Anyone have success bumming in a van? (Tahoe)

Huckstermcgee

New member
Last year tried to bum by renting a place in homewood and bartending at the squaw but ended up working too much, so I quit and took a higher paying job in sac for 2 days a week. Ended up getting over 75 days in. Been vandwelling all summer and am about to try to get 100+ days in like I wanted last season. Anyone have any tips for bumming in tahoe? Was thinking I could park at Safeway in Truckee a few nights a week and the employee lot at Squaw for the other nights. Also am trying to land a job where I only work 1-2 days a week again, but locally.

TL;DR

Long time lurker tryna skid hard in Tahoe for the first time and needs tips
 
Wish I knew more about van life here but sadly I don't. Def wish you luck though maybe I'll catch you for a lap or two this season and hear how it goes haha
 
13838656:Poindexter. said:
I'll probably be spending a lot of time stankin up the forester this winter as well so that way I dont have to drive back down every night from work at squaw

Might be trying to work there again this season, but only if I can find a gig that's extremely part time. The OVL parking lot a boutta be lit haha
 
13838683:Snxw_ said:
At night, it gets really fucking cold. Seriously cold.

ive got a north face -40 degree sleeping bag and a little buddy heater. was taking the ol' huckstermobile out to mammoth for some hot springing last winter and was warm in ~0 degree temps. should be good for the cold hopefully
 
Find a heated car garage where you pay for a reserved spot (in Colorado it's like $100 a month). You'll have a semi warm bed (a heated garage in winter will be like 50-60F), save money from what you waste on a actual apartment or heating a van in the outside lots and you can't get towed.

Then just be stealthy when you get in and out. Some caretakers/garage monitors don't really like people living in the heated garage. Varies company to company.

I know about 3 people who do this in Aspen. They all agree that being stealthy or at least avoid peak times when people are going and coming just help avoid concerns of rich people. If you think about it I'd probably throw a fuss if I know the skibum who parks next to my $250,000 Mercedes lives there all the time.

I was also going to do this last season until I was made a live in caretaker with free housing.

Other things to consider when doing this is the height of your vehicle. Make sure it will fit if there is clearance level.

Read the contract very carefully. If there's nothing in it about living in your spot, don't be stupid and give them a reason like throwing a kegger in the garage. Or blabbing to everyone about how cheap you live in the garage. As you know in ski towns everyone spread word fast especially about cheap housing.

Consider getting a gym pass or gym punch card for showers and such.

All in all if you spent $300 a month for a gym pass and heated parking space that will be boat loads cheaper then a apartment.

And you know where you can find a pay for heated garage spots usually? Right at the resorts. 2 minute commute to the chairlift. Go hit a hundred days dude!
 
13838698:50Kal said:
Find a heated car garage where you pay for a reserved spot (in Colorado it's like $100 a month). You'll have a semi warm bed (a heated garage in winter will be like 50-60F), save money from what you waste on a actual apartment or heating a van in the outside lots and you can't get towed.

Then just be stealthy when you get in and out. Some caretakers/garage monitors don't really like people living in the heated garage. Varies company to company.

I know about 3 people who do this in Aspen. They all agree that being stealthy or at least avoid peak times when people are going and coming just help avoid concerns of rich people. If you think about it I'd probably throw a fuss if I know the skibum who parks next to my $250,000 Mercedes lives there all the time.

I was also going to do this last season until I was made a live in caretaker with free housing.

Other things to consider when doing this is the height of your vehicle. Make sure it will fit if there is clearance level.

Read the contract very carefully. If there's nothing in it about living in your spot, don't be stupid and give them a reason like throwing a kegger in the garage. Or blabbing to everyone about how cheap you live in the garage. As you know in ski towns everyone spread word fast especially about cheap housing.

Consider getting a gym pass or gym punch card for showers and such.

All in all if you spent $300 a month for a gym pass and heated parking space that will be boat loads cheaper then a apartment.

And you know where you can find a pay for heated garage spots usually? Right at the resorts. 2 minute commute to the chairlift. Go hit a hundred days dude!

didnt think about a heated garage. Im going to try and see if theres anything like that on the north shore. that would be perfect! already have a gym membership up there, so set on that. $100/mo wouldnt be bad at all for gauarunteed parking
 
13838718:Huckstermcgee said:
didnt think about a heated garage. Im going to try and see if theres anything like that on the north shore. that would be perfect! already have a gym membership up there, so set on that. $100/mo wouldnt be bad at all for gauarunteed parking

Essentially your paying $100 month for housing. Yes you still pay for fuel and insurance but still pay for a lot less.

It is a high level ski bum move that requires you to live/work in a high class place that's trying to cater to rich folks. Even if you got a parking pass for a coverd garage that would keep you from having to worry about getting towed.
 
1-2 day working? Get a job ski instructing/lifeguarding. Ive been pimping the 2 day shift for 3 years now
 
13838894:iced said:
1-2 day working? Get a job ski instructing/lifeguarding. Ive been pimping the 2 day shift for 3 years now

was trying to look into instructing. seemed like it would be chill if i didnt have to work a lot. not sure how easy it would be to get into at squaw. I know northstar will give you the certs you need though
 
I lived out there over the summer and the amount of people that live the van life is wild. Safeway is good place to park but if you park there everyday they might say something. idk about most of the areas but some will let you park overnight in certain lots. you could also try buying a parking pass to Sierra Tahoe college in Truckee and park there but they might require a student ID number to buy it. Or if homies have a condo/apartment slide them a couple bills to put ur van on the parking list
 
13839435:Strange.Journey. said:
I lived out there over the summer and the amount of people that live the van life is wild. Safeway is good place to park but if you park there everyday they might say something. idk about most of the areas but some will let you park overnight in certain lots. you could also try buying a parking pass to Sierra Tahoe college in Truckee and park there but they might require a student ID number to buy it. Or if homies have a condo/apartment slide them a couple bills to put ur van on the parking list

i usually stay in the safeway parking lot over the summer. just might be worried about being a regular there all winter since its pretty hot with sherriff/truckee police. ive got a few buddies who own property in incline village so thats always an option, but thats also 40+ mins from squaw. beggars cant be choosers though. i just saw a petition to keep the goose meadows campground open through the winter. that would be perfect
 
I knew a guy who did that successfully in the Squaw lot, but that was 14 years ago. Sorry I don't have more current information. KSL can be dicks about a lot of things, so I don't know how it would work out now. Good luck.
 
13838897:Huckstermcgee said:
was trying to look into instructing. seemed like it would be chill if i didnt have to work a lot. not sure how easy it would be to get into at squaw. I know northstar will give you the certs you need though

They are hurting bad. They will probably hire you no matter the days.

Same with homewood...at the end of the season they had to close because no workers. They would hire you as a lifty/instructor for 1 day a week.
 
13839999:Profahoben_212 said:
They are hurting bad. They will probably hire you no matter the days.

Same with homewood...at the end of the season they had to close because no workers. They would hire you as a lifty/instructor for 1 day a week.

Why was that? Because the season was longer than anticipated?
 
13840010:SofaKingSick said:
Why was that? Because the season was longer than anticipated?

That, and the J1's visas all ran out, so pretty much most of the workforce left the country. A lot of the locals can't afford to work, especially for instructor pay....
 
13839999:Profahoben_212 said:
They are hurting bad. They will probably hire you no matter the days.

Same with homewood...at the end of the season they had to close because no workers. They would hire you as a lifty/instructor for 1 day a week.

i lived right underneath homewood last season. would ski back to my front door on powder days. if i could get a spot only once a week AND a free pass that would be perfect. homewood is a dope mountain, i just wish they built parks
 
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