I got myself a caravan from the website Freecycle, parked it up on an organic farm I was volunteering with, and kitted it out to be off-grid.

Anyone opting for better-kitted-out versions with air conditioning and electric Windows will have to stump up nearly half as much again.

It sent a specially equipped snowmobile up the mountain, kitted out with the latest GPS and photographic equipment, to take slope-level pictures as part of its Street View mapping service.