From Yosemite to the Canadian Rockies: Questions for Our Road Trip

Hi everyone!

Let me introduce us quickly—I’m Matteo (21, originally from Paris, but I’ve been living near the Pyrenees and the Alps for the past 3 years), and my girlfriend Justine (21, grew up in the Alps). We’re starting to get really fed up with being cooped up and sitting in chairs (yep, we’re studying physics and geography at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon). So, we’re taking a gap year to make a slightly crazy project happen: hitting the road, meeting people, and most importantly—climbing, skiing, and exploring the mountains!

We’ve always been into the mountains: •🧗‍♂️ 6c-7a/b sport climbing, 6b trad •❄️ Skiing and ice climbing (grade 4/5) •🏔️ Alpine climbing in the Alps (Chamonix, Écrins…) and the Pyrenees—I’m training to become a High Mountain Guide

Our project in a nutshell: •Buying a van (or 4x4) converted in British Columbia around September/October 2025. Ideally, we’d go straight to the US to buy the vehicle there (but reselling might be easier if we buy in Canada). •Heading down to the US to climb at legendary spots like Yosemite, Tuolumne (if it’s too hot), Indian Creek, Moab, and Joshua Tree. •Heading back up to the Canadian Rockies around December for skiing, ice climbing, and winter alpine climbing (might be easier to buy skis there). •Selling the vehicle in Canada at the end of the trip (we need to be back in France by early March 2026 because Justine is preparing for the AMM). I’ve already been to the Rockies, but I want to go back in winter for ice climbing. It’ll probably be too cold to sleep in the van, so we’re hoping to find a small cabin, lodge, or chalet (ideally alone or shared to cut costs). Otherwise, we could work for a month or two at a hostel or something to get free accommodation and earn money to rent a place another month just for climbing. •Visa-wise: we’re hoping to get our Working Holiday Visa (WHV) (still waiting for a response) so we can work there during the trip. For the US, we’ll stay as tourists (no work visa—too complicated and expensive). Any feedback on the WHV or differences from a regular work visa would be great. •With our savings (we’re working in mountain huts this summer), we should be able to buy the van. For daily expenses, I’m hoping to tutor online (math and physics). We live pretty simply and resourcefully: we plan to sleep mostly in the van, cook for ourselves, wash in rivers, and make the most of free nature spots. We’re super motivated, pretty well-rounded when it comes to mountain sports, and we’re not afraid to live simply for a year (we’ve got other projects too: biking to Greece with our climbing gear, a trip to Patagonia for alpine climbing).

Questions and advice: Of course, a road trip like this raises a lot of practical questions. This is our first time embarking on an adventure of this scale, so we’d love to hear your experiences and tips. If any of you have done a long van trip in North America or a WHV in Canada, your insights would be incredibly helpful! Here are some of the questions we’ve got: How do we buy (and later sell) a converted van in British Columbia? We’ll probably land in Vancouver. Is it better to look for a vehicle on online classifieds, Facebook groups, or used car dealerships? Are there any pitfalls to avoid when buying? And for selling it a year later, any tips to make it go smoothly (best time to sell, paperwork, etc.)? What budget should we plan for van life in North America and Canada? If you’ve got any info or feedback on the cost of living in a van in Canada/the US, we’d love to hear it. We’re thinking about expenses like gas (a big one, I imagine!), van maintenance, car insurance, possible tolls, campgrounds or paid spots, etc. We’d like to get an idea of a daily or monthly budget so we’re not too tight. In France, we never stay at campgrounds—we prefer being alone or going where we want. Is that possible in the US and Canada? Any tips for saving money (free camping spots, useful apps…) would be great! Visas, borders, and paperwork: We’re hoping to get a WHV for Canada, but in the US, we’ll be on a tourist visa (90 days max with ESTA, I think). Has anyone combined a WHV in Canada with a trip to the US on the same trip? Anything we should know about crossing the border in a van (insurance, customs, how long we’re allowed in the US, etc.)? We want to avoid any administrative hassles, so any advice on this would be super helpful. Route and seasonality for climbing and skiing: We’re thinking of starting climbing in the US around fall 2025 (probably September/October). Is that the right season for Yosemite, Indian Creek, and Moab? Any must-see spots along the way? For winter, we’re aiming for December to March in the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Jasper, Golden…) for skiing and ice climbing. Any tips on ice climbs or major backcountry skiing spots? We’ve got all our climbing, skiing, and alpine gear—should we bring it all or buy some stuff there? Is the “Wilderness Season Pass” for winter in the Rockies worth it? We came across this pass that offers 7 months of unlimited nights in HI mountain hostels in the Rockies. Has anyone here tried it? Are the dorms usually crowded? Working on the road: To fund the trip, we’re planning to work a bit along the way. Any tips for finding work in Canada while traveling (peak seasons at ski resorts, WWOOFing, odd jobs…)? That’s it for our (many) questions 😅! If you’ve done a similar trip—or even just parts of it (van life, climbing tour, winter in Canada…)—we’d love to hear your experiences, or even if you’re in the area and want to share a few days of climbing. All your contacts, advice, and tips will be a huge help.

Thanks in advance! We can’t wait to read your replies and refine our project with your help.

Matteo & Justine

PS: I’m looking for a summer job from August to September, preferably in a mountain hut (extra help, replacements, etc.). If you’ve got any contacts, don’t hesitate! I’ve also posted on another forum about this with my CV and cover letter (DEMANDE dxsdxsdsxdsx - Forum de www.refuges.info).

Hey everyone! 😎

How to buy (and later resell) a converted van in British Columbia? We’ll probably land in Vancouver. Is it better to look for the vehicle on online classifieds, Facebook groups, or used car dealerships? Are there any pitfalls to avoid when buying? And for reselling a year later, any tips to make it go smoothly (best time to sell, administrative steps, etc.)?

I’m far from an expert on this (I don’t own one), but here are a few things I know: - It’s better to buy in BC rather than the US; it’ll be easier to resell. - You can check Marketplace (FB), Craigslist (https://vancouver.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=camper%20van#search=2~gallery~0), or dealerships. - It’ll be easier to sell just before summer.

What budget should we plan for van life in North America and Canada? If you have any info or feedback on the cost of van life in Canada/USA, we’re interested. We’re thinking about expenses like gas (a big one, I imagine!), van maintenance, car insurance, possible tolls, campgrounds or paid spots, etc. We’d like to get an idea of the daily or monthly budget to avoid being too tight. In France, we never sleep at campgrounds because we prefer being alone, wherever we feel like it—is this possible in the US and Canada? Any tips for saving money (free camping spots, useful apps...) are welcome!

Life is really expensive in BC, same in the US. In BC, we have the luck of paying the most expensive gas on the continent... It’s much cheaper in AB and WA. A van often comes with a lot of hassles: you need to be resourceful, handy, and not end up with a rolling wreck. All replacement parts are expensive. Insurance, through ICBC, is extremely pricey. Personal example: I pay 1900 CAD/year for my Subaru. No tolls here. For camping, there are sites like https://campertunity.com/, the iOverlander app, or others, but I’m not very familiar with the topic since I don’t have a van. The cost of living in Canada is very high, and BC is the most expensive province. There you go... 😎

For skiing, the best powder in the world is in the Kootenay triangle! (southeast corner of BC, around Nelson and Rossland) * Whitewater resort : A tiny resort but with insane snowfall. A normal winter sees 14m of accumulation! * Red Mountain : Known for "tree skiing" (skiing in the forest). At both resorts, the lifts take you to the top, and then you can ski off-piste anywhere you want within the secured area of the domain.

Other interesting resorts, even if the snow isn’t as good: * Kicking Horse and Revelstoke (big vertical drops) * The southern resorts near Calgary, more touristy but still okay: Fernie, Panorama, Kimberley * Avoid Whistler and other West Coast resorts: heavy snow.

For backcountry skiing, check locally to avoid doing anything reckless—but I imagine you already know that if you're working toward an ACMG guide certification. (See Alpine Club of Canada and other local clubs)

Bonus: This film was shot at Whitewater to give you an idea of the place. When there’s too much snow, the guys ski with snorkels to breathe—no joke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bVIR349DPM

For skiing, the best powder in the world is in the Kootenay triangle! (southeastern corner of BC, around Nelson and Rossland)

All the resorts in the BC Interior are pretty much the same since it never rains there in winter. Big White, Fernie, SilverStar, Sun Peaks, Revelstoke, etc. There’s no shortage of them! Actually, it’s the same all over the North American West Coast interior.

That said, I’m not sure it can compete with Japan... [;]

All the resorts in the BC Interior are pretty much the same since it never rains there in winter. Big White, Fernie, SilverStar, Sun Peaks, Revelstoke, etc. There’s no shortage of them! Actually, it’s the same across the entire North American West Coast interior.

Yes and no. The Fernie area is almost in the Prairies, and it still gets way less snow than around Nelson. But it’s still good compared to Whistler or Val d'Isère!

Still, not sure it can compete with Japan... 😉

I haven’t been, but I’ll take your word for it—though it seems hard to beat 😉

Thanks for the tips! Yeah, I’ve looked on FB already, but I have no idea how to tell if it’s a rolling wreck or not. Is it better to take a van for the whole trip or a fitted-out 4x4 to be more comfortable in the Rockies during winter?

Oh, and insurance is super expensive....

Can't wait to ski there! Thanks so much for all the tips!!

Hello! I don’t have any tips to share, but I just wanted to say your project is awesome! Hope you have an amazing time 😎

Yes and no. The Fernie area, we're almost in the Prairies and there’s still way less snow than around Nelson. But it’s still good compared to Whistler or Val d'Isère!

I’m talking about snow quality. Beyond that, the Prairies are "behind" the Rockies; it’s a different climate, precisely because of that massive mountain barrier. Well, it’s kinda my thing... 😎

I don’t know, I’ll take your word for it even if it seems hard to believe 😉

When it comes to snow quantity, it’s a no-brainer. The central-west and northwest regions of Japan get the most snow in the world below 500 m, by far. And the ski resorts there? Insane in good years...

Hi there,

Great project!!!

Reading this, the first thing that comes to mind is that entering the US might be tricky! You’ll need to explain why you need to stay so long and how much money you have for this extended trip.

Visas, borders, and paperwork: In the United States, we’ll be on a tourist visa (90 days max, I think, with the ESTA). Anything to know about crossing the border in a van (insurance, customs, allowed duration in the US, etc.)?

Yes, it’s 90 days max with the ESTA, but you’ll have to justify why you’re staying so long and your departure date. By air, you need a return ticket—I’m not sure how it works by land.

For daily needs, I’m hoping to give private online tutoring (math and physics).

From the US? If so, that could be a problem when entering the country. There’s a good chance the agent will ask you to prove you have enough funds to cover your needs to ensure you won’t try/need to work illegally. I don’t know what monthly amount they consider sufficient (it’s probably at the agent’s discretion), but this seems like the biggest weak point in your plan. I hope you get more feedback on the budget question: the actual amount needed day-to-day AND the amount immigration agents will accept, because I think the second will be higher and more important if you don’t want to be turned away at the border.

Happy preparations!

Thanks! We’ll do our best to make the most of it.

Thanks so much for your message—it’s really helpful and helps us plan ahead. For now, we’re not entirely sure about going to the United States: we’re considering staying mostly in Canada, around Squamish, then heading up toward the Rockies. If we see that the entry process for the US is too complicated, we won’t push it. We’re still undecided.

Budget-wise, would it look good to mention that our parents are supporting us financially? Either way, the private tutoring income will be declared in France.

Thanks a bunch