Optimal ski bum set up

TheMoostafian

TheMoostafian

Active member
I've decided that starting next summer, or winter at the latest, I want to go off grid and just focus on nothing but skiing and hunting for a couple years. I have a good amount of money saved up but my plan is to work on a wildland fire crew in the summer and then work part time during the winter at a mountain (ideally Baker).

My budget for living situation is about 60k.

If you were going to live completely off grid and had 60k to spend on a camper, van, bus, or whatever, what would you choose and why?

Some important details are:

- I already have a full size pickup thats pretty new (crew cab w/ 8ft bed)

- I will have a large dog with me (110lb Akita)

- I would like to be able to bring a decent amount of tools with me (I'm a general contractor and might want to pick up some side jobs throughout the year)

- I would like to be able to take hot showers (dont care if its inside or outside, as long as I have hot water)

- I will be living in this setup for at least a full year, maybe 2 or 3

- Would be nice to have room for 2 people so my gf can come stay with me for a few days here and there

- It has to be mobile

Tell me what your idea of the dream ski bum setup is!

If anyone has any advice about the best winter jobs that would allow me to work only 2-3 days a week, that would be cool. I'd really like to get a patrol job but I haven't looked into it much yet.

Any other relevant advice from those with experience doing this would be great!

Thanks
 
Sounds like such a cool idea. I have no experience doing this, but if you want to fully commit to this then maybe sell your truck and get a van. This seems like the most likely scenario you'll be able to have hot water. The only other way to do this I can think of is find a public shower at a gym or something and take showers there. However, you'd only be able to do this if things clear up with the virus (they probably will by then).
 
Sounds like such a cool idea. I have no experience doing this, but if you want to fully commit to this then maybe sell your truck and get a van. This seems like the most likely scenario you'll be able to have hot water. The only other way to do this I can think of is find a public shower at a gym or something and take showers there. However, you'd only be able to do this if things clear up with the virus (they probably will by then).
 
bro ditch it all and just let the dog lay on you and its fur will envelope you in a toasty ball. Probably room for the gf too lol
 
14214100:tripleabatteries said:
sell the truck and buy a big van
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If I sell the truck that would add about 20k to my budget. I'm not opposed to that, but it would be nice to keep the truck for towing and such
 
ideal setup imo is 2500 or 3500 ram/chevy or f-250/350 with a flatbed and a FIBERGLASS slide in camper like a bigfoot with utility boxes built around it. this is almost exactly how id do it

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more pics on the guys instagram instagram.com/jonburtt/
 
Depends how much you are willing to give up. I would imagine an older van, i.e. ambulance or short bus won't be as pricey (at least for the base vehicle) as a newer sprinter or such. A slide-in camper would be good, but might be kinda cramped to chill in on down days. What you could do is rip the bed off, replace it with a flatbed, and build a camper on top. Would give you a little more room, if you don't need the pickup bed for hauling.
 
I have a truck with a camper shell on the back and I do the real minimalist thing I made a bed in the back and sleep there when skiing some weekends... it is not ideal. I've given a lot of thought to this and for me I regret not buying a van. They are cheaper then trucks, you can get AWD or 4WD and build it out and you'll be reasonably comfortable. Or think about a truck bed camper. Some of them look super legit but showering would be more difficult then in/on a van IMO. Another option is you can get a tow behind 5th wheel camper. BLM land is free to camp on for about 14 days. Problem in the winter is minimal to no plowing where the sites usually are and pretty desolate in the winter no cell service etc. I'd look into a van or bed camper bc you can just park it in the lot take it to town if you want to grab food or drinks then crash there or go back to the hill sleep and catch first chair. The whole living in a full trailer would be sick but it's not ideal IMO even if you were going to dry camp (how I would in the winter) just because free camp sites are not always in the most ideal places and you cant really just park that in downtown Jhole or Bozeman. Totally up to you but just my 2 cents. Keep us updated on what you decide to do.
 
14214178:dshiland said:
I have a truck with a camper shell on the back and I do the real minimalist thing I made a bed in the back and sleep there when skiing some weekends... it is not ideal. I've given a lot of thought to this and for me I regret not buying a van. They are cheaper then trucks, you can get AWD or 4WD and build it out and you'll be reasonably comfortable. Or think about a truck bed camper. Some of them look super legit but showering would be more difficult then in/on a van IMO. Another option is you can get a tow behind 5th wheel camper. BLM land is free to camp on for about 14 days. Problem in the winter is minimal to no plowing where the sites usually are and pretty desolate in the winter no cell service etc. I'd look into a van or bed camper bc you can just park it in the lot take it to town if you want to grab food or drinks then crash there or go back to the hill sleep and catch first chair. The whole living in a full trailer would be sick but it's not ideal IMO even if you were going to dry camp (how I would in the winter) just because free camp sites are not always in the most ideal places and you cant really just park that in downtown Jhole or Bozeman. Totally up to you but just my 2 cents. Keep us updated on what you decide to do.
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what part of the world do you live in where an AWD or 4WD van is cheaper than a similar truck? everywhere I've looked even shitbox rusted out 4wd vans cost more than a truck with the same drivetrain

**This post was edited on Dec 17th 2020 at 11:55:42pm
 
14214189:drifts said:
what part of the world do you live in where an AWD or 4WD van is cheaper than a similar truck? everywhere I've looked even shitbox rusted out 4wd vans cost more than a truck with the same drivetrain

**This post was edited on Dec 17th 2020 at 11:55:42pm
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I bought my truck when i was living in the south. I drive a 4x4 tacoma. I looked and see used sr5 tacomas are going upwards of 30k... insane, you can get a new 2020 f250 transit van for 35k I see a used AWD with 68k miles for 28k, if you look in markets and are willing to travel a bit you can find good deals
 
14214197:dshiland said:
I bought my truck when i was living in the south. I drive a 4x4 tacoma. I looked and see used sr5 tacomas are going upwards of 30k... insane, you can get a new 2020 f250 transit van for 35k I see a used AWD with 68k miles for 28k, if you look in markets and are willing to travel a bit you can find good deals
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brocomas are a terrible example because of peoples dumbass “it’s a Toyota know what I have” tax, Tacoma prices =\= truck prices. Also a Tacoma isn’t really a good truck to live out of unless you are just living in the camper shell but that’s not going to be ideal for more than short stints on the road imo

there is no Toyota 4x4 van like there is with Chevy and Ford so I wouldn’t call that a fair comparison, e-250 4x4 vs f-250 4x4 and 4x4 2500 van vs 4x4 2500 truck is a more realistic comparison

**This post was edited on Dec 18th 2020 at 10:27:26am
 
Rad!! I’ve got a little transit connect that I built out to bum around in. If you’ve got 60k and a big truck, I’d recommend getting a hella nice slide in camper with a pop up, that way you still have some mobility With your truck where you can get to places you couldn’t with a bus or a trailer. I think where are some companies that make some cool rugged campers for trucks.

**This post was edited on Dec 18th 2020 at 12:35:32pm
 
It's def doable if you want to keep your truck instead of getting a van. I have a friend who built a camper with her husband for their truck bed and both have lived out of it while working at Baker in the winter for the past 5 years or so. I think they post up throughout the winter at the Glacier RV park and just get a ride up to the mountain with someone every day. Not sure what their shower setup is.
 
14214354:CrunnchyVanMan said:
Rad!! I’ve got a little transit connect that I built out to bum around in. If you’ve got 60k and a big truck, I’d recommend getting a hella nice slide in camper with a pop up, that way you still have some mobility With your truck where you can get to places you couldn’t with a bus or a trailer. I think where are some companies that make some cool rugged campers for trucks.

**This post was edited on Dec 18th 2020 at 12:35:32pm
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having talked to people with canvas sided pop ups I wouldn't go that route if you are planning to spend the entire winter in the mountains, the canvas gets wet and doesn't dry out. if you are doing a week or so and then home or somewhere you can open the camper in the sun and let it dry it'd be fine. Alaskan campers make a hard sided pop up thats pretty sweet though

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optimal

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**This post was edited on Dec 18th 2020 at 1:30:53pm
 
14214428:drifts said:
having talked to people with canvas sided pop ups I wouldn't go that route if you are planning to spend the entire winter in the mountains, the canvas gets wet and doesn't dry out. if you are doing a week or so and then home or somewhere you can open the camper in the sun and let it dry it'd be fine. Alaskan campers make a hard sided pop up thats pretty sweet though

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Yea that is a good thought, I wouldn't wanna have to deal with the wet canvas problem
 
I emailed the guy about that tan colored 6x6 in LA. Seriously considering that. Only issues I see with it are taking shits and doing laundry. I could pretty easily build out a bathroom inside of it, judging by the pictures.
 
14214529:MiIfHunter said:
What if someone breaks in and steals all ur shit
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Best of luck to them.

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We are getting off topic here, people. I put a little more thought into the 6x6 and as badass as that thing is, 70k is a lot for a space smaller than an rv with no toilet. Still on my radar though.
 
Build out a ~20ft enclosed utility trailer. The trailer shell is cheap and pretty easy to work with, and more spacious than a van. Make the back part of the trailer a garage/storage area and pull it all around with the truck.
 
14214572:TheMoostafian said:
Best of luck to them.

View attachment 985136

We are getting off topic here, people. I put a little more thought into the 6x6 and as badass as that thing is, 70k is a lot for a space smaller than an rv with no toilet. Still on my radar though.
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Lol at the pic. I must ask if you positioned the mirror to display the bow or not? Super cute dog!

I'd go with the 6x6 over the RV. You can't really go offroad in an RV, and there are solutions for the toilet thing if that's a must.
 
My vote would be for an rv trailer. I have a rooftop tent and even though it's comfy I can't imagine spending more than a couple weeks living out of my truck. A camper can cover your shower situation, you will have more space than anything you could throw in your truck bed, they have built-in heating, plumbing, all the creature comforts. Truck bed campers are just too small to fully live out of imo.

**This post was edited on Dec 18th 2020 at 9:40:00pm
 
I have a 94 land cruiser I picked up for the summer for under 3k, fixed her up and got Thule roof rack, ski box, $300 for wheels and some BEEFY tires. I’ve slept in the back very comfortable while camping and on roadies. I’ve fit a full-size mattress in the back for sleeping

I’ve been thinking about longer term solutions like a basket for the other half of the roof to put stuff that doesn’t need to be in the cab or out of the elements like coolers, Jerry can, dirtbiking gear. The Ski box is good because it keeps shit away from road debris, not just skis too, I’ll put fishing gear and any other outdoor shit really, that’s where I put my dirty stinky shit lol

As is there is so much room to fit all your gear inside the can, especially if you take out the back seat. ride height on 33s is plenty I don’t even really plan on lifting it. I also have a light bar on it but never use it lol.

overall it seems like the perfect rig to me, it is a BEAST in stock form yet still very comfortable for road trips, so roomy, reliable, and a classic (kinda).

2 bad things, terrible mpg and it’s pretty slow. But 60k budget you can have an insane rig for less than half that and it’ll hold most of its value.

If I was going off the grid I’d have a dependable truck and a yurt. Definitely not squatting on some land lol.
 
Dog is gonna be tough with a wildland season

But if you want to do fire and ski Baker you could try to get on the Baker type 2 training crew (not Baker River IHC). The type 2 crew operates like a shot crew in terms of being regionally available and qualled but still puts a big emphasis on training and my understanding is that they are more open to first year applicants. My crew boss last summer worked with them prior, and we worked alongside them on one fire and they are legit. My crew boss also said that they tended to get as much if not more OT than their IHC counterpart but they will expect full commitment for the summer and fall

That said if you do work fire, just buy a pass and collect unemployment. You will work enough hours with no work life balance and then be taxed extra for OT before they lay you off. And it sucks to go from being on the line to working for the man and you will make more on unemployment than you will working 3 days/week. Take it from someone who regrets taking a winter job. As far as a rig, if you can find somewhere with government housing that will be significantly cheaper than outfitting a van or truck and there will be hot showers. I think I paid $200/month for late may-late October. Live in a bunkhouse and save money, then invest in your rig at the end of it all... just my 2 cents

**This post was edited on Dec 20th 2020 at 11:55:00pm
 
14215508:icydave said:
Dog is gonna be tough with a wildland season

But if you want to do fire and ski Baker you could try to get on the Baker type 2 training crew (not Baker River IHC). The type 2 crew operates like a shot crew in terms of being regionally available and qualled but still puts a big emphasis on training and my understanding is that they are more open to first year applicants. My crew boss last summer worked with them prior, and we worked alongside them on one fire and they are legit. My crew boss also said that they tended to get as much if not more OT than their IHC counterpart but they will expect full commitment for the summer and fall

That said if you do work fire, just buy a pass and collect unemployment. You will work enough hours with no work life balance and then be taxed extra for OT before they lay you off. And it sucks to go from being on the line to working for the man and you will make more on unemployment than you will working 3 days/week. Take it from someone who regrets taking a winter job. As far as a rig, if you can find somewhere with government housing that will be significantly cheaper than outfitting a van or truck and there will be hot showers. I think I paid $200/month for late may-late October. Live in a bunkhouse and save money, then invest in your rig at the end of it all... just my 2 cents

**This post was edited on Dec 20th 2020 at 11:55:00pm
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Advice much appreciated, I will look into that crew. I've already got a family member willing to take my dog while I'm on fires, even if its for months at a time.

Where are you based out of in fire season?

That sounds like a good idea for summer and fall housing; I wont really need a mobile living rig until winter anyway.
 
There's a guy named austin who does this out of an old fire truck. The camper is wood and looks like a tiny house. It's usually parked at white Salmon. He's always excited to show it off.

I'd get an old school bus, fire truck, or ambulance and throw a wood stove inside. Baker is so wet and never gets very cold (rarely under 20F) so I think staying dry is priority. Also baker plows super well. I know people who have no problem getting up in 2wd cars so don't limit yourself to awd or 4 if you don't keep the truck. Biggest downside to the truck is you can't really stand up with most campers.
 
14215514:TheMoostafian said:
Advice much appreciated, I will look into that crew. I've already got a family member willing to take my dog while I'm on fires, even if its for months at a time.

Where are you based out of in fire season?

That sounds like a good idea for summer and fall housing; I wont really need a mobile living rig until winter anyway.
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I was in central Oregon. I flew there from the east coast, stayed in the bunks, and bought a truck at the end of the season. If you’re looking at crews in the PNW, Bear in mind that the west side of the cascades burbs less than the east side; that said, if the west side starts to burn it can burn big very quickly. Just something to think of when you apply
 
14215536:elm. said:
There's a guy named austin who does this out of an old fire truck. The camper is wood and looks like a tiny house. It's usually parked at white Salmon. He's always excited to show it off.
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Lol Austin Smith is a famous professional snowboarder (and co-founder of DrinkWater)
 
In the past, I've seen some good deals on RV at RV conventions/outdoor expos/hunting expos. A bunch of them went virtual this year, so as you're shopping around, you might check for those.

There's some rv park/free camping gems in the Delorme Maps. Might be worth the money for researching your roadtrip.
 
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