy winter camping.

Good equipment, and a certain personality twist. The only winter camping I've done was when I lived in a tent for three months in northern Arizona. Got to the site on May 6th, and was looking around for a good spot for my tent, when it started snowing. It didn't let up for about 3 weeks- we had to cut paths through 2-3 feet of snow to get around camp. It got down to -20 a couple of nights. The 4 am pee break was brutal.

This was 15 years ago, and I think I still haven't warmed up completely.

 

[BeanoNYC]

This was 15 years ago, and I think I still haven't warmed up completely.

Rumor is that you still have shrinkage.

 

[ctenidae]

Rumor is that you still have shrinkage.

Maybe I should get Hawkshot to front me some blue pills.