Can you sleep at the skitube terminal?
unfortunately for me, the ONLY time i’ll get to go to the Aussie snow this year is next Thursday (and i’ll be chucking a sickie to do it)..
The plan is to finish work at about 3-4pm on Wednesday, drive straight to the skitube terminal (never been there before.. stayed on snow at Thredbo last time) and sleep in the car.. Thursday morning I’ll be up bright and early, on the skitube and grab some breakfast at perisher… will then pack up and leave at about 3-4pm
so a few qn’s…
Can I sleep in the carpark at the skitube?
Do i need chains to get to the skitube carpark?
Anyone know if a single airbed will fit in a Mazda 3 hatch?
I have mates who have slept in the car park there, not sure what the official rule on it is tho.
No you don’t need chains.
About the air bed? K2 would know!
You’ll be warmer without the airbed. All that air underneath you is going to use your body warmth to heat up. Just take a pile of blankets instead.
You’ll be warmer without the airbed. All that air underneath you is going to use your body warmth to heat up. Just take a pile of blankets instead.
What he said.
ok so no airbed… was hoping it would fill the gaps between the top of the backseat (folded down) and the front seats.. thanks for that tip
so according to the website, the carpark is security patrolled… do they care if you sleep in the car? it’s overnight parking so I don’t know what the difference would be if someone was in the car or not.. does it have a gate or anything that might be closed when I get there (probably about 11:30-midnight)?
sorry for all the Q’s… never been to the terminal at Bullocks Flat so have no idea how it works.
I figure by the time I get back to the car in the afternoon on Thursday that it might have defrosted a little as well.. so less of a hassle to get the ice off the windscreen, etc
I believe technically you can’t but people have done it - and if you get moved along just move to Thredbo diggings on similar.
There is no gate the ski tube runs all night.
Legally you do not need chains to drive there (thats one of the benefits of it) BUT that doesn’t mean you wont need them - there is one hill between Jindy and the ski tube that sometimes is the only place you need chains on the whole drive.
If the weather is clear you’ll be fine if its not don’t complain (freshies!!!) and sleep down in Jindy.
Re air mattress - take some foam or get on of those sleep mats or similar. but yeah not an actual ‘air’ mattress.
Good luck 
Foam mattress or blackets is best. But yes, a single mattress will fit in teh Maz3 Hatch. Fold a front seat all the way back and pushed all the way forward wit the head rest off. It should touch down on the tim of the rear seat (the base not the backing). THen fold the back down over teh top of it (head rests still on the back) and it will give you enough room to put it right out with room to spare. the headrest supports the mattress abit wheere it hangs over the seat
yeah take heaps of blankets instead of a mattress. If you have 2 doonas and sleeping bag it’ll be like you’re sleeping on a cloud!
thanks Ozgirl
Just went and layed in the car in the garage (neighbours must think i’m a weirdo).. seems to work better with my head in the boot, it’s nice and dark that way too so probably less interruptions during the night. I’ll throw two queen-size quilts down, plus sleep in my -5 sleeping bag, so I’m thinking I should be fine.
I’m more concerned about the drive now knowing that chains might be a possibility… I’m pretty blind at night so was planning on it taking me a little longer to get there, but getting stuck or having to put chains on, etc might make it a really late night/early morning 
crossing fingers & toes now that i can make it up to the bullocks flat terminal without any drama
Thanks Cords & K2..
I just checked out Clark Rubber for some underlay and i think it will be more hassle/expense than what it’s worth.. kind of defeats the purpose of roughing it for a night. I’ll take the two spare doona’s from home, being Queen-sized I should be able to double-fold both, so it will be 4-layers of doona.. add the sleeping bag to that and I’m sure I’ll survive. If people can sleep on the streets in Sydney night after night, i’m sure a night in the car with all that padding won’t kill me.
Busta, Chains being required is nothing to be worried about!! It is pretty rare event. and so you should be super stoked if it is required.
If there is any chance that chains are required just park in Jindy to sleep and be estatic that you will prob have one of the best days on the hill!
is it a better idea to stop over in Cooma for the night then head out early in the morning?
Wondering if the roads will be worse in the morning given that they’d have all night to freeze over…
Any concern you have for chains can be forgotten. Unless there is snow starting to settle on the road from Cooma, which is the only time I’ve ever need chains before the skitube, once in 14 years. Being front wheel drive makes it easier to pull you through any snow. You would only NEED them to drive over ice not snow.
I haven’t seen a security patrol but I’ve been sleeping in the day parking. I checked the overnight parking area and it’s much nicer. Will be staying there from now on.
People spend entire seasons in the overnight area - have done for years.
Officially you can’t sleep in you car at any carpark in NSW. Or rest stop, side of road, driveway or beach - it must be at camping grounds.
But I do all the time regularly at all these places and never had an issue.
I’ve been fine in sub zero sleeping bag on a foam mattress with layers of wool blankets underneath. Below -10 a dooner over you is enough.
Glass doesn’t insulate well and your breath creates humidity, I open the window a fraction for short periods through the night or leave the back hatch released so I can push it open to refresh the oxygen supply ie; remove breath smelling air. The moisture will freeze to roof linings and windows.
Sleeping in your car also fast tracks rust and electrical problems.
Getting up is hardest, sun doesn’t hit the carpark until 8-8;30am. Stay in sleeping bag and turn car on to get heater blasting then get out of bag and dress. Put you boots near heater vent and clothes your gonna wear in sleeping bag with you to remove chill.
WEAR BEANIE TO BED.
Most importantly, don’t use open flames, they use oxygen. A candle is enough to deplete the oxygen in a van and suffocate a person in an hour. Many people have never woken up this way.
Have water in the car - cold air is dry and will dehydrate you while you sleep.
Don’t run me off the road or keep me awake at night, we are traveling around the same time, staying at the same location. But do come say hi in the morning, I’ll make coffee. Ford Territory. We can shred together in the day.
awesome post spaz.. thanks for the tips, I think will all that info I’m pretty much set.
I’ll keep a lookout for a Ford Territory, they’re about as rare as Mazda 3’s so it shouldn’t be too hard to find you 
I’m in a silver SP25 with a Spy and a Hakuba sticker on the back.. say hi if you manage to see me.
Stoked for you, busta, that by the look of the big fat flakes falling earlier, your one day of the season could possibly turn out to be THE day of the season!
The spaz-mum Ford Territory is a rusty reddish orange colour. Ride with spaz if it’s a pow day - you won’t regret it.
40 cm overnight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Soooooooooooo hating you guys right now. 
Isn’t it next week??