sleeping in the car

[tsondaboy 0]

Any other SJers sleep in the car at the resort parking area? I would like some tips, so that they won’t find my stiff cold body next day.

Apart from getting a good sleeping bag and obviously don’t fall asleep with the radiator on, what other precautions should one take?

[fjef 0]

find someone to keep you warm?

[eskimobasecamp 0]

go to the onsen just before you jump in your sleeping bag for the night

[jgraves 0]

Definitely get some sort of dense insulating foam or air mattress to separate you from the floor of the car. If you don't, your sweat and breath vapor will condense on the metal floor, be absorbed by the carpet and your sleeping bag, making your first night there uncomfortable and any subsequent nights absolutely miserable.

[indosnm 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by fjef:
find someone to keep you warm?

Can you find them in the car park?!

I have a thick sleeping bag, and heaps of blankets.
If I do wake up cold ( hardly ever) I just hit the engine starter which turns off after 15 mins.

I don't recommend sleeping in seats.

[Kumapix 0]

hopefully your seats fold down. throw an old futon in there. sleeping bag and blankets obviously. open the windows a crack. Have an onsen and heat the car before you go to sleep.

Get breakfast ready the night before so that when you wake up and your car is surrounded by everybody arriving in the parking lot you can just eat breakfast without leaving your spot. park near the toilets. bring a toothbrush

 

oh and don't do it when there's enough snow falling to bury your car

[coldcat 0]

Kumapix, I'm wondering what could happen if snow buried your car while you are sleeping inside... could you die from lack of oxygen?

[damian 0]

>could you die from lack of oxygen

 

No, snow is jam packed with more than enough oxygen, but you might eventually suffer from too much Co2 which cant excape.

 

Tsonda - sleep with your next day's clothes in a water proof bag at the foot of your sleeping bag. It makes it much easier to get dressed in the morning rather than putting on half frozen stuff.

[coldcat 0]

wow, that sounds scary, I wonder to what extent you can make sure that snow won't bury your car if you are sleeping at a parking in a ski area.

[coldcat 0]

db le pu, I know I'm deviating from the topic of this thread but... if oxygen is packed in the snow can you explain the process by which it becomes released from it and available for the person sleeping inside the car? Also, can I assume from your post that people who suffocate when caught in an avalanche, die because of an excess of C02 rather than lack of oxygen? I'm sorry but I'm a complete ignorant in these topics, that's why I never do off-piste :-(

[tsondaboy 0]

Thanks for the tips everyone, this is my setup up to now.

I have got a sleeping bag that is supposed to be able to keep you warm from -9~ and not let you freeze from -22~. I have already thought about putting the sleeping bag onto some soft material. I think I have an old futon than don’t mind if it gets dirty, so probably that will do the trick. I also have an old fluffy carpet that could help a bit more with the insulation and maybe keeping the bottom of the sleeping bag warm.

 

Spud I was thinking of actually going to sleep with next days clothes on, is this something you wouldn’t recommend? What do you usually wear when in the sleeping bag?

[damian 0]

>an I assume from your post that people who suffocate when caught in an avalanche, die because of an excess of C02 rather than lack of oxygen?

 

That's what I have read, but not personally experienced. Which besides the acidic taste in your mouth is not such a nasty way to die. You just fall asleep. Although lets not forget the claustrophobic panic you would feel as you were fallings asleep

 

A bucket full of fresh snow is usually around 10% water, the rest is air. Even highly compressed avalanche snow has a lot of air.

 

>if oxygen is packed in the snow can you explain the process by which it becomes released from it and available for the person sleeping inside the car

 

I don't know how o2 gets out of the snow but yet CO2 doesn't dissipate into it.

 

In a snow cave your warmth melts the walls and ceiling, and that instantly re-freezes making a smooth icy layer that traps all the nasties and blocks all the nice gases.

 

>Spud I was thinking of actually going to sleep with next days clothes on, is this something you wouldn’t recommend? What do you usually wear when in the sleeping bag

 

Tsonda - there will be people with much more experience than me, but I find sleeping in my ski pants and jacket in an already restrictive sleeping bag is quit uncomfortable. If you have a solid quality -15 degree bag then you will not need to sleep in your clothes. In fact, in a car you will get hot (except for your nose).

 

If you have a crappy car with a crappy heather than sleep 15 minutes drive from the resort. The drive in the morning will warm things up. But the inside of your windscreen will have hard core condensation on it, so take a small towel.

[soubriquet 0]

When buried, the problem is not the gasses, but the encapsulation. You simply cannot expand your chest to breathe in. If your mouth is open there will be some gas exchange by diffusion, but that won`t keep you alive for long. What a miserable way to die.

[daver 0]

actually, when fully buried an mask forms around your mouth and nose. you can breath through ice. hence, the invention of the avalung. of course under extreme cases, ie buried in 2m worth of snow, your predicament soubs would likely be the case. either way, awful way to go.

[eskimobasecamp 0]

OR --- why don't you just buy a 4 season tent and camp at the top of the resort every night --- good times and first fresh lines every morning. it's gotta be more adventurous than crashing in a car.

[Kumapix 0]

tsondaboy, i would put on the next day's first layer after the onsen and then some fleece pants and fleece hoodie (from uniqlo) and sleep like that. My bag is only good til 0 degrees but I was fine. when i had a blanket on top i was toasty (good). in the morning it's freezing and u just reach up and turn the car on and wait til it warms up. once the car is warm u can stick your snowpants in front of the heating vents (& your boots) and warm it up while u eat breakfast

[soubriquet 0]

I`ll take your word for that daver. My experience is from mining, which is a little different.

 

No-one`s mentioned the golden rule. Take a piss BEFORE you get undressed and into your bag. There`s nothing worse than having to get out in the cold.

 

I`ll be kipping in the car at Narita very soon.

[daver 0]

good point soub, and you waste energy holding it in.

[Fattwins 0]

car camping sucks over time. I do it but i always end up sick afterwards.

[coldcat 0]

I agree with Fattwins. I've done it and the next morning I was feeling really tired, not in the mood to enjoy a day out snowboarding... But if you have a big car, you know like a van, it might be a good idea. Haven't tried it though.

Ahh... I'm going to sleep now

[mattlucas 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by eskimobasecamp:
OR --- why don't you just buy a 4 season tent and camp at the top of the resort every night --- good times and first fresh lines every morning. it's gotta be more adventurous than crashing in a car.

And skiing down the next day with a full winter backpack won't be difficult at all

[Fattwins 0]

nope really easy to ski with 50 litres or more on your back. I love skiing with extra wieght in the deep pow. I sink down and get even deeper pow oh joy!

[eskimobasecamp 0]

i'm going camping this year!

[panhead_pete 27]

Like this. Falls Creek '05.

 

[js 0]

Speaking from car-sleeping experience:

 

1. use a closed cell mat (camping mat) to insulate your sleeping bag (SB) from the car - bottom and sides. a standard air mattress conducts heat and will be very cold. Avoid touching the steel or plastic trim by packing stuff around you.

2. wear as little clothing in the SB as possible - thermal top and beanie. Don't wear socks or long johns, or tight fitting clothes - the bag should be doing that job.

3. Use an inner sheet - preferably a silk one - besides protecting the bag from body oils, especially important with down SB's, they're very comfy and add about 5C to warmth.

4. Leave two or so windows down by a coupla centimetres. Besides the CO2 issue, the moisture in your breath will condense and freeze on the inside of all the windows = a bastard to clear when ya gotta drive out. The temps inside the car will be almost as cold as outside anyway - cars have virtually zero thermal retention, only protecting from windchill.

5. Avoid alcohol before sleeping if ya really wanna stay warm (yeah sure, right?!). Better still, keep a fuel stove to heat stuff up for a brew/hot breakfast - hot water in a Sigg bottle makes a good hot-water-bottle too. (DON'T LIGHT IT IN THE CAR = fire risk and death by noxious gases misadventure!!)

6. Put clothing to be worn the next day in the bottom of your sleeping bag = warm clothes to put on in the morning.

7. Don't leave the car keys in the ignition - keep 'em near at hand.

8. Keep a bottle of water nearby - sleeping in cold, dry conditions dehyrates ya overnight. That may be a reason why some peeps wake up feeling less than preppy.

 

Have fun 'car-camping'.