FJ60 and Mountain Collective Ski Pass

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Cruiser Jimmy

Cruiser Jimmy

Moderator
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Threads
135
Messages
2,191
Location
Western Slope, CO
Plan:
Use the FJ60 to sleep in while traveling from Mtn to Mtn with the Mountain Collective Ski pass.
The 60 is stock right now and I don't have any modifications to the interior, the back seat is still in.
Future plans include a fully Expeditioned out rig for fun in all seasons as my new home is on the Western Slope.

Current Modifications:
Dual Battery. Yellow for the house and Red for the start. Blue Sea isolator.
400 watt inverter. 800 watts peak.


This trip is going to be a trial run for me, and not long at all. Along the way I will start to take note of the things I need for the future. I've already sleep in the rig once and two things popped up.

Heat:
I started to get cool with my 30 degree bag in the earlier morning. I'm thinking I'll double up on bags and add to pads under the bag for better insulation.
Moisture:
I noticed in the morning the moisture on the inside of the rig was frozen.

So the question is does anyone have a solution for heating up the interior just a little to keep the moisture low and raise the heat slightly. I've got some thoughts, just want to hear your ideas.

Thanks, Jim
IMG_4936.webp
 
Passive air flow to ventilate accumulated moisture?
 
I see your located grand junction and have posted almost 2k messages, thus I assume you know:

1. That is a tall order for the cruiser. I have been monitoring the F*&d transit site in anticipation of a biuld. Even with a transit (or sprinter space), there are challenges with what you want to do.

2. via transit/sprinter sites, heat/condensation/insulation are very debated subjects. There is reference to running a mr. heater little buddy propane heater here on mud (do search as I know it's been discussed).

3. Sleeping bag ratings: I see you mentioned 30d bag. You do know that rating equates to temp you will not die in, but be pretty damned cold (as in wear every ounce of clothing you have...and still no sleep). I would look into 30 below zero bags.....

4. Bathroom runs.....even a tough gig when you are hanging (no pun) in temperate weather.....

5. Post ski clothing....you will never dry your stuff prior to the next am (ski boot liners, etc.).

Again, tall order. Thinking you have the wrong rig for such an adventure. Though I am jealous of the reason.....
 
If you don't want moisture, you need ventilation and air movement. In cold weather sleeping in the back
of my 60 I hang a tarp over the side windows and leave them wide open. Use a stick to hold the rear upper
hatch open to save wear on your gas shocks and leave it open as well.
Put a closed cell ( like that blue pad ) under your sleeping gear it will help reduce condensation on the bottom
of your bag.
I never heat the inside of my truck, just get a better sleeping bag.
 
I have slept in a van for a couple of weeks every night on an extended ski vacation. And I've slept in my 60 in the winter. You do get frost inside, when you wake up in the am. But when you get back to the car after skiing, it's gone. Fire the engine up and run the heater in full in the am and pm if you want. The Mr Buddy idea is interesting...I'd be inclined to try a "truck tent" and a Mr buddy, plus some open windows...that might be a killer setup. Main thing I'd recommend is a really comfortable thick winter sleeping pad. That will help with warmth and improve your quaility of sleep so you can ski better the next day.
 
Re truck tent: be aware that ski areas (especially the high end or avalanche prone) frown on this. Often have laws on the books preventing this. Alta = example = big ticket if not jail.

Research up on stealth van camping. Even in stealth vans (camouflaged as work vans) are often picked off by the authorities.
 
These are all viable suggestions, I don't know who to quote first :banana:

I've slept many many nights in the truck.
I use either my propain Colman lantern sitting on a base or Mr. Buddy to preheat the interior while I'm setting up the bed.

I like a hooded sweatshirt when in the truck.

If it's really cold, or I feel like it, I run the Mr. Buddy on pilot all night. This keeps the 62 warm, and I haven't died yet.

Drying your ski socks out is another good thought, I don't know on that one.

Oh, and I've also been rousted and tossed out of Telluride in the middle of the night for sleeping in my Vanagan trying to be as stealthy as we could in a hippy bus.:bang:
 
Some things to think about:

Mr. Buddy

Wet boots - worth it

Helpful and less than helpful comments

Get a good (major outdoor brand) -20 sleeping bag, washable liner bag, closed cell foam sleeping pad( ridgerest), and thermarest NeoAir xtherm. This combo will get you thru all but the worst the continental US has to offer. If it's colder than -10 your prob going to find a couch to surf or other accommodations that aren't as cold.

I've wanted to use the 60 D-pillar vents and fit computer fans in them to push air out to help with condensation. Setting them up so they come on automatically with a sensor would be check tech.
 
NookShneer said:
Some things to think about:

Mr. Buddy

Wet boots - worth it

Helpful and less than helpful comments

Get a good (major outdoor brand) -20 sleeping bag, washable liner bag, closed cell foam sleeping pad( ridgerest), and thermarest NeoAir xtherm. This combo will get you thru all but the worst the continental US has to offer. If it's colder than -10 your prob going to find a couch to surf or other accommodations that aren't as cold.

I've wanted to use the 60 D-pillar vents and fit computer fans in them to push air out to help with condensation. Setting them up so they come on automatically with a sensor would be check tech.
Click to expand...
Good links.
I have run into the Mr.Buddy not turning on once, up in a RTT. I had not read that article, good to know the O² sensor works!
 
I have a Chev AWD van that I am camperizing that I will be doing the exact same trip in a few years. For the same reason too.

I've spent countless hours on EP in the van section.

I will be getting a Mr. Heater for it, but for now I just use the remote start to warm up the van from the comfort of my bed. 10 minutes is usually enough time to heat up the interior. Try not to fall asleep again before you turn the truck off though. Some remote starters come with a timed shut off even.

I have reflectix covers for all the glass. I put black felt on the outside side so it looks like deep tinted windows instead of covers.

It would be worth your while to take off the interior panels and put in some insulation. Same with the floor and the ceiling. You don't have to do every square inch, but every bit helps.

I have an inverter that will run a boot warmer while the van is running.

There is lots of info on the net about which parking lots you are allowed to camp in as well.
 
I suggest you invest in an exped mega mat, probably the best choice for car camping in cold weather.

Be aware one of the byproducts of propane combustion is water, while a propane heater like the Buddy may help you stay warm it will only add to the moisture problem. Webasto makes nice heaters that vent the combustion byproducts to the exterior.

Adding a product like Dyanmat will help keep the interior warmer and reduce noise, double win.

IMHO there should be a national zoning law that requires every coin op laundry mat to be located next to a bar. The next best thing is to find one close to a bar and post skiing dry your ski gear there while you sip a hot adult beverage.
 
Okay so here's an update of my results. I will explain the conditions at each location.

Telluride-
Finding a FREE parking lot and spot around 6pm next to a chairlift is the best way to go. Everyone has either left or finishing their beers then heading back to the cabin. T-ride was pretty cool that night, around 10 to 0 IIRC. I only skied one day and headed up to Aspen/Snowmass.
Moisture was a concern and it built up over night because of the cold conditions. I doubled up on the sleeping bags and I was able to keep pretty warm.

Next-
Stop back in GJ for a quick adjustment.
Because of the moisture build up I was thinking of a way to get it out of the cab. Well, luckily I had an old computer tower that I never used that was getting ready to head to goodwill.
I pulled the box exhaust fan out to check the specs and found it was a 12v fan. Bingo!! I then wired up a long 12v extension cord cigarette light outlet to it and placed it on the rear right D pillar of the 60. Check the flow and it was pushing air. I zip tied it to the exhaust vent so the efficiency has not there but it worked.

Aspen/Snowmass
X Games was going on this weekend. F&^K!! I don't want to deal with this nor the people. I drove up to Cardondale and found a restaurant and parking space for the night. It turned out to be -7 this night, WOW!! After getting the cab nice and toasty I turned in for the night. The doubling up on the bags worked well and I never felt cool in any spots. The exhaust fan did a really great job up pulling the moisture out of the cab. I could see a significant reduction of moisture in the cab. I was pretty happy with the result but the fan I had was noisy and I woke up once that night because of the noise. That got me thinking that what if I were to split the wiring of the HVAC fan to the the house/start battery and run a toggle switch. It's an idea and doable. Snowmass was a nice and big mtn but EVERYTHING was groomed and I felt like a tourist. That day the temp was still really low and it proved to be not as pleasurable as I built it up in my mind.

The 70 Passes and the mighty 2F
Wow, I need a turbo diesel and more HP!! She did better than I expected. The cool temps at night were great for the engine temp. I never saw any big spikes in temp but I was going 35'ish up the pass in third gear.

Jackson Hole
TWO days here. This was the Mtn that I really like and bought the pass for. Side Note: Annual passes if bought in Aug are $1300, WOW.
Now with the moisture and double bagging I set up sights on the next condition, drying of gear. The temp in JH was about 20 during the day and night.
I really expected to have damp gear in the morning on the second night but it really did a good job drying out. My gloves were the only thing I really noticed that held some moisture. For the boots I had them positioned at the vent for warmth and 12V boot warmers. I ran the engine until I was happy that everything got to heat up and dry out a little before I hit the slopes for the second day.
One quick note: After about 30 to 45 minutes of the engine running I melted the snow that accumulated on the rig over this. As the vehicle heats up the snow melts and after you turn the engine off and head to the slopes ICE icicles form and you find you're the only one in the parking lot that has this condition while every other car has snow on the tops. Hummmm!!
 
NookShneer said:
Some things to think about:

Mr. Buddy

Wet boots - worth it

Helpful and less than helpful comments

Get a good (major outdoor brand) -20 sleeping bag, washable liner bag, closed cell foam sleeping pad( ridgerest), and thermarest NeoAir xtherm. This combo will get you thru all but the worst the continental US has to offer. If it's colder than -10 your prob going to find a couch to surf or other accommodations that aren't as cold.

I've wanted to use the 60 D-pillar vents and fit computer fans in them to push air out to help with condensation. Setting them up so they come on automatically with a sensor would be check tech.
Click to expand...

On Point @NookShneer!! Thanks for the tips!!
If I don this again I will toggle the HVAC fan and use it's build in efficiency to get the moisture out of the cab.
The computer fan had little draw on the battery and I never had any issues with it. I wonder about the HVAC fan however. Need research and a calculator.
 
Cruiser Jimmy said:
Okay so here's an update of my results. I will explain the conditions at each location.

Telluride-
Finding a FREE parking lot and spot around 6pm next to a chairlift is the best way to go. Everyone has either left or finishing their beers then heading back to the cabin. T-ride was pretty cool that night, around 10 to 0 IIRC. I only skied one day and headed up to Aspen/Snowmass.
Moisture was a concern and it built up over night because of the cold conditions. I doubled up on the sleeping bags and I was able to keep pretty warm.

Next-
Stop back in GJ for a quick adjustment.
Because of the moisture build up I was thinking of a way to get it out of the cab. Well, luckily I had an old computer tower that I never used that was getting ready to head to goodwill.
I pulled the box exhaust fan out to check the specs and found it was a 12v fan. Bingo!! I then wired up a long 12v extension cord cigarette light outlet to it and placed it on the rear right D pillar of the 60. Check the flow and it was pushing air. I zip tied it to the exhaust vent so the efficiency has not there but it worked.

Aspen/Snowmass
X Games was going on this weekend. F&^K!! I don't want to deal with this nor the people. I drove up to Cardondale and found a restaurant and parking space for the night. It turned out to be -7 this night, WOW!! After getting the cab nice and toasty I turned in for the night. The doubling up on the bags worked well and I never felt cool in any spots. The exhaust fan did a really great job up pulling the moisture out of the cab. I could see a significant reduction of moisture in the cab. I was pretty happy with the result but the fan I had was noisy and I woke up once that night because of the noise. That got me thinking that what if I were to split the wiring of the HVAC fan to the the house/start battery and run a toggle switch. It's an idea and doable. Snowmass was a nice and big mtn but EVERYTHING was groomed and I felt like a tourist. That day the temp was still really low and it proved to be not as pleasurable as I built it up in my mind.

The 70 Passes and the mighty 2F
Wow, I need a turbo diesel and more HP!! She did better than I expected. The cool temps at night were great for the engine temp. I never saw any big spikes in temp but I was going 35'ish up the pass in third gear.

Jackson Hole
TWO days here. This was the Mtn that I really like and bought the pass for. Side Note: Annual passes if bought in Aug are $1300, WOW.
Now with the moisture and double bagging I set up sights on the next condition, drying of gear. The temp in JH was about 20 during the day and night.
I really expected to have damp gear in the morning on the second night but it really did a good job drying out. My gloves were the only thing I really noticed that held some moisture. For the boots I had them positioned at the vent for warmth and 12V boot warmers. I ran the engine until I was happy that everything got to heat up and dry out a little before I hit the slopes for the second day.
One quick note: After about 30 to 45 minutes of the engine running I melted the snow that accumulated on the rig over this. As the vehicle heats up the snow melts and after you turn the engine off and head to the slopes ICE icicles form and you find you're the only one in the parking lot that has this condition while every other car has snow on the tops. Hummmm!!
Click to expand...
Great results, thanks for updating.
 
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