Author |
Message |
Halifaxwesty Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2012 Posts: 213 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
-9c Kittery Maine, November 29 2013.
Small propane heater to take the bite off, but we turned it off 30 mins before bed...
Homemade Reflectix insulation...
Mountain Equipment Co Op -5c bag...
I slept on the bottom...I was fine with a thin lycra balaclava covering my face...
My buddy slept up top with a 10 year old Canadian Tire sleeping bag...he had a different experience...
I'd do it again in a heart beat...waiting for the Nova Scotian contingent to organize an early spring weekend (cough cough Jeff) outing. _________________ 84 Westfalia Vanagon
2.2 RMW Conversion
Work in Progress
My first car was a 1968 VW Bug |
|
Back to top |
|
|
snowsyncro Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2009 Posts: 1557 Location: East Preston, Nova Scotia, Canada
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
-13C (local weather report), February 8/9, 2014
Driveway camping Stillwater Lake with my 3 yr old grandson…
No heater, no insulation, top was down...
No sleeping bag, no balaclava, just 3 blankets and a comforter…
And Tigger and Monkey…
Took a beer out with me, but didn't drink it, in the morning it was frozen solid, so was Jack's milk…
I spent most of the night awake, hoping for Jack to wake up and say he was cold so we could go inside, but he slept the sleep of kings…
I won't lie…it was cold…
RonC
This is beginning to sound like the 4 Yorkshiremen…
Link
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
bjrogers86auto Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2009 Posts: 1375 Location: Halifax, N.S.
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:11 pm Post subject: cold |
|
|
How early?
Hope to have the van out of hibernation by the end of March but the way it's looking now...not so certain.
We camped at Keji a few years back in April...before our government closed National Parks. We could always just show up in Jeff's yard and not leave.
Any other April options? Most woods roads will be soft and mushy...
I still have my mummy bag!
P.S. That's funny Ron! hehe
Brian _________________ 86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback
A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
BillWYellowstone Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2011 Posts: 767 Location: Yellowstone NP
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Probably about 20 deg, everything fine, even had top up. In my mtorhome down to 29 below, south rim Grand Canyon.
Live in Yellowstone in winter, have an aprtment, but we just had a winter survival class, (I wimped out), but my buddy did the snow trench.
We are going to be leaving in a couple weeks, and the West is up in Gardiner, MT waiting our arrival. Hopefully, she will start right up. Then start heading south, so first couple nights might be chilly.
Looking at where to spend my money this spring, new truckfridge or a propex. _________________ Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Halifaxwesty Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2012 Posts: 213 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Wifey is expecting May 6th....should probably be around for that...or the van will be more than a hobby...it will become a residence.
Im sure we could find some private property somewhere...I know of a couple spots on the eastern shore...
Get outside...bbq a steak...fire...beverages...etc...wont thread jack....but its an idea to discuss via PM if a few are interested. _________________ 84 Westfalia Vanagon
2.2 RMW Conversion
Work in Progress
My first car was a 1968 VW Bug |
|
Back to top |
|
|
bjrogers86auto Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2009 Posts: 1375 Location: Halifax, N.S.
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:26 pm Post subject: cold |
|
|
Is it a poll Bill?
I'd say fridge and a down bag! Can't wait to upgrade to a quality down bag. I'd rather sleep in cold temps in a warm bag then try to heat the space but just an opinion...worthless really...hehe.
Brian _________________ 86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback
A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
CansoJim Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 40 Location: Canso, Nova Scotia
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:52 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Stealth camping in Jeff's yard! With all those vans there, we would easily blend in
Jim. _________________ 89 Canadian PreRunner Westy GL JOVH 2.3 Auto w/ Peloquin TBD |
|
Back to top |
|
|
luVWagn Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2008 Posts: 1340 Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
rubbachicken Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2004 Posts: 3058 Location: socal
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
-3° c no heating, just the duvet from my bed at home, i go to bed fully dressed, then as i warm up, the layer come off.
for the morning, i have a kettle ready on the stove, by the time it's boiled the van is warm enough to get out of bed. _________________ lucy our westy
lucy's BIG adventure
meet 'burni'
markswagen {mobile mechanic} san diego area all early VW's cared for.
619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
danbar Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2011 Posts: 464 Location: North Bend, WA
|
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I haven't really pushed the Vanagon much below freezing but years ago we had a crank break in a '58 Kombi in the mountains and my buddy and I had to sleep in that with one thin blanket between us at 5°f. Rough. _________________ '88 SCA High/Pop-top Syncro camper
'61 Meyers Manx |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Royb Samba Member
Joined: May 24, 2008 Posts: 228 Location: Sierra Foothills
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
Spent a nite in late October at Saddlebag Lake near Tioga Pass at 10k feet. The campground wasn't actually open so we camped in a wide spot and ran the Heater Buddy until we were ready to commit to sleeping bags. The top stayed down that night. Brrrr. _________________ 1991 Westy |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Microbusdeluxe Samba Member
Joined: July 26, 2003 Posts: 977 Location: Bellingham, WA
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 1:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
Well below zero in Manning Provincial Park, BC. Top froze, so couldn't open it, water & beer froze so couldn't drink, bread & muffins froze so we couldn't eat them.
With the top bunk unavailable our daughter had to make do with the floor because she was the smallest, by about one inch, which actually wasn't that small, poor kid, but now she has character and something to complain about. We were using the burners and a little buddy heater while we were awake. (To stave off any unsolicited advice I never would have left either one burning while we slept.)
I noticed the flames were rather yellow, opened the door to take a leak when voila!; the flame got blue & bright! Time to turn off the heat & burrow in the down bags. During the night some Canadian kids abandoned their nearby snow caves and sat in vehicles running their engines. We did not stay the next night as originally planned. For some odd reason I'm often reminded about this camping choice by others in the household. _________________ '69 Squareback RIP
'65 21 window deluxe sold before the price spike, damn it.
'70 rhd bay now a taxi in South Sudan
'81 Westy sold
'89 hightop Westy Joker syncro 16" now with Bostig! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Jeff's Old Volks Home Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2011 Posts: 819 Location: Chester Basin, Nova Scotia
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 4:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
CansoJim wrote: |
Stealth camping in Jeff's yard! With all those vans there, we would easily blend in
Jim. |
Or better yet... Someone can stay in Jim's van!!!
There's usually lots of vans to choose from, but yours is one of my favorites!
Jeff _________________ www.jeffsoldvolkshome.com
2004 Jetta TDi Wagon
2002 Smyth Ute TDi
1990 Vanagon weekender Syncro AAZ
1987 Syncro Doka AAZ...soon to be TDI
2014 DL650ABS Xpedition
1986 Weekender Syncro (Under construction)
1987 Westfalia (Under construction)
1987 Syncro Single cab |
|
Back to top |
|
|
tschroeder0 Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008 Posts: 2096 Location: Boulder CO
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
last year we did a week long trip before new years going south from Boulder to Silverton. Below zero every night, the night before newyears was about -20, new years eve in Silverton was -31... we stayed in the hostel as that was a bit too much for the propex. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
aswah Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2007 Posts: 907 Location: PDX
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
minus 20 broke down on the side of the AlCan in Alaska... part of the reason I got the propex... We had a negative 20 bag so all was good. _________________ WIT WA DA DA (Peace and Unity)
Aswah, Lisa, Beaumont and Loose Lucy Too!
1989 Westy
2013 Jetta Sportswagon TDI |
|
Back to top |
|
|
jackbombay Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2007 Posts: 2723 Location: Eastern Idaho
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 9:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
outwesty wrote: |
Grand Targhee |
We've been pretty warm lately, but we are close to march.
They used to let people camp in the parking lot, even provided 110v power if you wanted it.
I've been down to 10* F with no heater, keeping food and water from freezing is a hassle, now with a propex though its no worry _________________
Gas struts to pop your top easily!
Pop Top strut kits now available for late Bay window Westies
Samba ad here.
DIY artificial rain gutters (ARGs) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
tKhager Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2014 Posts: 6 Location: Fort Lauderdale
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:20 am Post subject: Fridge makes a good heater |
|
|
Not really a coldest nite, but we have used the ammonia fridge, that doesn't really work as a fridge, to heat the cabin on a camping trip. They probably should have vented that outside |
|
Back to top |
|
|
WestyJP Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2010 Posts: 55 Location: Chattanooga, TN
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
After about ten years of living in my Westy there were numerous cold nights. The coldest feeling were probably the humid/damp Winter nights in the Eastern states. Technically the coldest were around -15 F to -20 F (don't recall exactly) nights that came around a few times while I was Wintering in the Rockies to ski.
The large majority of those cold nights were spent without heat in my van. Around the time that I installed the Propex I also got much better at avoiding Winter. A good sleeping bag, blankets above/around the sleeping bag, headwear that comes down over the nose and things like that really help keep you safe and warm. Slightly open windows help keep the interior condensation down but an ice scraper for the inside of the windows is still a necessity if you want to wake and drive early. Leaving the van in 1st gear overnight and parking where you have a downhill run to get things going in the am can also help when it's super cold and the oils are thick. Boiling water in a bottle at the foot of a sleeping bag can be nice and help ensure that you have something to drink at night and in the am. Likewise leaving a kettle with water in it on the stove, ready to thaw, can be a good way to get more drinking water in the a.m. as all will be frozen. Being careful with plastic and such is also important as they like to break when it's really chilly. Those sun visor clips were quick to go as I needed to keep the early sun out of my eyes driving to the ski hill.
There's plenty more tricks to try for making things more comfortable but all in all it isn't too hard to sleep well and stay warm when cold camping. Getting dressed in the am without heat was usually the most intense part of the experience, that or trying to warm the bed up when first getting in at night.
Oh yeah,, also be aware that Southern blends of propane don't work when it gets really cold. They don't use pure propane and the other fuel that they mix (butane? I can't recall) in doesn't off-gas or whatever at really low temps. Up North they use a pure propane or a purer blend that will work on the colder nights. You can heat the propane tanks to get them going in a pinch but it seems a bit scary the way I've done it... I ran into this a few times over the years and it's a hassle for sure.
Jonathan |
|
Back to top |
|
|
t0m3y3r Samba Member
Joined: March 06, 2013 Posts: 45 Location: Chicago, IL
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
We did around 10 degrees F in the Appalachians just this last January....it was COLD lol! I don't have a nice heater like you guys are talking though....just an electric....2 warm bodies and 4 blankets it was still freezing!!! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
MSmyth Samba Member
Joined: September 02, 2008 Posts: 39 Location: Morgantown, WV
|
Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2014 2:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
-17 F stealth camping on top of the mountain at Snowshoe. We went though three bottles for our Mr. Heater Buddy but it really wasn't bad at all.
I had the top down, but no extra window insulation.
My wife did not find humor in that I wanted to watch Ice Station Zebra on the laptop. _________________ Current driveway art:
1984 Westy / Bostig
2013 Toyota Prius Plug-in
1979 Land Rover Series III 109 Safari
2000 Dodge Dakota 4x4 Magnum
2004 Range Rover HSE (latest project... looking for a motor!) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|