Still hoping to take a ski trip this winter? It鈥檚 possible, but it鈥檒l be different from what you鈥檙e used to. Instead of flying somewhere, you鈥檒l likely pick a spot that鈥檚 within driving distance of听home. Rather than piling into a crowded ski lodge for hot chocolate or heading to a bar for nachos and shared pitchers of beer, we鈥檒l all be turning our cars into mobile, socially distant mini-lodges. The truly dedicated might even rent a winter-ready camper vehicle that doubles as both a hotel on wheels and a midday lunchroom.
Whether you鈥檙e planning to sleep in the parking lot or are just looking for a car that鈥檒l help you get to the mountain comfortably and safely every day, there are tons of options to choose from鈥攖rucks, vans, RVs. What鈥檚 right for you depends on how far you鈥檙e going, who you鈥檙e traveling with, and what your needs are. Here鈥檚 a primer.
Trucks
If you require four-wheel drive to get where you鈥檙e going, and don鈥檛 care about deluxe sleeping arrangements, take听a truck. They鈥檙e听easy for most people to drive, compared with, say, a 30-foot-long听RV. The downside: there鈥檚听not a ton of living space. Even the most luxurious camper-top setups tend to be minimalist in terms of sleeping amenities. Most will include a basic kitchen and a bed or two听but often听won鈥檛 have a toilet or an indoor shower. If those items are critical for you, consider a van or an RV instead.
In Denver, 听rents out a fleet of four-wheel-drive Toyota Tacomas (from $145) with snow tires, caps, and rooftop tents. An ice scraper, a snow shovel, and a ski rack come with the car. New this year is the (included in the price of the vehicle), stocked with camp chairs, a propane fire pit, Yeti cooler, and听stove, so you can set up for apr猫s in the parking lot.
In Jackson, Wyoming, rents four-wheel-drive GMC Sierras and Chevy Silverados听(from $239) that can sleep up to two or four people in a full cab-over听pop-up camper, with an interior kitchen and bed. You can add on winter gear rentals, like an听avalanche safety kit (from $38), splitboards (from $60), or touring skis (from $40). Or check out , in Bozeman, Montana, which has Toyota Tacomas and Chevy Silverados (from $108) outfitted with camper tops and optional rental items, including听camp tables (from $3), coolers (from $2), cookstoves (from $6), and Patagonia outerwear (from $10).听
Vans
Vans are best suited for those who don鈥檛 mind sacrificing a bit of driving capability for more creature comforts. You鈥檒l have听some room to move around and store your gear, as well as insulation to help you sleep comfortably in most temperatures. Plus听they鈥檙e sleek鈥攜ou can be part of the #vanlife culture, if just for a weekend. Still, space is limited. While some vans are designed with听sleeping arrangements for up to four people, most are ideal听for听two. And not all such vehicles are ready for snowy passes and subzero nights. If you鈥檙e renting a van, make sure it has all-wheel or four-wheel听drive, insulated walls, snow tires, and a heater that isn鈥檛 just the engine.听
A good place to start is , a peer-to-peer site that lists vans (prices vary widely)听equipped with ski racks and diesel heaters and has inventory everywhere from Vermont to Utah. In Seattle, 听offers听converted Sprinter vans (from $205) with adjustable double beds that sleep up to four and roof racks to store overflow gear. On the East Coast, rents an array of听four-wheel-drive vans (from $250) with insulated walls and a 300-watt solar system to charge things like your interior lights and听refrigerator.听
The Eurovans from听 (from $165) aren鈥檛 four-wheel drive, but they do come with studded snow tires in the winter. The company also offers half-day rentals if you just want to go out for the afternoon. , out of Portland, Oregon, has four-wheel-drive Ford Econolines (from $228) with a pop top to sleep in. Perks include trip-planning services, coffee supplies, camp chairs, lanterns, and a deck of cards for no additional price.听
听rents vans in a range of sizes (from $99), all equipped with snow tires and chains, from Salt Lake City;听Boise, Idaho; Portland, Oregon; or Spokane, Washington. (Vans in Salt Lake City and Boise also have 4WD options.)听The interior is spartan, with just a sink and a bed, but you can add on a cook stove (free), a propane heater (from $34), or a portable toilet (from $38).听
RVs
If you鈥檙e traveling with kids听or more than two people,听or if you鈥檙e spending an extended amount of time on the road, an RV may be your ideal match, since these big rigs offer the most room to spread out. They鈥檙e also some of the only vehicles that definitely include an indoor shower and a toilet. But remember: pipes can freeze in the winter, so make sure your heating and water systems are prepared for low temperatures听(ask the company听you鈥檙e renting from)听or opt to run them听dry.
You should also be comfortable driving a hefty RV, especially in snowy conditions, and plan听to scope out a place to park a rig of this size. In particular, look for a site听to plug in (or bring additional power sources, like a generator). Do your research on campgrounds or RV parks that are open year-round near where you鈥檙e headed. Again, the rental company or individual owners should be good resources.
听and 听are your best bets for peer-to-peer RV rentals, with pick-up locations across听the U.S., and听 rents RVs from 126 rental dealers across the country. If you鈥檙e headed to ski-area RV lots in the Pacific Northwest, 听has听winter-ready rigs from Seattle and Portland.
Other Things to Know
Again, make sure the vehicle you鈥檙e choosing is ready for snow and winter conditions. Does it have all-wheel or four-wheel drive or come with听chains or snow tires? Is it听equipped with a ski rack, a roof box, or room to stash your gear inside? Does it offer听essentials like proper insulation, a window scraper, and a shovel?听(A carbon-monoxide detector is good to have for safety as well.) If you鈥檙e not comfortable driving a big vehicle through inclement weather听or over mountain passes, there are听campers that can be delivered to a campground or RV lot directly. (Outdoorsy is one company听that offers this service.)听
If you鈥檒l be winter-camping overnight in the vehicle, do some research on where you鈥檙e allowed to park. Some ski resorts permit听overnight RV camping, or you can find private, year-round RV resorts in close proximity to the ski hill you鈥檙e headed to. And听before you go, read up on what the听mountain of your choosing is doing in terms of its COVID precautions and if advance reservations are required.