My solo camp from snowstorm to full-on summer vibe with Jackery 1000 Solar Generator.
The weather forecast indicated rain for the rest of the day. I know the temperature is usually lower in the mountains, and snow would be expected. But I’ve been stuck in city life for a while now. Partly helping the preparation of launching Overland Garage. I am craving some nature fix, some solitude.
As I drove up the forest road, the rain slowly turned into snowflakes. I decided to settle for camp in case the snow turns heavy.
Sure enough, just after I set up the Rhino-Rack 270-degree awning, the snow turned into a storm with gusts of wind
I created a little safe and cozy space by closing up all sides of the awning with tapered walls. It’s already spring! Yet this weather isn’t showing me any sign of it.
Before this trip, Jackery had contacted me to do a review of their Solar Generator 1000. I have heard of the brand since Portable Power Stations first entered the market and have seen many people using them – primarily online. So far, I had heard many good things about it, so nothing stops me from testing it out.
Ever since my Colmane grill had melted, I have been on the lookout for a cooking substitution. My girl Julia generously gave me her air fryer that she bought a while ago to make fries for her boyfriend at the time. Eventually, the guy had cheated, and she didn’t want to keep the fryer anymore – sad memory.
According to the specification on this air fryer, with 1000W output, I can run it on the Jackery Explorer 1000.
The Jackery Explorer 1000 has a capacity of 1002Wh and an output of 1000W. It is equipped with two USB-C, two USB, one DC carport & three pure-sign wave AC outlets. Sitting at 22lbs, this power station can run and charge almost anything I need being out in the wild. It was a fairly cold night, but this unit has a working temperature of -10 to 40 degrees Celcius. Plus, my awning room kept the internal space several degrees higher than the stormy snow out there.
Shortly after, I had a warm meal ready for me without much of my attention tending the cooking process. What a winner!
The following day, a loud engine noise woke me up. A group of trucks had come to my camp. I rolled myself out of bed in a slight morning grumpiness. It’s already 9 am. I should’ve gotten up anyways. But darn it, they are early! Luckily, my fully closed-up awning room provided me with enough privacy to get ready without having to say hi to the world before I’m up for it. By the time I finished my morning groom routine, they had already left.
I saw three trucks with snowmobile rails down to the ground. Ah! It must be folks trying to catch the last perfect snow condition before Spring. Of course. Last night’s snowstorm was a sign of fresh powder up the mountain. With today’s sunshine, a perfect bluebird day for any snow activity!
I pulled out the two 100W solar panels and laid them under the sun. It’s giving me around 140W input to charge the Jackery. Ever since getting a 100W Renogy Flexible Monocrystalline solar panel mounted on my roof for charging vehicle battery, I’ve been relatively worry-free in terms of running out of juice. With the addition of Jackery solar panels to replenish the Explorer 1000, basecamp power issues seem to be solved. My heated blanket draws 55W power. After a night of use, it only took 20% out of the Jackery 1000. During the day, I also charged my camera battery, gimbal battery, and my phone.
It was a slow and relaxed day for me at basecamp. I read books, journaled, walked around the bush. For the most part, I was watching the snow melt away. It was truly amazing how the season changed within a day.
The snowmobilers came back as I was setting up a campfire. I kept procrastinating on the fire because it was so hot during the day. But I didn’t want to bring the 2×4 scraps back, so I had to burn them somehow.
The guys joined me over the fire, chatted a little. They are a group of friendly locals – explains the early morning arrival. Through the video they showed me, I saw their snowmobiles rushing down the 2000 meter mountain top, with fluffy powdery snow coming at them like waves. What a great time!
At one point, one of them asked why I didn’t have a dog with me camping alone. I paused for a second, wondered if I should tell them about the type of pet I had at home. A 2 meters long snake sounds way scarier, but dogs are undoubtedly the best companion for safety. I just haven’t found a way to fit a functional-sized dog in my vehicle setup yet. The commitment to training a dog, like raising a baby, is still too much for me to adhere to.
Our chat happened all while my dinner cooked itself in the air fryer. Now I realized how much time we spent cooking, juggling around pots and spatulas, getting our hands greasy if not burnt. All those efforts can be saved. All those time can be allocated to something else.
Soon, they left with a friendly goodbye “enjoy the night”. And I found myself indulging the beautiful sunset in awe.
All packed up the next day and ready to embark on more! This is possibly the last snowstorm before summer. It’s about time for some sunshine. Bring on the 20 degrees!