I was just recently asked by Gramicci, what my top ten climbing destinations are. I felt like I should share this with the blogging world, so here they are:
1. The High Sierra
2. The Incredible Hulk
3. Yosemite (Including Tuolumne Meadows)
4. Zion National Park
5. Buttermilks
6. New River Gorge
7. Indian Creek
8. Joshua Tree
9. Ten Sleep
10. Whitesides, NC
Places that should be on the top ten but I havent gone to yet:
Needles, California
Devil’s Tower, WY
Calavaris Dome, Tahoe.
One of the most exciting moments of a dirtbaggers life is buying their future home to live and travel in. Most of us are too poor to be picky, but its fun to imagine the possibilities. One of my rest day hobbies is to check out craigslist for vans for sale and then I go and test drive them. It’s a good way to try out all the different vehicles out there and its fun, but you can’t let the owner know that you really aren’t serious. You must bargain, point out defects and play the role as a buyer. Once you presume the role of a buyer, its crucial to remain in character throughout the whole process.
Lets look at some van options.
1. Full size vans: Ford Econoline or Chevy Express.
You be the decider of whether you want a Chevy or a Ford, but for our purposes here, we are going to group these into one category. Now, these are the ultimate vans to live out of. They are big, spacious and full of possibilities. You can convert either a cargo van or a passenger van. I like the passenger vans because I love to lollygag, looking out the windows at the beautiful scenery around me or at the people walking around. But, be sure to buy a van with tinted windows. You don’t want people to be able to look inside your van too easily. Cargo vans are nice because they have better insulation and can be easier to convert since you don’t have to worry about designing around the windows. The major drawback about this category of vans is the crappy miles per gallon. These babies are EXPENSIVE to fill up! I’d look for a diesel, but you still wont get that good of mileage out of the gas tank. So, this is a good option for those who don’t plan on driving across the country multiple times, keep it regional.
2. Volkswagen Bus
The Westfalia is my favorite VW van. They are cute, most have a pop top and come already with a kitchen and a bed. They are perfect, except for the fact they break down… all the time! One of my bestest friend lives and travels in one. Every time we run into each other, her van doesn’t work. For her, this isn’t a big deal, more or less. She drives her van long distances and then parks it for long periods of time (from a month to six months at a destination). She never has to worry about having to be the driver to the crag, and can easily accommodate visitors at the bivy site. Fixing a van is often cheaper than rent… Another perk includes, not having to spend time and money designing the van, it’s already done for you. Which, if you are like me with limited building and designing experience, this option could be looking pretty attractive, except for the breaking down part….
3. Toyota Vans
Cute vans, kinda resembles a VW but could be considered better since they are more dependable and easier to fix. But, they are hard to come by, especially one with low mileage and aren’t very roomie. Another friend swears by these vans. In order to make the best of the limited space, she puts a space booster on top. She can keep her climbing gear and clothes up there. A futon set up is a good option for these vans because you can choose to lay the bed out or have a seat, depending on the situation.
4. Toyota Previa
This was the first van I ever lived out of. They are roomie enough to build a decent sized bed and big enough to cook inside, if you must. They are also a blast to drive because you feel like you are in a space bubble. The miles per gallon is better than most vans because of the size. There are also a lot of these out in the market, so you’ll be able to find one for a decent price. This is a great option for the solo dirtbagger.
5. Honda Odyssey
Just like all other Hondas, this van has some really awesome features to it. The best part is the storage options. There are two compartments in the floor of the van which can be used to save space. Once compartment is technically for the spare tire. They are pretty roomie inside, for a minivan. This vehicle gets some of the best miles per gas. Get the double sliding door and you’ve got a pretty spacious set up. These vans are being made in today’s age, so you can find a dependable one at a decent price.
6. Chevy Astro Van
Now this is a rad van. I test drove one last month and it was a joy to drive. You are nearly the size of a full size van but it drives like a minivan. They are big, really big. Lots of fun options. You can easily find a passenger van with windows and as long as you take care of the van, it should last quite awhile before retirement. These vans also come in All Wheel Drive but have low clearance. This can be a major downfall if you are living out west where there are a lot of bumpy and rocky dirt roads. Gas mileage is kinda an issue also but it’s really not that bad, not as bad as a full size van.
| Year | HWY mile | City | |
| Toyota Previa | 1997 | 20 | 16 |
| Honda Odyssey | 2000 | 23 | 16 |
| Chevy Astro | 2000 | 18 | 13 |
| Eurovan Camper | 2002 | 18 | 14 |
| Chevy 1500 AWD 8cyl | 2006 | 17 | 13 |
| Chevy 1500 2WD 8cyl | 2006 | 19 | 14 |
| Ford Econoline | 2006 | 16 | 13 |
| Toyota Tacoma 4WD | 2006 | 21 | 17 |
| ***Source: Fueleconomy.gov |
There is no such thing as a perfect van. You either have to choose space or gas efficiency. You will have pretty poor clearance with all options (except for the full size van) and will be limited on where you can take your vehicle.
After discussing these options with some of my friends the other day, we concluded that a third wheel is a valid option to van life. You can pull it with a Subaru or Jeep and when you get to your destination, unhook your home and you can go anywhere! You wont be able to do inconspicuous bivies though. The option of pulling into a parking lot or rest area to sleep is out. But, you could manage this in several different ways.
Another good option is the Truck Bivy. Its more manly than a van, higher clearance, four-wheel drive, etc. This is good for the weekend warrior who doesn’t have to live inside the vehicle for long periods of time. Major draw back, you can’t sit up, hang out or cook inside these. Sure, you can get an extra tall top, but it still doesn’t measure up.
In order to be a successful dirtbag, you must be willing to sacrifice everything for climbing. I’m talking about EVERYTHING; comforts of living in a house, any of your other hobbies that might get in the way, going out to eat, splurging on a night on the town, driving in a sporty car, family, friends and fashion. Pretty much anything civilized and mainstream, kiss it good bye. Some would argue that you dont have to give up any of these, and to an extent thats true. BUT, most must make modifications to your current standard of living in order to afford the gas to get to all the awesome places in the U.S. and the world!
The first thing that must go is shopping for clothes. Well, you dont have to completely give up shopping, you just have to make some adjustments to it. Please keep in mind that I have a “little” shopping problem, so I sympathize for all you ladies (and men) out there who are taken aback by this statement. You dont have to completely throw fashion out the window, you just have to learn how to do it in an economical way.
First of all, its important to have a set of quality base layers. We climb, rain or shine (at least in the southeast), hot or cold. We have to protect ourselves and try to be as comfortable as possible while we face the elements. “Cotton Kills” is a favorite saying of the guiding industry, and well, they’re right. But cotton can also keep you cool on a hot day, so dont go throwing out all your tshirts quite yet. Afterall, Tshirts are cheap and comfy. Anyways, bottom line: Shop at Patagonia Outlet stores. You can get capilene for cheap and all the other base layers you need.
The r1 hoodie, by Patagonia, is one base layer that everyone should have. Its the lightest weight per warmth layer out there. Its built to take abuse and to go for long periods of time without washing.
Whenever buying any outerlayer, I always recommend a hood. With a hood, you dont have to worry about bring a hat, perfect, multi-functional!
Multi-functional, another VERY important element for shopping for clothes and fashion. One thing I like to keep in mind when I am buying clothes is, if this will match all my other favorite clothes. You must coordinate your clothing so that no matter what variation you have, they dont clash. Its also nice to match your clothes to the color of your climbing rope. A friend of mine says “if you look good, you feel good and you climb good.” (Ken Coleman, Mammoth Lakes.)
Wool sweaters. They are so warm, dry fast and come in many different colors and designs. It needs to be wool, cotton looses heat faster than you can close your van door in a snowstorm. I personally love cashmere sweaters, and if you are lucky, you’ll find some old ones at the thrift/consignment store. When I am in the sweater aisle, I run my hand along the row of sweaters until I find something soft. Check the tag and if its cashmere, rabbit fur or merino, i buy it. My sweater collection has grown exponentially these past few years, and I’ll need to downsize before I move back into my car this summer or just store them in a storage unit.
Marsha Harrington and I sporting awesome sweater
Shoes. Super important, but not necessary to splurge a lot of money on, unless you are an alpine climber. These days, most approaches are short, longest being an hour and I dont think many people would go to a crag that is an hour approach anymore. All my shoes come from the thrift store. Its amazing what you might find as long as your keep your eyes open.
Pants. Now, dont waste much money on these, but I am picky about what I will wear. I cant ever find pants in thrift stores, but occasionally, i do. But, lets not count on that. I recommend going to your local Target or Kohl’s and buying a pair of $20 stretchy jeans. Jeggings are great for climbing, but you can find anystyle that suits you; bootcut, straight leng, flared, etc. Target has it all. You’ll go through these pants within months, but thats fine, you would go through your $80 patagonia jeans in just the same amount of time. A lot of the heavy duty fabric used on a durable pair of pants (i.e. levis, Patagonia and carharts), arent really good for climbing. You gotta be able to do the “high step perch” move in them.
Puffy Jacket: a must!!! Ok, when you go shopping for your jacket do it at the end of the winter season. You will find mad sales on awesome jackets. Look for something durable and warm. Dont get the “down sweaters” or “ultra light” weight puffy, unless you are an alpine climber. Those will get a hole in them the first time you take it to the crag. I look for parkas. Something that covers the butt and has a hood. You will stay twice as warm with these two body parts covered.
SALES: always shop for sales. As I stated at the beginning of this blog, you must have quality clothes in your bag. We are out in the elements, all the time. By shopping off-season, you can score these crucial pieces for cheap, or at least a lot cheaper than full price. NEVER buy anything at full price.
Ok, to wrap things up. Remember, make sure everything matches. Get cheap stuff when you can (pants, shoes) but dont skip out on the important stuff (like a good puffy).
Cheers
Findy a bivy, probably one of the most stressful part about living in a van. First, lets look at what a van has going for it. Its inconspicuous. No one actually knows you are living in there unless you make it obvious. You can park in parking lots and act like just like any other van in the lot. Second, you can move from your bed to the driver’s seat without actually having to leave your vehicle. This allows for quick get aways. Third, there’s lots of room in most vans, if you set it up correctly, you can cook inside it. In fact, you can do everything in there, but use the restroom. Which if you are a male or have one of those penis envy devices, you can pee inside, which would be great.
A lot of places out west, there’s not too much of a problem when it comes to finding a bivy. There is a lot of government land out there, and you should pay attention to where the BLM has land and some of the Forest Service land is safe depending where you are. If you are in Canada, look for the “Queen’s Land”. Now the line between FS and BLM is fuzzy to me, but you can stay in one spot for up to two weeks without getting a ticket or thrown in jail. As long as you move periodically, you shouldnt have a problem. Just dont make a mess! No fires, no beer breaking, be quiet and dont throw parties. Remember, you already sacrificed most of your “normal” friends who like to party, so this shouldn’t be a problem.
Maybe you stumbled upon a cheap campground. For example, there are places out there that only charge $2/night (i.e. the pit and Miguels). Hopefully there will be more in the future. These places are awesome as long as you can stand the crowd. For those who do like to party, have campfires and spray about climbing, this is where you should go and stay. You’ll be so busy talking about climbing, that you might forget to actually go climbing, most days. You can climb just enough to keep the spray going.
Ok, now that the low hanging fruit has been plucked, lets talk about all the other places out there that are conducive to the dirtbag lifestyle. Most people will recomend WalMart Parking lots. The store is opened 24hrs and it is legal to stay the night there in your vehicle. I personally have never slept in a Walmart parking lot. The lights bother me and I just dont like Walmart. But, its good to know its out there in case of emergency bivy nights.
I like hotel parking lots. The cars there change daily and the parking lot attendant isnt always paying the closests attention. This can be tricky. I have been caught here before, and that SUCKS! Having to find a new bivy in the middle of the night is NO FUN. I was caught at one of the hotels in Springdale, Utah, right outside Zion National Park. We were being lazy that day and didnt want to drive all the way out to the other bivy site, or maybe we didnt know where the site was at that time. Anyways. Pick a poorer hotel, one where the front desk person gets paid minimal and hates their job. But, this is an artform, because often these shitty motels are where people party and are loud, and are sometimes in a sketchy neighborhood or right by the highway. The higher end hotels have cameras and write down everyone’s vehicle who is staying. So be weary. Its a tough call, and I really only use these parking lots as last case options, but its better than Walmart, in my opinion.
One place I have never bivied, but last time when I was in Chattanooga looking for a place to stay, my friend mentioned it, the parking garage. They are big, not much regulation. Get your little ticket stub and park it! Just be sure there isnt any posted signs about over night parking. And use a pee bottle here, no one wants their parking garage to smell like piss.
Now, worse comes to worse, the illegal bivy. Sometimes you have to roll the dice. You drove an half hour to get to the green area on the map and when you arrive, there are only $30 campsites or they’re full. Just remember, you only have to make it until its daytime in these areas. You could try the overflow or walk up parking. You can pull over on a pull out. Just park it, be quiet and hope for the best. Its really hard to get shut eye when you are on edge, but if you just do this once, you might get away.
Story Break: Red Rocks Camping. Pain in the Ass!!! The campground is always full and the only other spot to bivy is a half hour away. So, my friends and I arrive after driving many hours to get there and there isnt any room and its late. We parked in the over flow parking, and threw our sleeping bags in the brush a little ways from the car. We were not living in our vehicle at this time. In the morning, i open my eyes, and I see the camphost, and, trust me, they’re mean there…. you’ll get yelled at for any reason possible. But there she is, cleaning the bathroom, but she hadnt seen us yet. We wait for a few minutes until she goes into the bathroom, and we move like lightening. We gather our sleeping bags run to the jeep and throw it in. We pull away just as she is coming out of the toilet. Yes, we did it! But wait, I left my long board underneath the car. We had to go back. ugh. Lucky for us, the long board was there and the mean lady was nowhere to be seen.
The best bivy spot is in front of a friend’s house. Friends make the world a better place, so when I said you “sacrifice” your friends, I really meant that you dont cut them off, you just dont party or hang out nearly as much as you use to. You cannot get by in this world without friends. They make life so much better. You can park there indefinently, use their kitchen and toilet, and its fun. Rules to consider while crashing in your friends’ front/back yards. Give more than you receive. This is UBER important. No one likes a bum. Dont drink all their beer, infact, you should be stockiing their fridge with beer! Dont eat all their cookies, make them cookies! You also need to be a source of entertainment without being over bearing. Be funny, and if you cant be funny, then be nice and helpful. Dont be in the way and keep your mess out of sight. If you stay there an extended amount of time, you could clean a room or something.
So, best option is a friends yard or a cheap campground. BLM and FS land come in second and worst option is illegal bivies on state/federal/private land. Be extra weary about the Federal and private lands. You could potentially have charges brought against you. If you are ever caught, be nice and play dumb. Make up a story about how you have been driving all night and didnt know where to go. You just got there and you were planning on leaving first thing in the morning. Have the girlfriend do this explaining. For some reason, we find more compassion from people than most men do. And then leave, find a Walmart and get some sleep.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to get paid for pursuing our passion? Yes but No… Its a double edged sword, as are most things in life. I think of Sharma on Jungle Love, having to project on film, so much pressure to send, you can see that stress and worry in Sharmas physique. Who wants the corporate world telling you what you have to climb, always improving, setting harder lines. But hey, Sharma gets to climbs and train everyday, he should be able to climb Jungle Love within a decent amount of time.
A “shot” of Sharma in a Climbing Magazine. I’m not sure what issue this was in.
So how to become famous? Self promote. Get your name out there (this involves TONS of spraying). Go to comps. Pull crazy and dangerous stunts and do it in front of a video camera. Make friends in high places. Make friends with photographers.
Dean Potter is probably one of the more noteable climbers who have gotten famous from pulling dangerous stunts. He has free soloed some of the hardest lines in Yosemite Valley, and more importantly, did it in front of a camera.
Making friends with photographers is probably the easiest way of getting your face out there. I know people who are getting published in guidebooks, Climbing Magazines, Patagonia Catalogs and cross my fingers that I get published in the Women of Climbing Calendar (not the slutty one) one day. I know one guy who was published on the cover of Running Magazine, and he’s not even a runner! So, there is a small level of B.S. you have to put up with when being photographed. Posing is the worse part. The hassle of setting up the photographer on a line and time it takes is another draw back. The trick is finding people to photograph you while you are doing your normal climbing/adventure activities. Good luck though, getting that perfect shot is actually a lot of work.
Victor Lawson posing as a runner for the cover shot of Trail Runner Mag (Dec 2012) photo by: Stephan Matera
It’s harder to score a gear sponsorship, in my opinion. I think it takes a little bit of luck and knowing the right people. I would suggest that you aim for a domestic company, such as Evolve or Mad Rock. Find the reps, make friends with the reps, or become the rep. I was fortunate enough to have made friends with a girl in one of my classes at Cerro Coso in Bishop, who’s sister worked for Gramicci. I now test clothes for them. They send me clothes, I try to wear them out (most shirts, I am successful, but their pants have yet to fall apart on me… impressive).
Photo By: Ken Etzel
Self promotion: Well, I have had the “privilege” of dating a pro athlete for Black Diamond but he was the most self-absorbed climber I’ve ever dated. His life consisted of living out of the sweetest van ever, traveling to different mountains, climbing (on skis) them and then “speed flying” off the top while filming on a Go Pro. Then, he spent HOURS and DAYS editing his film together and then posted them online. He lives an awesome life, but I could handle him having to risk his bones every time he left my home. The worse was when I found him passed out in my parking lot (while in his van) after enduring broken ribs and a concussion from dropping out of the sky, several hundred feet up.
So, does this help? Probably not. Just get out there, pursue your passions and be nice, to everyone. Because you dont know who you’re going to meet out there. People in high places in the outdoor industry, look just like us.
I just want to close with this glamor shot of Alex Honnold. Monkey Boy turned model! Lookin good 🙂
I’d like to take a moment and dedicate some space on the internet to the joys and stresses of Van Life! This is a dirtbagger’s dream, traveling the country with nothing but everything they can fit in a van. Joining the migration of people as they make their way from Indian Creek, to The Valley, up north to Squamish and then back again the following fall. There are many variations to this theme, some head to Wyoming during the hot summer months to partake in excellent sport climbing, and heck, I have no clue where the boulderers go when its wicked hot outside.
So, a very important factor living the life and joining the migration of people on their climbing crusade is the wheels you live on. It has been debated many times over a truck versus a van, and I sympathize for both sides. A truck has higher clearance and 4WD so it’d be able to get to Cottonwood Campsites at the Creek, where the van either has to endure injury or stick to Creek Pasture. But, a truck doesn’t have the living space that a van has. Its not as comfortable to hangout in the cab of a truck, nor can you cook in there. Wind and rain happens and its good to have a place to take cover for an extended amount of time. Sure, any truck owner with and extra tall cab will argue that he/she could hang out in the back of the truck if they wanted, but I’ve never seen anyone do that before.
As a female in the climbing world, I end up dating guys that have vans. I used to joke (ok, I still do) that I wont date a guy unless he has a van. Ok, its not a joke, it for real. As shallow as that may seem, but hey, some girls are gold diggers and well, I am a van-digger. I really dont want to buy my own though. The draw backs of van life doesn’t suit my life too well. But, my vehicles work very well for closets, while I lived in my boyfriend’s vans. Perfect! My mess stays contained in my car, and well, the guy is psyched because now he gets to share his punie little bed with me, the sexy, smelly bed thrasher.
I have to say, one of my most cherished van-life moments was with a van, named the Wang Dang-o. This was my first boyfriend’s van I lived out of. It was a Toyota Previa. What a cool vehicle. Its like a space bubble. Its really spacious for a mini van, and its a toyota, its fixable when it breaks down. My favorite time the van “broke down” was when my boyfriend drove it to Bishop and it wouldn’t shut off once he arrived. Turned the key and nothing happened…. Shitty, but eh, I think thats better than it not turning on at all, right?
This was a wonderful time of my life, but what I remember the most are the mice that used to get into the van! Talk about annoying, trying to sleep and hearing the verminous creature scratching around for food. The name-less boy once caught a mouse in the van using a kitchen pot, a stick, a string and a piece of cheese. He set up the mouse trap, we laid very quietly for a little while, then BAM he pulled the string and caught the mouse!!!!
The Wang Dang-o and I had a very intimate affair. The owner, who will remain nameless, had a job working with Rope Access. This meant that I lost my boyfriend for up to three months at a time in a moment’s notice. Not the best career choice for someone who wants a climber girlfriend. So, one summer, he was called away, and we decided to switch vehicles. I got to live out of the van, and my CR-V was parked a casino in Reno for a couple of months….
While I was living in it, I stayed over at Mammoth Lakes. For anyone who doesn’t know much about the Sierra, there are bears and they are hungry and ruthless. I’d just returned from Reno and had over $50 worth of groceries in the van, including an expensive bottle of fish oil. I parked my car at my friend’s condo and spent the night. Woke up the next morning to go to work and noticed that the back side window was missing…. shit! Check it out:
Now, my boyfriend was not too happy with me when he got the phone call. I cleaned it all up though but the smell of fish was overwhelming. The little fucker poked its claws into the side of the fish oil and it spilled, all over the back. Putrid would be a good way to describe what the van was like. Well, lucky for me it all pretty much contaminated a mat and I just went and got the van vacuumed out. The Wang Dang-o was broken into by a bear three times that summer. Once you’ve been marked by a bear, they remember….
At the end of the summer, I returned the van with the broken window and proceded to break up with Wang Dang-o’s owner for another guy with a better van. Pretty low of me. Thanks for the living quarters for the summer, the van sustained some growing pains, all repairable, now good luck and scram. I am still paying for that relationship in karma.
Hello fellow friends and acquaintances alike,
Welcome to the sites of my newest blog, A Dirtbagger’s Delight. I, Melissa (aka Buehlgnar or Monkey-sa), is the dirtbagger. Well, sort of. I do live in a house and I don’t own a van. But that doesn’t matter. I have been and will forever be a dirtbagger. I’m just looking to do it in a more stylie way than most. More on that later.
So what to expect from my blog? This will be a place where i will write down my obsession with climbing and everything that goes with it. It will also address the forever internal conflict of wanting to live the carefree, responsible-less lifestyle of a climber and the fact that in reality, this isnt so easily achieved, and often when it is achieved, the “dream” isn’t as dreamy as we all originally thought.
I am a Californian. A friend of mine told me that we are not from the places we were born, but from the places where we chose to live. I chose California when I was 20 and stayed until I was 28. I was on the move most of my time spent there, but I ended up in Bishop, Nevada (haha) for the longest stretch of time. That’s where I felt like I was home.
I am now living in Asheville, North Carolina. Woah, kinda a big change. But dont judge me. I grew up in Ohio and I wanted to be closer to home. My responsible-less lifestyle in California came at a price and I wasnt willing to pay that anymore. What price? The inability to see my parents. Yeah, I am a fucking softie at heart, but dang it, they are getting old and I have been putting climbing ahead of everything for so long….
Asheville is rad. I have met such a good crew of genuine people here. The climbing is hard and scary, and the culture of Ashe-vegas, is FUN! Something that lacks in climber towns is a good culture. So I moved to a non-climber town, but still located close enough to climbing to keep me happy. Balance.
Ok, I have to go. I have physics in 4 minutes.
A Dirtbagger's Delight 