Snow and parking up for a few weeks

[Dizzy]

We're off to the alps shortly and having never parked up for more than a few days we wondered if we should do anything special on parking.

Site is hard standing but likely to be snowy and icy, should we park up on some rubber matting ? do we need to get some traction mats ?

We've got all season 17s and chains for the journey should they be needed.

Newbie on this one !

D

 

[Beeechke1]

In my experience you should be fine with all season tyres and chains. The most useful kit we take is a snow shovel and long handled scraper/brush. We did not need chains to get out of this spot after a week and big dump of snow:-

 

[Dizzy]

In my experience you should be fine with all season tyres and chains. The most useful kit we take is a snow shovel and long handled scraper/brush. We did not need chains to get out of this spot after a week and big dump of snow:-

View attachment 143091

yikes, i hope its not that bad !

yep we have a shovel or two

 

[Beeechke1]

yikes, i hope its not that bad !

yep we have a shovel or two

To be fair the van was just parked up for the week, we stayed in an apartment with friends. We have done a number of weeks since camping in the van and skiing without issues and without seeing that much snow, so enjoy your trip

 

[sidepod]

Probs not necessary but it might be worth doing, try to fill up with diesel o ce in the alps. That way you get pukka winter spec fuel.

We’re in the alps as present. Not too cold although -7 is forecast tomorrow.

No problem.

Enjoy.

 

[Dizzy]

To be fair the van was just parked up for the week, we stayed in an apartment with friends. We have done a number of weeks since camping in the van and skiing without issues and without seeing that much snow, so enjoy your trip

What do you do about wet walking boots / shoes when you get back to the van ?

We cant make our mind up whether to store them in the middle of the two front seats or dunno what !

 

[Dizzy]

Probs not necessary but it might be worth doing, try to fill up with diesel o ce in the alps. That way you get pukka winter spec fuel.

We’re in the alps as present. Not too cold although -7 is forecast tomorrow.

No problem.

Enjoy.

Yes - thats the plan, we will brim up just out of Calias and then top off again at Albertville before heading to Bour Saint Maurice. We're planning going via the White Motorway and down via Annecy for a stop over.

Weather f/c for when we arrive is showing -13 at night...

Can someone get the heater on for us ?

 

[Beeechke1]

What do you do about wet walking boots / shoes when you get back to the van ?

We cant make our mind up whether to store them in the middle of the two front seats or dunno what !

Winter campsites with access to skiing and walking often have drying rooms, heated boot racks etc.
In the van wet boots go in the footwells, we have the rubber mats., and we take an old quick drying towel and sit them on that by the heater outlet

 

[Keitheeweithee]

We're off to the alps shortly and having never parked up for more than a few days we wondered if we should do anything special on parking.

Site is hard standing but likely to be snowy and icy, should we park up on some rubber matting ? do we need to get some traction mats ?

We've got all season 17s and chains for the journey should they be needed.

Newbie on this one !

D

We're off to the alps shortly and having never parked up for more than a few days we wondered if we should do anything special on parking.

Site is hard standing but likely to be snowy and icy, should we park up on some rubber matting ? do we need to get some traction mats ?

We've got all season 17s and chains for the journey should they be needed.

Newbie on this one !

D

We take our van to the Alps for skiing for several weeks each winter and park it outside often in very cold temperatures and have never had any major problems. Obviously you need winter spec accredited tyres (with 3 peaks symbol), a legal requirement now, we use Michelin Cross Climates all year round. Agree good plan is to ensure fullish tank of local winter spec fuel. Same for windscreen wash eg specced to -20. Have had up to a metre of fresh snow on the van quite often - if you’re lucky! Main issue is when the snowplough clears the road and snow is piled up against it, to front or rear depending how parked. Main thing is to clear most of this away from your exit path every day before it refreezes into hard ice, it’s extremely difficult to dig it out then. Same around each wheels's exit path. Fresh dry snow is easy to clear, hard refrozen snow is not! Agree to have shovel and a long handled brush. Brush off the bulk of fresh snow from the roof and bonnet while it’s still soft. Otherwise you will head down the valley with a big snow cap on the roof which will eventually slide off forward when you brake hard somewhere, not good. (Also makes it difficult to get under a 2m high barrier!). Dont use auto mirror folding to avoid them attempting to open when frozen up. Open out windscreen wipers when parked to keep them clear and avoid them freezing to windscreen. Roughly brush fresh snow off from windscreen, windows, door openings and handles before it refreezes. When starting up allow plenty of time for windscreen to fully clear. Be cautious when driving away, allow ice to clear before attempting to open windows if frozen, I had a hire car window mechanism break once when so doing. Try to avoid using windscreen wash until outside temps above freezing. Enjoy your trip!

 

[briwy]

If you haven't already I suggest you practice fitting the chains. Also if you have the standard size tyres 235 55 then check the chains are clearing everything at the rear of the wheels.

 

[Ruddster]

Also helps to try and park so that you are pulling away level or better still slightly downhill. My brother had to reverse up an incline on what became very polished snow and ice and that took a lot of digging, swearing and pushing.

Definitely worth doing a test fit of snow chains as my brother's van had such little clearance between the wheel arch and the chunky A/T tyre that is was near impossible getting them on (hence the pushing, digging etc.) It also didn't help that his traction control button didn't work so the van cut power at the first sign on any slip on the wheels.

Having said that it's the first time we have ever had an issue and we often head to the Alps in a large group of vans and cars. I can second the recommendation for Cross Climates - they've never failed me and my own van/cars.

 

[crookrise]

Heading out to the Alps late February, been doing it for a few years now.
Having 4 season tyres or Snow tyres with 3 peaks symbol is mandatory and has always been OK even in deep snow, running Goodyear Vectors.
Points to note
1./ If it snows you'll need something to clear the snow off the van before you get in, opening the door often deposits a mini avalanche inside.
2./ Pair of old gloves ready for putting chains on if needed.
3./ Dont leave any liquids in cans/bottles in the van. They will freeze and explode...
4./ Advisable to pull your wipers off the windscreen, dont forget rear, as they will freeze to the screen and tear when you start up.
5./ Water can get in the handbrake cable/mechanism and freeze. Leave it off parked in gear.

 

[sbmcd]

Hi,

We have had a few ski holidays in our van. Many good suggestions already.

Do practice putting chains on, I've only had to do it once, at night, blizzard conditions, needed a shovel to clear round the tyres, head torch to see and full set of over gear to stay warm, it's not a nice experience.

Take a good collapsible shovel, ski touring ones are best.

Sound like you are sleeping in the van, if you are using the pop top up be vary careful of snow in the roof mechanism and around the roof, especially for lowering, awning side collects most snow, we have a topper that is very useful for keeping the bulk of the snow off. Topper is also very useful to help the bed area stay warmer. Telescopic ladders are great for getting up high to check and remove snow.

Extending scraper / brush essential.

We have used campsites with drying rooms and boot warmer storage, bliss.

Assuming you are on hook up take a small electric heater, we have a ceramic cube one, you can leave that on low all day while you are out the van, nice to come back to a warm van.

Van drinking water can freeze, take container to fill and keep in the van.

Old rubber car mat is useful for outside the sliding door.

External front / side screens are best, you will get a lot of condensation with internal ones.

Have a great trip, bon ski

 

[dazcleveland]

We’re over in the Portes de Soleil for January - Cali is parked on the driveway, not camping in it. Second all the advice above. One extra thing to remember… make sure you fill windscreen washer bottle with additive suitable for low temperatures. We had Lidl’s stuff in ours but it’s only good down to minus 5. It was minus 13 here yesterday(!) and the washer fluid low level warning light came on the dash so the whole tank has obviously frozen! Just hoping it hasn’t knackered the pump, tank or pipework when it does eventually warm up and thaw!!

 

[tobyprivett]

Driving in the snow last year, I had a front parking sensor alert. Took a while to realise that the sensor is mounted in the VW badge, and it was frozen. A little warm water and it stopped beeping at me

 

[bigmac77]

Some good tips in this thread. I’ll add another couple. Take a knee pad, the Screwfix ones are great and waterproof work gloves. If you have to put chains on it makes life a lot easier. You can also use the knee pad to store wet footwear on in the vehicle.

French supermarkets sell screen wash that is good to -30°.

We are heading out to Les Arcs on the 24th so fingers crossed for a big dump of snow just before then.

 

[crookrise]

Driving in the snow last year, I had a front parking sensor alert. Took a while to realise that the sensor is mounted in the VW badge, and it was frozen. A little warm water and it stopped beeping at me

Good point.
Also Ive found reversing sensors dont work that well with snow, dont seem to reflect but absorb the radar !!!

 

[dazcleveland]

Quick update on my frozen washer fluid bottle! It was still pretty cold yesterday (-7) but we had a bit of sunshine on our driveway so I took the opportunity to try to thaw everything out. Our Cali is a T5 2007 and the washer bottle is located in the nearside front wheel arch. I removed 3 downward facing Torx screws on the underside of the wheel arch trim and the lowest one on the side, which allowed me to prise the trim away far enough to access the washer bottle and pump. I then used a hair dryer to gently warm it all through. I also removed the insulation trim on the underside of the bonnet to access the washer jets pipework and gently warmed that with the hairdryer too. Luckily, the jets eventually started working again so no damage to pump and no visible leaks from tank or front pipework so drained approximately ¼ to ½ of the tank before the jets started to block again slightly due to the external temperature. Poured about ½ a spray bottle of windscreen de-icer into the washer fluid tank to clear any further blocks of ice and topped up with washer fluid additive suitable down to -25, purchased at local French supermarket. Washer jets are now fully working again. Will have to wait for a rise in temperature or our return to the UK at the end of the month to see if the pipework to the rear washer is damage free but the good news is it's starting snowing!!

 

[Dizzy]

Thanks all for suggestions.

We are here now in Boug st maurice, got here Tuesday after a drive down Monday and an overnight in Annecy. All pretty uneventful.

Started snowing Tuesday night, dumped about 40cm in the valley, dumping down up in les arcs 1600. Today the main links were closed due to wind.

I cleared in front of the van this morning good job as it is forecasting another 20cm tomorrow.

We have polar poptop and front / side covers , we opted to not use the brandrup internals and it seems to be working well. We did do a mod on the poptop covers so we hang them from the front bar of our front solar panel, that made them fit really well.

Will pop some pics on shortly

 

[Dizzy]

Finally back from BSM, it dumped with snow early Jan so i cleared in from on the van.

Drive back was clear, 978km (via Lyon) 8h 54m avg 31 mpg, when we got back to the uk we dropped speed to 70 and got 36!

 

[Ruddster]

Which campsite did you stay in in BSM and how easy was it to get to the ski slopes in Les Arcs etc from there? Heading out to the Alps on Friday and would definitely consider camping one year. There is a great aire du camping right by the slope in La Plagne that has always been tempting.

 

[sbmcd]

Which campsite did you stay in in BSM and how easy was it to get to the ski slopes in Les Arcs etc from there? Heading out to the Alps on Friday and would definitely consider camping one year. There is a great aire du camping right by the slope in La Plagne that has always been tempting.

Here it is, photo taken last week, certainly ski to door lol.

 

[Ruddster]

yep and some good restaurants nearby too

 

[crookrise]

Chamonix bound Next Tuesday 3 days then on to Flaine for a week

 

[Dizzy]

Which campsite did you stay in in BSM and how easy was it to get to the ski slopes in Les Arcs etc from there? Heading out to the Alps on Friday and would definitely consider camping one year. There is a great aire du camping right by the slope in La Plagne that has always been tempting.

Huttopia in Bourg Saint Maurice

Getting to slopes is "acceptable" in my view.

If you have a locker up at 1600 or the funicular then you can walk through the wood, takes about 15 mins to the funicular which run every 20 mins, via the road its about 25 mins to walk. We walked there via wood and back through town as it was sometimes a bit muddy on the way back. Only issue is the locker, costs 7 euros a day, we spent 171 on just the locker....

There is a free bus from right outside the campsite goes to the funicular on 11 mins and 41 mins past the hour. We found if you got the 0811 then you could be in a lift queue at 0850 with the skis on.

We extended our stay for 5 nights and couldnt use the locker, instead we kitted up at the campsite ski locker and did the buss carrying skis etc.. We thought it worked out. The odd thing is we didnt feel a need to ski first lift to last lift as it we were there for so long.

Other bonus with that site is its right next to a SuperU and intermarche. Having said that food was expensive in comparison to home, not mountain prices, as an example 8-9 euros for 2 chicken breasts... Having said that 3 L of pinot noir was 12.50....

It was our first time winter camping for 5 weeks, one thing to bear in mind is that there can be a howling wind from the NE in the valley, we had to put the pop top down one night, but on a number of other nights "Dizzy was rocking" !!

We did a season pass which works out pretty well after 28 days skiing... 32 euros or there abouts.

Next year we will go back but probably for a couple of weeks and then move on, plus we will likely look to do some other places wild camping in the new van....