# Car Camping First Timer



## Dutty (Dec 16, 2013)

I car camped most of last year when snowboarding, there really isn't too much to it. I guess I can give you a few tips, but they may be obvious.

Find a trail head or campsite that is right off the road. Nobody will bother you here and they are pretty peaceful. Check the snow depth first before venturing in, even 4WD trucks can get stuck.

Bring a good sleeping bag. Mine was rated for -20F last year and I only remember getting cold one night. When I woke up, I just started the truck up, let it warm, then turned it back off and went back to sleep.

Some towns have areas for overnight parking. Google is your friend.

Make sure to dry out your boots before going to park. Cold, frozen boots are not nice to wake up to in the morning.

Find a local gym with a cheap daypass to grab a shower.

Make sure your car battery is solid.

I used one of those mini camp stoves to make coffee and bacon and eggs. The kind that use propane / butane mix fuel.

For a great breakfast, make Bulletproof Coffee. Easy to make in a truck and will give you a ton of energy, usually will last you until lunch.

All I can think of for now, have fun


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

DO NOT go to sleep with the vehicle running.


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## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

YMCA or a local pool is a good place for showers, but you're only staying two days, so I wouldn't even worry about it.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

Not a bad idea to try it out at home or at least locally first.

Better to work out any bugs in your system & gain some experience when you can easily pull the plug rather than finding out in the bush 

Have fun!


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

a campstove, even a cheapo, will be way more useful than a grill, you want to be able to heat water


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

I camp out in my honda element for the weekend boarding trips. perfect car for it. plenty of room to sleep even with ur snowboards inside.
For a cheap way to get the car temperature up, I light a small tea cup candle inside a glass salsa jar, keeps the temps right around the 40's. Ill usually light up one when I go to sleep and Ill wake up to pee halfway through the night(have plenty of the big gatorade bottles for peeing) and light another one and it should be good the rest of the night.


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

why don't you just go take a leak outside?


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

Most ski areas don't appreciate you pissing in the parking lot...


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

who said anything about a parking lot?


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

piss bottle is good, had to go out at baker parking lot last winter, almost didnt make it back, haha


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## andrewdod (Mar 24, 2013)

Whats wrong with pissing in the parking lot? I do it all the time... Am i about to be shunned? 

on a serious note do your best to stay dry. If you're wet you'll be cold, and if you're cold it wont be fun.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

So not for me but *damn* some great tips. I really like the one about trying it out at home 1st

What is Bulletproof coffee? I might need that recipe, never heard of that before.

My tip if it is one, how about any truck stops or wayside near by. Aren't they meant to let ppl crash, IE truckers and they have showers on site


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## Dutty (Dec 16, 2013)

slyder said:


> What is Bulletproof coffee? I might need that recipe, never heard of that before.


https://www.bulletproofexec.com/bulletproof-coffee-recipe/

I drink it almost every morning for breakfast. When you blend it up it tastes almost like a latte, it has tons of good calories, and your energy levels will be through the roof.


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

Leave a window cracked. Condensation from your breathing will ice up the inside of your vehicle.


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## lancemanly424 (Sep 4, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the responses!

I'm gonna look into truck stops/gyms for showering. (Just in case I'm feelin a lil dirty)
I'll look into overnight parking at Cataloochee as well as some campstoves! i found a couple cheaper ones that would do the job. About this bulletproof coffee, I'm probably about to get some flack but I'm not much of a coffee drinker. How bad is the taste? Would a pre-workout shake do the job good too?
Ya I'll remember to crack the window for sure!
I've slept out of my truck before (camped one night for shits and giggles) and it wasn't bad but I should definitely do a winter trial run for a few nights to work out everything.
Again thanks for all the valuable info!


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

if it is actually cold out (havin a hard time imagining that in NC) you can boil some water before bed, put the bottle in a sock, bring it in you rsleeping bag. it'll last til about 4am when you will then start to freeze yer azz


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

When you're done pissin' in the bottle, put that in your bag. Just make sure the lid is tight.:hairy:


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## lancemanly424 (Sep 4, 2014)

Maybe I can boil my piss :hairy: haha I kid


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## XR4Ti (Dec 12, 2009)

You laugh about using your own urine to stay warm...


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

XR4Ti said:


> You laugh about using your own urine to stay warm...


:hijack: sorry so from your user name you have an old school Merkur???


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## XR4Ti (Dec 12, 2009)

Had one for 10 yrs - fantastic car.


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## 2hellnbak (Sep 21, 2012)

If your feet sweat take the liners out of your boots and put them in the bottom of your sleeping bag. If your bag is warm enough, it will keep you warm and dry out your liners.

Also, whiskey, not beer. You won't need to pee as often no matter what you use as a vessel whether it be the parking lot or a gatorade bottle. Keep it classy

Bring a lot of water and nutrient/carb rich food.


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## lancemanly424 (Sep 4, 2014)

2hellnbak said:


> Also, whiskey, not beer. You won't need to pee as often no matter what you use as a vessel whether it be the parking lot or a gatorade bottle. Keep it classy


I'm totally ok with that!
:dance1:
I have a super baby bladder when I drink so thatll help alot!


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Dual batteries in your car are a very smart thing to have. Isolate them with a vsr.
Take jumper leads, a recovery strap, shovel etc.
Use the heat from your hot engine to dry out gloves etc.
Crack a window to allow fresh air in while you sleep!!! A bit of tape on the door frame can stop the snow blowing in the window.


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## havin_a_ball (Oct 18, 2012)

mojo maestro said:


> Leave a window cracked. Condensation from your breathing will ice up the inside of your vehicle.


+1 (or a sunroof) Your Yukon will be a fantastic car to camp in. You should be really comfy.

If you have a budget, pick up a car converter with an internal fan so you'll have actual electric outlets to use. ($25 @ Auto Parts Store) 

Buy a Coleman heater that uses propane but doesn't produce carbon monoxide. ($40 or less @ Walmart) 

I bought one after reading that some people die sleeping in their cars in the snow due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

If your car is running and there is a big snow which covers your exhaust pipe, the exuast can end up backing up into your car. (not much of a risk in a Yukon @ Cataloochee)

If you are burning a heater and there is no ventilation this will cause issues with Carbon monoxide too, so that's the reason to get the one I suggested.

+You can put your damp clothing in your sleeping bag to help dry it out overnight as well as on top of your car heater vents.

+I like canned soups for a hearty meal. A lot of them taste good cold as well as hot and they are really easy to "drink". Think Chunky Chicken Vegtable or Spicy NOLA Chicken Gumbo

+ I also like the large bags of cheap trail mix and dried fruit sold at Wal Mart.

+ In the lodge, if you bring one of those big bowls with a dried asian noodle soup inside, you can get hot water from the lodge tea / cocoa maker and the noodles turn out pretty well. Just make sure they aren't supposed to be cooked for 10 minutes, but just call for putting in very hot water

+ If you have a girl with you, she can't pee in a bottle so think through how / where she will go in the middle of the night

+Take the liners out of your boots and you can warm them up a lot more easily or wear them inside your truck.

+ If you have a hot water source, there is a lot you can do, like tasty hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps and whisky.

+ A small camping air pad is much better than a big air mattress because the air in the big mattress will be cold.

Have fun!


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## Karpediem (Aug 29, 2007)

You aren't going for a couple months still. Sell some shit on Craigslist, and donate plasma. Use the money for a hotel.


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

Hotels are for pussies. You want to put some hair on you chest......dig a snowcave.


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## Maierapril (Oct 25, 2011)

Karpediem said:


> You aren't going for a couple months still. Sell some shit on Craigslist, and donate plasma. Use the money for a hotel.


It's not just about saving money. It's about the experience. Slept in my Audi this week. It was a lot of fun.

If you can get mre meals, those are perfect. 

I had a sub zero sleeping bag and a few down comforters. Had a great nights sleep


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## havin_a_ball (Oct 18, 2012)

Karpediem said:


> You aren't going for a couple months still. Sell some shit on Craigslist, and donate plasma.


 Use the money for snowboard gear


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

CassMT said:


> if it is actually cold out (havin a hard time imagining that in NC) you can boil some water before bed, put the bottle in a sock, bring it in you rsleeping bag. it'll last til about 4am when you will then start to freeze yer azz


20 degrees in western NC is about the coldest cold you'll ever feel. Seriously, I grew up there and I've spent plenty of days out in the high rockies of CO below -20, but it's something about that southern Applachian cold that's just different. Shit is bone chilling.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

linvillegorge said:


> 20 degrees in western NC is about the coldest cold you'll ever feel. Seriously, I grew up there and I've spent plenty of days out in the high rockies of CO below -20, but it's something about that southern Applachian cold that's just different. Shit is bone chilling.


humidity is colder


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## radiomuse210 (Sep 5, 2014)

linvillegorge said:


> 20 degrees in western NC is about the coldest cold you'll ever feel. Seriously, I grew up there and I've spent plenty of days out in the high rockies of CO below -20, but it's something about that southern Applachian cold that's just different. Shit is bone chilling.


While I don't have anything else to compare it to, I can vouch for the fact that it can FEEL damn cold in this area, despite the temperature telling you it's not THAT cold (compared to places out west, higher altitudes, further north, etc). It must be the humidity, because I can't think of any other reason.

Have a friend out west in CO who was asking me why I was putting money toward warm/waterproof gear and upgrading from the stuff I had since I live/ride mostly in VA - those nights when it's in the 20s and that wind is howling through the valley...god DAYUM you are freezing your tits off. (Or balls, whichever scenario applies to you)


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

The midwest is no different, and growing up in the jungle can vouch. Dry weather is just more comfortable at any temp. Humidity sucks.

Been on an airplane layover in India during a heatwave about 20 years ago, temp was 125f at 3am. Felt like a fucken dimsum steamer.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Humidity definitely greatly narrows the range of comfortable temperatures, but the PNW and AK are both humid too, but they aren't as "cold" as the southern Appalachians.


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

Saw -40F in Alamosa in 2013, don't want to do it again. Doesn't take long outside to turn from "cold" to "dead" in those temps.

That said, the wind is dangerous, and I'd rather piss in a bottle than lose all that energy going outside.


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