CAN'T BUY BACK TIME

Peter, Makayla, and Makena Hansen seek out rugged camping spots in this ’02 Chevy Avalanche

- Jered Korfhage

When Peter Hansen wants to get the whole family into the woods for a trip, it’s his wife’s Toyota 4Runner. When rock crawling is in the plans, it’s his stroked and lifted ’74 Land Cruiser on 35s. But when Peter wants to take both his girls on an adventure to camping spots far beyond the reaches of pavement, the ’02 Chevy Avalanche is just right.

Peter bought the Avalanche new in 2002 and before long, the truck added family off-road camping trips to its list of duties, alongside looking slick and hauling home-improvement supplies around town. The truck came loaded with a few niceties that improved its utility on the trails. The independent front suspension and factory rear locker give traction and a comfortable ride in the bumps, the built-in storage bins can be filled with ice (and drained) for beverage wrangling, and the folding midgate helped not only with large cargo, but it transformed the truck’s interior into a roomy sleeping space.