# Sleeping in your car



## Kalo

This season im determined to go snowboarding as much as possible but im limited in my funds so that i have no money to rent a motel room. I drive a aztek and i have a blow up mattress that fits in the back so im not worried about being cramped. But i was just wondering if any of you had any experience with sleeping in your car at or around ski resorts? Do they frown upon you sleeping in there parking lots? Any tips on keeping warm? Any tips in general?


Thanks
Kalo


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## T.J.

to keep warm keep the car running but crack the windows and invest in a sleeping bag. i think resorts are a case by case basis on if they care or not. you can always find a walmart parking lot.


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## killclimbz

Careful with the keeping the car running thing. A couple of girls died at Squaw doing this. Granted they had an exhaust leak and it snowed like hell. Causing the fumes to back up into the car, thus killing them. 

Anyway, I've done the sleeping in the car thing plenty of times. Get yourself a warm sleeping bag and/or plenty of blankets. With enough insulation you'll be plenty comfortable and warm.


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## T.J.

thats why i said to crack the windows.


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## AdrenalinPlease

I have slept in the car going to the track, I dont think I want to do it again. TO mention though I didnt have a blow up mattress, slep in the seat.


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## AcroPhile

I have thought about this myself. I like being there and ready to go as soon as the lifts start running on a powder day but even leaving Denver at 6:30 AM you still will end up major traffic because everyone else has the same idea or someone got into a wreck on the highway. I always wondered if it would be better just to leave really late at night and sleep a few hours in the parking lot when I get there. Anyone every try this before? Any problems with the 5-0 or security?


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## ShredLife

some places care, some don't... i remember a few years back at Mt. Bachelor when a kid dug a snow cave in the side of the parking lot to spend the night in and the snowplow came by during the night and killed him. horrible day.

as for keeping warm in the car - don't keep it running. that's retarded. worst case if you are a super cold bitch is to get a Mr. Buddy propane heater.... you can use em in tents... they have a carbon monoxide shutoff sensor in them, and if you run em for 45 seconds the car will be like a sauna.

get the warmest sleeping bag you can - it doesn't have to be expensive or packable - just warm.

bring a down jacket.

get a backpacking stove to boil water with and before you go to sleep, boil a Nalgene bottle full of water, screw the lid on tight, dry it off and put it in the sleeping bag with you.... you will not be cold.

go to bed hydrated, and if you have to pee during the night, go. holding your piss actually makes you colder because your body is using calories to keep the piss the same temp as your body - so for some folks a piss bottle is nice to have so you don't have to get out in the snow at night. label the piss bottle well!!

if you had a place in mind you could always call the Mt. and ask em if they care.


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## bamorgan7

me and my friends are taking the van seat out and putting a futon in there. We will be making a week long trip to vail. We have the van with a lil space heater and we have a extension cord to plug it up somewhere.


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## Shocktroop531

yea. keeping the car running all night while you're asleep sounds like the worst idea I've ever heard. If you get the right sleeping back it won't matter how cold it is outside.


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## gls:maverick

I'll just chime in with the same type of recommendations. Warm sleeping bag is key; so is the boil water nalgene that one works well. I have slept in the bed of my Tacoma on different occasions and its quite comfy but never at a ski resort. Just pick one and call ahead......I give you credit its definitely something I have wanted to try.


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## david_z

In cold temps a blowup mattress is going to be like sleeping on refrigerator coils. word to the wise.

Better off just getting some sort of pad.


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## gls:maverick

david_z said:


> In cold temps a blowup mattress is going to be like sleeping on refrigerator coils. word to the wise.
> 
> Better off just getting some sort of pad.


Agreed, I made this mistake with my wife in a tent a few years back, you will freeze. A closed cell foam pad with an insulated blow up mat on top is best. I have a thermarest zpad with an insulated 2.5" blowup from Pacific on top of that as my go to winter sleeping set up, super cozy.


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## thetraveler

ShredLife said:


> label the piss bottle well!!


lol! it feels like there is a story behind that piece of advice?


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## ShredLife

thetraveler said:


> lol! it feels like there is a story behind that piece of advice?


no story from me personally, but i have heard some first hand anecdotal accounts...


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## snoeboarder

ive done some research into this about a month ago ... ive experimented with a jumper battery pack and electric heated fleece blankets but didnt have luck, some dude said he does it but i have no way to contact him, the battery pack i have is too small to power a heat source all night, you need a really decent spec battery to run 100+ watts for 5 hrs or so ... from what i read on the TGR and some tele forums you should have: a synthetic sleeping bag and not down, a foam mattress/pad not air mattress, dont leave the car running because you never know and dont want to die taking that chance, wear non-cotton and layer for warmth with fleece just as you would on the hill, wear a hat, bring along extra non-cotton blankets, Nalgene piss bottle (black) Nalgene water bottle (clear) lol, run the heat before bed of course, what else what else, cant remember, but i think you'll like this site as much as i do, i think the url speaks for itself  POWEXPLORER | The powder is out there.


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## 181

Really your best bet if this is going to be semi-regular occurance is to get a decent down mummy bag and foam mattress (I have a BigAgnes and it's awesome). A few hours before you crash lay out your bag to let it loft and toss 3-4 hot hands in there and you be super cozy all night.


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## neednsnow

This is quite an interesting "Location Review" :dunno:



T.J. said:


> to keep warm keep the car running but crack the windows and invest in a sleeping bag. i think resorts are a case by case basis on if they care or not. you can always find a walmart parking lot.


He's from the Mid-Atlantic where snow dumps that cover the exhaust are rare. (With the exception of the El-Nino season)



ShredLife said:


> some places care, some don't... i remember a few years back at Mt. Bachelor when a kid dug a snow cave in the side of the parking lot to spend the night in and the snowplow came by during the night and killed him. horrible day.


Darwinism is rough!

All good advice. It is doable and the piss idea really needs to be considered. I was kicked off the mountain in the middle of a killer storm at Mtn Creek a few years back. They called a State of Emergency so the Interstates were shut down. I hit a bar, had some din din, went back to the resort and crashed in the lot. In the front seat of my truck. I planned for this with a few blankets, but definately not enough! I was up for first tracks and was gone before the NYC/Jersey muck had made it to the mountain. Remember, be careful what you eat that day or you may need to crack the window for other reasons. I had fajitas at the bar.:dunno:

Snow Plows did wake me a few times as they made circles around my truck. Nobodoy said anything, though. Possibly too much snow to see I was in there.


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## mojo maestro

Most of the above advice is sound. Can't stress enough.......do not leave your vehicle running! Start it up if your cold, make sure you turn it off! Try a small candle burning in a glass for a heat source. Down bag, closed cell foam pad, thermarest, headlamp, small campstove, piss bottle. Shovel......case you get buried in the parking lot. Jumper cables....easy to get a jump with cables.


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## JeffreyCH

mpdsnowman said:


> If your with your significant other..fuck like rabbits..you will keep warm.


Best advice in this thread :thumbsup::laugh:


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## kysnowboarder

The timing of this thread couldn't be better. I am planning to do this for two weeks in pnw feb 2011. I was going to use thermarest and 0 degree bag. I am thinking this should be good given wind chill shouldn't be a factor. Seems to me portable heaters would be overkill I am flyig than renting a vehicle so I have pack as light as possible. I defiantly would not leave car running for a number of reasons.


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## loren646

a high quality mummy bag. like negative degree temperature shit. It works SOOO fucking well. I slept until like 1pm the next day in it - it was comfy and warm. try to have clothes near by so you can changes inside the bag and not have to get out much. Pee cup is cool too - fuck it sucks going outside early in the morning or late night. 

a few good books is cool. and i like the heated water thing. but careful not to wear too much clothing in your sleeping bag. boxers if fine. too much and you'll sweat in the middle of the night and then the sweat freezes. good way to get sick.


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## wrathfuldeity

Pnw generally doesn't get as frigid as other places...if it rarely gets into the single digits, mostly high teens and 20's. Its more about moisture and condensation...staying dry, the ability to dry out quickly. Before you craw in to the bag, towel off perspiration and have sb stuff that wicks and dries quickly. Down bags are nice but you got to keep them dry...so synthetic and a wick/fleece liner might be a better bet.


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## ev13wt

And never ever leave your boots outside under the car, no matter how bad they smell.

Don't ask.


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## wrathfuldeity

^why?...what happened?

note to self...bring plastic bag with tie for smelly boots....also maybe some cat litter to put in plastic bag to absorb stink.


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## SAddiction

The best way to get rid of boot stink, it Arm and Hammer baking powder/soda. Good for sweat stank and beer smells (from having to shoot the boot!)


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## Shocktroop531

fuck burton


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## StarCommand

Sometimes I wish I had a penis so I could pee in a bottle... Without looking like a drunk trollop.


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## ev13wt

StarCommand said:


> Sometimes I wish I had a penis so I could pee in a bottle... Without looking like a drunk trollop.


I have one but I wouldn't do it. Gotta have some class. Seriously, getting outside is part of the fun.



wrathfuldeity said:


> ^why?...what happened?
> 
> note to self...bring plastic bag with tie for smelly boots....also maybe some cat litter to put in plastic bag to absorb stink.


Well, they where sweaty from riding, then froze solid overnight. Talk about having cold feet. ...


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