Every weekend during ski season, Evan and Ashley make the same choice: skip the expensive lodge, ditch the crowded parking lot, breakfast lines, and wake up in a van at the base of Winter Park.
As members of the Geotrek team (Evan runs our CNC operations, Ashley’s a build tech), they know vans inside and out. But this weekend, they’re testing one as snowboarders, not builders.
Here’s what a weekend ski trip actually looks like when your van is your basecamp.
Early Morning at the Mountain
“We come snowboarding every single weekend during the winter,” Evan says. “We love to get up, get here early, cook breakfast, and just enjoy the whole day.”
No hotel checkout times. No driving to find coffee. Just wake up, fire up the induction cooktop, and start the day.
For this trip, Evan made his go-to: sausage, egg, and hash brown breakfast burritos. “The single burner induction was clutch,” he says. “Cooking breakfast inside the warmth of the van was awesome.”
Why This Works for Skiers/Snowboarders
You’re Already There
No early morning drive. No scrambling for parking. You wake up at the mountain.
Warm Meals, Warm Van
Diesel heat keeps the van cozy overnight. The induction cooktop lets you cook a real breakfast—not gas station pastries.
Gear Storage That Actually Works
Wet boots, boards, poles – everything has a place in the garage. No soggy hotel carpets.
Flexibility
Conditions change? Move to a different mountain. Season pass somewhere else? You’re mobile.
The Setup
For a ski weekend, here’s what matters:
- Power: Induction cooking + heat without draining your battery
- Heat: Diesel heat runs independently—wake up warm
- Storage: Garage space for boards, boots, and all the gear
- Kitchen: Hot meals before and after skiing
- Comfort: Real bed, real sleep, no cramped lodge rooms
A Weekend Well Spent
Evan and Ashley pulled into Winter Park Friday night, woke up Saturday morning to fresh snow, and cooked breakfast in the warmth of the van. After a full day on the mountain, they came back, warmed up, and did it all over again Sunday.
No hotel. No expensive lodge meals. Just good snow, hot breakfast, and two full days on the mountain.
Want to build your own ski setup?
