It is the middle of July. The common summer holiday is underway, and down along the coast, the camper vans are packed like sardines in a barrel. The blazing sun heats up the asphalt, and the battle for the best spots by the sea is long lost. But you? You are sitting behind the wheel with the roof tent on the roof and your nose pointed upwards. Towards the bare mountains. Towards the mountain plateau. Towards the fresh, cool air and the endless views.
For those of us who use roof tents, the mountains in July are the ultimate playground. We might not have underfloor heating or a mounted satellite dish on the roof, but we have something much better: Mobility, ground clearance, and the opportunity to wake up to panoramas that large motorhomes can only dream of. Here are my best tips – from one roof tent enthusiast to another – on how to have an unforgettable and comfortable free camping experience in the high mountains this summer.
King of the gravel road: Utilize the car's agility
The biggest advantage of a roof tent is that it sits on a regular car (often one with four-wheel drive or at least decent ground clearance). This is your golden ticket to escaping the crowds. The mountains spice up the map of Norway with miles of toll roads, mountain farm roads, and gravel construction roads.
When scrolling around in the Fricamp app, look for the places that demand a little extra from the vehicle. This is where you will find the real gems. The places where you can park right on the edge of a plateau (using common sense, of course) and let the ladder rest in the mountain heather. While the large cabin-on-wheels vehicles have to turn around at the first deep hole in the gravel, you can quietly putter further in towards the real nature experiences.
Wind and weather: The mountain does not care that it is July
I will never forget a night on Sognefjellsveien a couple of years ago. A moderate breeze was forecast down in the village, but the mountain has its own geography that can transform a mild wind into a wind tunnel. When I pitched the tent, the car coincidentally had its broadside facing the wind. The result? The tent fabric flapped like a helicopter in the living room, and the night's sleep was reduced to a couple of hours of light snoozing.
When you arrive at the free camping spot you found in the app, always check the wind direction!
- Park with the wind: Point the car's nose or rear end towards the wind direction. A roof tent is most aerodynamic this way, and you significantly reduce flapping in the fabric.
- Use the car as a windbreak: If you have an annex or an awning, park so that the car itself blocks the worst of the draft where you will sit and brew your morning coffee.
- Check the attachments: Take an extra round and tighten guy lines, spring rods for window awnings, and straps. Gusts of wind on the bare mountain often come as a surprise, even on a cloudless July evening.
Frost during the summer holidays? You bet!
Even if it is 25 degrees and completely windless down in the valley, the temperature drops surprisingly quickly when you pass 1000 meters above sea level. Many new roof tent owners make the mistake of only packing a thin summer sleeping bag in July. It can quickly become a freezing experience when the thermometer creeps down towards single digits at night.
To keep warm in the roof tent, you have to start from the bottom. Roof tent mattresses can become ice cold when the cold strikes up through the cold aluminum base. If you do not already have a condensation mat (anti-condensation mat) under the mattress, get one immediately. Not only does it prevent moisture and mold from your breath, but it creates a tiny layer of insulating air. A cheap trick for the mountains is to place a couple of regular foam sleeping pads under the mattress itself. Above you, you should have a proper sleeping bag or a lovely, thick down duvet. Nothing beats the feeling of lying warm and well-wrapped while the mountain air cools the tip of your nose through the mosquito net.
Leveling blocks are not just for the motorhome crowd
When we roof tent enthusiasts talk about the motorhome crowd, it is often with a warm twinkle in our eye. We might laugh a little when they spend 20 minutes coaxing the vehicle onto yellow plastic blocks to stand level. But listen here: In a roof tent, being level is actually even more important. If you sleep on a slope, you inevitably roll down into one corner of the tent, preferably on top of your partner or straight into the tent fabric. Furthermore, the mountain is rarely flat and paved.
My absolute best advice? Swallow your pride and buy a pair of sturdy leveling blocks, or at least have a good folding shovel available so you can build up with flat stones from the edge of the ditch.
How to use Fricamp to find the secrets of the mountain
To find these hidden mountain gems, the Fricamp app is your best tool, but you must know how to utilize it. Turn off everything called power connections and dumping stations in the filter function. Filter instead for nature spots, and preferably those located a bit further inland on the map.
Also remember to read the reviews and comments carefully. A comment from another user saying "a bit bumpy and demanding access, but worth it" is a classic cue for us with roof tents. What is an insurmountable obstacle for a seven-meter-long motorhome is often just a fun challenge for a regular passenger car with a tent on the roof.
Three epic mountain areas for roof tents in July
Do you need concrete inspiration for your next trip? Open Fricamp, search for these areas on the map, and find your own little pocket of mountain magic:
- Mjølkevegen (Jotunheimen/Valdres): This is a mecca for us who love the mountains. Here you will find miles of majestic mountain farm roads, fantastic mountain lakes, and a view towards Jotunheimen that takes your breath away. It costs a bit in tolls, but it is worth it.
- Alvdal Vestfjell: Often a bit less crowded than Rondane on the other side of the valley, but with just as beautiful nature. Perfect for long, dusty gravel roads where you can suddenly park your car in the heather and have the plateau all to yourself.
- Aursjøvegen: The tougher and wilder cousin of Trollstigen. This is a driving experience in itself, but here you need to keep your cool. The road is narrow, steep, and winding, but at the top awaits a massive mountain plateau with countless opportunities for a solitary night under the starry sky.
The most important tip of them all
The mountains in Norway are beautiful, but they are also incredibly vulnerable. When we drive up to enjoy the silence, we have an enormous responsibility to preserve it. Especially those of us who like to sneak a little off the beaten track. Use existing wheel tracks, never drive out into untouched nature to find the "perfect" photo angle (it is illegal and ruins it for everyone), and of course, take all your trash back home with you.
So, fill up the coffee pot, double-check that the tent is securely fastened to the roof rack, and fire up the Fricamp app. The July mountains are waiting for you, far away from stress, hustle, and queues. We might see you up there, right above the tree line!