Winter Camping

[Egg Shopper]

Talk of cold weather in these egg campers and has me wondering if any of you have spent much time winter camping? Anyone ever go bring their egg to go cross country skiing up north? I've always wanted to go to Northern Minnesota, Wisconsin or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to go cross country skiing but there maybe challenges to it. After an aerobic workout like that you would probably want to wash with a wash cloth or something to get the sticky perspiration off and feel warmer and then there are your wet ski clothes. Anyone do this or snow shoe?

[Gina D.]

I have lived in mine for 6 years, first in a Burro, then after sidetracking a bit, I am in a Leocraft..very similar to a bigfoot..just older.

Mine is a 4 season rig. I was under a few inches of snow from XMAS day last year until early April. There were many days of well below freezing temps.

I was quite comfortable with a small space heater only, most times. When the temps got into the teens, I ran the space heater (1500w) AND my Mr Heater Buddy on low. That did the trick..even with all the gaps and windows etc.

Lacking electricity, my Blue Flame Heater is stellar, on its own.

I haven't x-c skied, but I schlepped around in the snow alot! It does get a tad chilly if you try to shower or get clean as soon as you come into a cold trailer. I just waited until it was warmed up. The dogs don't mind a bit.

[Donna D.]

I think most of us could be reasonably comfortable for a couple of days when camping in the snow. What I would worry about is the towing in the snow! YMMV

[Egg Shopper]

Gina that is awesome! Living in an egg for 6 years and then being in winter conditions for so long is very encouraging. If I have enough heat I could try to dry off those wet clothes but suppose would need to make sure a window or something was open to get all that moisture out of the camper. I've always dreamed of skiing under the stars at night and just enjoying the winter outdoor playground.

Donna I don't know about towing in snow. I'd definitely have awd or 4wd with winter specific tires. Some trailheads may be dry but those areas do get more snow accumulation that what I'm used to in the Dakota's. I guess I'd have to watch the weather and make sure I have enough fuel, food and water just in case.

[CindyL]

We have camped in our Uhaul VT in your state in the snow while volunteering on Pine Ridge Reservation. Cold when you first get in but the space heater soon made it cosy. It was about 20. I can't remember if we showered though. We may have just toweled off or showered in the bunk house. We also tend to wash our hair there with pitchers of warm water outside.

CindyL

[Egg Shopper]

Cindy that's great! What time of year were you in Pine Ridge volunteering? Was it spring or fall? I read somewhere before here in the forums where you posted about volunteering there and looks like a great organization to be involved with. Did you help with housing such Habitat for Humanity, fix or update existing housing?

[CindyL]

It is a great organization! We have volunteered a week every year but one for the last 7 years. Great people, very rewarding. It seems like a second home to us. We were just at their yearly supper a couple of weeks ago, so we saw most of the crew and had a concert done by one of the high school teachers from Pine Ridge who just produced a second CD after his first one won the NAMI.

You cannot imagine the feeling when you build bunk beds for children who have no beds, a ramp for someone who are in a wheelchair due to diabetes, or even build an outhouse for those who need one. You know that with every screw you attach, you have changed a life.

We load our Uhaul with donations, pull it out there, and then stay the week in the camper. They have bunkhouses for people to stay in, but we are there when college students are there, and us old guys need our rest. We have gone in March, July, and May. We prefer the latter, not too hot, not too cold.

It is not Habitat for Humanity, but it is similar work and more. We do renovate homes, but the biggest job is still building bunk beds. So many children without a place to sleep. We built a bunk bed for a kid one year who was sleeping on a mattress on the basement floor in a couple of inches of water. Smelled of the toilet too. He was a great kid; it was wonderful to help him be able to sleep off the floor.

I think we are coming back the last days of May again this year.

CindyL

[Egg Shopper]

That's another great thing about these trailers is that with their flexibility they can enable you to do more not just for recreation but to actually make a difference in peoples lives I suppose by maybe saving money so you are able to give more of your time, not take up bunk space that houses students and just simple logistics.

I don't have any building skills but I could be a great grunt! lol It's amazing what you and others have done to help. Volunteering is something I've been considering but have been wondering how I could use my skills and experience to make a difference.

[CindyL]

What you don't know, they will show you. I can operate a cordless drill, drill press, sander, table saw, and chop saw after working out there.

There is a cost for living expenses. They are full for next year, but they promised to take us anyway since we only need food, not beds. Then you tour the Rez a couple of days and have guest speakers every night.

It is Pine Ridge, not Rosebud. Rosebud seems a bit more hilly than Pine Ridge but Pine Ridge is also beautiful.

CindyL

[FTTRV]

Here is a picture of my friend Herbert. He is with his family on a retrun trip from Washington State to Ok. They had to lay over in Rock Springs,Wy from a snow storm. When the roads clear they will be off. His parents bought a really nice 2007 Bigfoot 25ft. I am sure they are warm and cozy in the trailer.

[Mary F]

If you haven't read it, Charles Watts' old Winter Camping tutorial has some helpful (and inspirational) advice. Charles was one of the charter members of FiberglassRV.com.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Mary F

If you haven't read it, Charles Watts' old Winter Camping tutorial has some helpful (and inspirational) advice. Charles was one of the charter members of FiberglassRV.com.

I remember reading that. However I would like to point out that not all what he said necessarily applies. Some of it depends on the part of the country and temperatures you could expect. I've camped in 5° weather without electricity. The fresh water tanks are often inside the trailer shell so winterizing may not be needed. Your propane cook surface will help heat the trailer so using electrical heating appliances may not be the best idea.
The idea of winter camping is part of what prompted us to get the trailer.
Another old member here Pete Dumbleton also had something to say about both winter and camping. He claimed he had a rotary air conditioner, the wheels on his trailer that would take him where the weather suits him.

Another thing a coating of snow is an insulation coating. That's the reason mountain climbers and other winter recreationist learn how to build snow caves. The temperature inside a snow cave is about 40°F and out of the wind.

FYI- Out 5° camping adventure was in Texas.. Go figure.

[MC1]

About 13 years ago we went to Virgina Beach from here in Ontario Canada. It was November. There were a number of times we found ourselves driving on snow covered roads. The Nissan Quest had Michelin X all season tires and we were towing a Coleman Rio Grande pop up. The van towed in the snow quite well with no drama.

On the was back home we got about 1 hour from Buffalo. This was the year the major snow storm hit Big B and we were traveling through the start of it.
It was an interesting drive going through the city with the blizzard in full effect.

Anyway we made it to the Canadian border and an hour later safe at home in our driveway. If we would have been just a half hour later we would have been stuck in the Big B for 3 days as the city was shut right down.

[Carol H]

When camping in weather that drops more than a few degrees below freezing I only worry about a few things on the trailer assuming I have heat on in the trailer. I never leave a hose connected to the trailer. The grey water tank on my trailer is outside the trailer - keep it drained as much as possible - if its not possible to completely drain it - dump some anti freeze down the drain into it although it will be diluted by what is in the tank its better than nothing or at least thats my theory ;-) If its *really* cold I just would not use the grey tank. I also keep the bathroom door open a little bit to let heat into it - although the tanks in the bathroom are above ground the bathroom is always cold due to lack of vents to allow warm air from the trailers cabin into it.

[rgrugg]

If you're going to need electricity remember that most campgrounds/rv parks in the north are closed in the winter.

[Darrell O]

Just back home from some off-grid camping, which is our preferred style. The old gravity furnace keeps us perfectly comfortable in foul weather - and all the while untethered from civilization.

Come to think of it, we do most of our camping in the fall, winter, and spring... after most everyone else has winterized and tarped their trailers.

Fan dependent heaters keep us from considering a newer trailer, but perhaps the maritime industry has something (a convective heat source) that may be retrofitted.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Carol H

When camping in weather that drops more than a few degrees below freezing I only worry about a few things on the trailer assuming I have heat on in the trailer. I never leave a hose connected to the trailer. The grey water tank on my trailer is outside the trailer - keep it drained as much as possible - if its not possible to completely drain it - dump some anti freeze down the drain into it although it will be diluted by what is in the tank its better than nothing or at least thats my theory ;-) If its *really* cold I just would not use the grey tank. I also keep the bathroom door open a little bit to let heat into it - although the tanks in the bathroom are above ground the bathroom is always cold due to lack of vents to allow warm air from the trailers cabin into it.

Since the gray water tank and stuff other than water already in it like soap thee freezing point is lowered. My gray water tank is very rarely more than 1/2 full, it takes a whole lot of cold, more than 4 or 5 day to freeze 10 to 13 gallons of soapy water. Even if it did freeze there enough expansion room, so no worry there. The valve might freeze, I never checked it when I was in that cold weather. I never worry about anything freezing with a single night below freezing.
I had to think a minute about a hose connected, I think I've had a water hose connected twice since I've owned the trailer (8 years).