Any Ski bums/snowboarders/winter lovers out there?

[AdventurousAdriana]

Hi yall!

I love to ski, sled, and snowshoe...I'm hoping to do some ski bumming once I get my rig and get settled into nomadic life.  Have any of yall taken your rigs into the mountings to do some skiing/snowboarding or other winter/mountain activities?  If so, where do you like to go?  Do you have any tips that you can share?  I know there a lot of snowbirds here but man, do I LOVE the cold and winter.  Let me know if you do too!

-Adriana

 

[WanderLoveJosh]

I'd be interested to know about this as well. My wife and I want to go skiing/snowboarding when we head through New Mexico in January. For us tho, we have a trailer in tow, so we need to find some place down the mountain where we can park, then find a mountain to ski. Located a few in Santa Fe, so we may consider going there to start with.

 

[AdventurousAdriana]

Ok, so I did some research and made up this list of resources I found helpful:

Ski/Winter RV Resources:
Blog posts:
- The ultimate guide to living in a van, chasing pow, & slaying the goods every day:
https://snowbrains.com/riders-on-th...-van-chasing-pow-slaying-the-goods-every-day/
- Winterizing your RV by Gone with the Wynns (they used to take regular trips to go camp and snowboard): https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/winterize-rv

Resorts where you can overnight in the parking lot (some are paid) OR have an RV lot:
o Crystal Mountain, WA¬¬ (can get electric hookups)
o Mt Baker, WA
o Summit at Snoqualmie, WA
o Stevens Pass, WA
o Mt Hood Meadows, OR
o Hoodoo Ski Area, OR (hookups)
o Mt Bachelor Ski Resort, OR
o Willamette Pass Resort, OR (electric hookups)
o Anthony Lakes Mt Resort, OR
o Squaw Alpine, CA
o Bear Valley, CA (must be “self-contained RV”)
o Revelstoke, BC Canada (ditto on above)
o Sun Peaks, BC Canada
o Whitewater, BC Canada
o Kicking Horse Mt, BC Canada
o Red Mt, BC Canada
o Schweitzer Mt, ID
o Castle Mt, AB Canada
o Lookout Pass, ID/MT border
o Whitefish Mt, MT
o Bridger Bowl, MT (must be “self-contained RV”)
o Grand Targhee Resort Alta, WY
o Wolf Creek Ski Resort, CO
o Taos Ski Valley, NM

Videos
- Tiny House Tour – Parking lot Culture (This artistic video shows some cool rigs and people who live in them during ski season):
- Pro Snowboarder Converts Firetruck into Tine Home to Live at Mt Bachelor (I like how this video shows his setup- especially how he uses a wood stove and full body alpine suit for snow chores):
- How to Survive Winter Living in a Van (Pretty self-explanatory, I like how they use burlap sacks to keep mud and slush from getting into their van.):

I hope this is useful! I know info here will help me (though I'll probably be looking to do more of my skiing in the CO area)

 

[WanderLoveJosh]

Thats some pretty serious and good information!

Thanks! Good work!

 

[tx2sturgis]

I'd be interested to know about this as well. My wife and I want to go skiing/snowboarding when we head through New Mexico in January. For us tho, we have a trailer in tow, so we need to find some place down the mountain where we can park, then find a mountain to ski. Located a few in Santa Fe, so we may consider going there to start with.

Taos, Red River, Ruidoso. (Ski Apache, Inn of the Mountain Gods, etc) 

At Taos and Ruidoso, you can overnight at the Walmarts, or regular campgrounds of course.

Red River has free dispersed camping very close by. 

Also don't forget about the Black Hills (SD) area in winter...Terry Peak and others with dispersed camping and Walmarts in Spearfish and Rapid City, plus literally hundreds of campgrounds nearby.

 

[AdventurousAdriana]

Taos, Red River, Ruidoso. (Ski Apache, Inn of the Mountain Gods, etc) 

Red River has free dispersed camping very close by. 

Thanks for the info!   I traveled through Red River, NM for the first time this fall and it was BEAUTIFUL!  I can't wait to go back.  Such a quaint town and small ski area. <3

 

[Travelmonkey]

Great info, thank you! I'd love park for a winter and work in a ski resort, maybe teaching how to ski or something else.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Thanks for the info!   I traveled through Red River, NM for the first time this fall and it was BEAUTIFUL!  I can't wait to go back.  Such a quaint town and small ski area. <3

Yep..I have a friend with a cabin there....beautiful little tourist town...spent some time there me-own-self, usually during the Red River Motorcycle Rally. 

There is dispersed camping in the Carson National Forest...and of course motels, hotels, and ski lodges in the area.

 

[Ms Daisy]

Arizona Snow Bowl in Flagstaff has great skiing and Flagstaff is a fun town.  You might be able to find dispersed camping close by in Coconino National Forest (depends on how much snow is on the ground) or in town (Walmart).  I've taken my RV up there in the winter and we camped close to the road to Snow Bowl.  One of the things to consider re: skiing is the cost of a lift ticket...they can get pricey.  Snow Bowl is pretty reasonable compared to most of Colorado.  Ck the Snow Bowl website for weather conditions and if all the lifts are open.  They do make their own snow.

Bonus: Lots of great sledding along the slopes on the road to Snow Bowl.

You look pretty young so you might enjoy the college town atmosphere of Flag.

 

[AdventurousAdriana]

One of the things to consider re: skiing is the cost of a lift ticket...they can get pricey.  Snow Bowl is pretty reasonable compared to most of Colorado.  

Thanks for the info Daisy!  Haha yes, skiing is expensive!  It's one of the reasons I am making the change from sticks n' bricks to RV/vanlife-  I want to put my money towards experiences (mostly outdoor) that truly give me joy and bring me closer to nature.  I'm working on building up my skills so that I can go backcountry skiing (no lift ticket involved) instead of front-country (resort style $$$).