Deciding whether to tow 5th wheel to Colorado Springs from Georgia

[larkar]

We are supposed to move our daughter to Colorado Springs from Georgia. Plans are to leave two days after Christmas and are expecting it to take three days. We have all-terrain tires and 4WD on the tow vehicle, pulling a 2014 Rockwood 8289WS fifth wheel. We have planned northern routes through Kansas and a southern route through Shreveport, Amarillo, and Pueblo.

We have been watching the weather multiple times each day in all of the locations as well as along the way, and as much as it changes, it's hard to decide what to do. We're up on the law about snow chains in CO (we aren't required to have them with 4WD), looked at info about sealing sun lights/roof vents, part of the refrigerator vents on back to keep the fridge running (it will be really cold the two weeks we're there, barely getting above freezing), and are planning to order heavy duty vinyl to make a skirt around the fifth wheel. Thoughts are to stop every few hours while traveling on days it's below freezing and crank up the furnace to warm things up a bit inside and keep pipes from freezing. We'll be running the furnace while we camp on my son's property (he has full hookups).


Any other tips or should we just pay for hotels and leave the fifth wheel at home?

[NMWildcat]

I used to live in that area. Weather is always a gamble this time of year. Can be perfect for traveling, can be miserable. If you have a serious deadline and/or time constraints, it might be a little tougher with an RV. Otherwise I would probably take the RV if I planned to stay a week or two.

[B and B]

I had the 8289WS, not worthy for this trip. Condensation will be major issue with paper thin walls. Not to mention furnace running non stop. We stayed in a Park here in Ontario with our 8289 it was 32 daytime and 25 night. We used 30 lbs in 2 days and then another 30 lbs for the last day and night. We used the fireplace too. Water didn't freeze.

[badger5301]

We have the same fifth wheel except it's a 2017. For us, we figure we already have the camper so that's what we would use versus the motel. Plus we have our travel companion, Clyde (dog) that makes camping better then finding a pet friendly motel. We live in Iowa and when our son was stationed in New Orleans for seven years we pulled the fifth wheel there multiple times. When we left Iowa it was bitterly cold but as we travelled south it got better. We had a Denali fifth wheel then but our new 8289WS has more winter friendly features then the Denali ever had. We will be heading to Key West in the near future to see the Coast Guard Son and his family and will take the camper. I really don't see any problems with the cold as we travel. Crank up the fire place and electric heater when we stop and should be good to go. For what we pay for these units we feel it's better to use them versus paying for motel rooms. Just my 2 cents.

[larkar]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

I used to live in that area. Weather is always a gamble this time of year. Can be perfect for traveling, can be miserable. If you have a serious deadline and/or time constraints, it might be a little tougher with an RV. Otherwise I would probably take the RV if I planned to stay a week or two.

Thanks for the info, NMWildcat -- we will be there up to two weeks, so that's why we were considering towing the camper. Not to mention as much as we love our grandkids, I'm sure my husband and I will need a break from three grandkids 4 months, 7 months, and 2 years...

[badger5301]

We know the feeling, grand kids are great but we also need our own space. The camper works great for that down time. Wishing you the very best and enjoy your visit. The camper will either work or it won't, you won't know unless you give it a try.

[larkar]

Originally Posted by B and B

I had the 8289WS, not worthy for this trip. Condensation will be major issue with paper thin walls. Not to mention furnace running non stop. We stayed in a Park here in Ontario with our 8289 it was 32 daytime and 25 night. We used 30 lbs in 2 days and then another 30 lbs for the last day and night. We used the fireplace too. Water didn't freeze.

I have read where if you crack a roof vent and supplement gas furnace with electric space heaters, it will cut down on condensation. Thanks for the reminder!

[NO3putt]

Unless you are planning on staying in CS for more than a few days, do the hotels. You will make better time, won't have to worry about frozen water line etc. Skip

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by larkar

I have read where if you crack a roof vent and supplement gas furnace with electric space heaters, it will cut down on condensation. Thanks for the reminder!

Exactly. In this part of the country, condensation is not that big of a problem. If there is any, a cracked vent usually takes care of it.

[elchilero53]

The southern route is a roll of the dice this time of year in the area around Amarillo. The weather forecast for the time you are traveling looks good up through Amarillo and the Texas/Oklahoma panhandle area but there is rain and stormy weather forecast across North Texas (if you take I-20 to Texas) in the middle of next week. Be aware that I-20 at the Louisiana/Texas border is down to one lane in both directions at Shreveport LA, so you may want to identify a bypass route if you go that way. The mountains have snow and snow showers forecast through next Friday. It looks like it will be cloudy and cold (below freezing) with highs in the 20's when you get there. Safe travels!

[CoMaddMax]

I would go for it! You should probably stay south, a little warmer and less snow. Propane is easy to find in CO, unlike KS. Took our 5er there for X-mas and couldn't find anywhere in Hays to refill our tanks. Had to go buy a couple of 20lb tanks at Home Depot. We have 3 places to refill here in our little town of Elizabeth that is 1/8 the size of Hays.

[JohnD10]

Pulling a 5'ver from Georgia to Colorado in the winter...

Better plan on 5 days each way at minimum...maybe more!

3 days looks easy on paper...not so easy in real life!

Plus...one 30LB tank of propane per day to heat.



Me in Denver, Colorado last winter:

[Gonefishing1]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

Pulling a 5'ver from Georgia to Colorado in the winter...

Better plan on 5 days each way at minimum...maybe more!

3 days looks easy on paper...not so easy in real life!

Plus...one 30LB tank of propane per day to heat.



Me in Denver, Colorado last winter:

Man that looks really cold.

[Grapehound]

In those temperatures in our Rockwood Signature 8282 we user two DeLonghi oil filled radiators to supplement the heat. We put one up front in the bedroom and one in the living room with the opposing slides. They offer 500 watt, 1,000 w. or 1,500 w. settings and once they get hot they provide a steady convection heat. The risk of fire (which is a major concern in an RV) is very minimal compared to other types of ceramic or fan forced air electric heaters which can catch things nearby on fire.

We have three dogs and we would camp too, even in Colorado in winter. Motels are horrible to deal with when you have dogs, charging rediculous pet fees.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by Grapehound

In those temperatures in our Rockwood Signature 8282 we user two DeLonghi oil filled radiators to supplement the heat. We put one up front in the bedroom and one in the living room with the opposing slides. They offer 500 watt, 1,000 w. or 1,500 w. settings and once they get hot they provide a steady convection heat. The risk of fire (which is a major concern in an RV) is very minimal compared to other types of ceramic or fan forced air electric heaters which can catch things nearby on fire.

We have three dogs and we would camp too, even in Colorado in winter. Motels are horrible to deal with when you have dogs, charging rediculous pet fees.

I also have two of those heaters and traveled with four Mainecoone cats.

Those heaters are awesome!

I use them now in my park model home here in Yuma, AZ...

Even though we are in the desert, it does get chilly here at night and those two heaters keep me from having to run the furnace.

Plus, with them when in the 5'ver...don't need to use the furnace at all down here, either.

[mdstudey]

I would go for it. I lived north of CS for 10 years. You can get a snow storm and it melts the next day or if it is a blizzard you won't be able to find your car if it is small. With 2 infants I would need a place to escape too.

[tahoe1840]

I think I would recheck the chain requirements. We have lived here in snow country for over 50 years and when the chain controls go up chains have to be placed on one drive axle and one trailer axle. Does not mater if you have 4WD. It would be surprising if Colorado has different laws. Things can go real crazy when towing in the snow. Just a thought for you. Its no fun to have to turn around when you hit a chain control and you don't have any chains.

[Paulie1138]

If worrried about freezing while en-route, if you have a small air compressor, you can blow out your lines to get most of the water out of them. Does not take long at all. Toss in some extra RV antifreeze to the black/grey tanks, you should be good. Don’t know if you have an enclosed underside, otherwise, you will need some in the lower traps. Insides should be OK, unless it gets super cold. The inside of your camper should stay warm enough not to freeze while traveling. The fresh water tank should not get cold enough to freeze, either, unless it really gets cold. Or, winterize, and use jugs of bottled water while en-route.

The “core” areas of your rig (internal plumbing, water pump, etc) should retain enough heat to keep most of the critical areas above freezing. Things like your dump valves, is why to add extra antifreeze in those tanks. Use a thermometer near your toilet or faucet and check it when you stop during travels to see what the temps are doing.

Of additional concern, your outside shower valves or wet bay. I have mounted an old 12v tail light, low inside the wet bay that I leave on when I know I am going into borderline cold for warmth. I added a cheapie hot/cold food thermometer that I can check to be certain it is warm enough. One travel, it was getting real cold, so I removed the plastic light cover to the bay light, so the bare bulb could radiate some additional heat into the compartment. By the way, since these are incandescent lamps, they make great little heaters! About the only non-LED lamps left in my camper! LED’s, no heat to speak of. So far, so good.

Just some thoughts you may want to keep in mind. Hope this helps.

[CedarCreekWoody]

If you go the Shreveport to amarillo route take I-49 to Texarkana then hwy 82 to hwy 287 to bypass the dallas/ft worth congestion. Shorter route too, mostly 4 lane as i recall. Much easier route!

[larkar]

Thanks everyone. Although it may change drastically again before we leave, we plan to go ahead with the fifth wheel and go the northern route since we're familiar with the roads and it doesn't show snow/rain the days we are traveling.

We carry minimal fresh water in the tank (usually carry jugs instead since my husband prefers his well water), our son reminded us the humidity is low out there and when it snows, it melts quickly. Also, our other son and his wife lived in an older bumper pull during the winter when they first moved out there. We also have an enclosed underbelly and tank heaters. New all terrain tires It's also comforting to know that they have more experience with ice/snow and highways out there than we do in Georgia where the whole state panics if they see a snowflake.

Thanks for all of the advice. It will help us be prepared for the trip.


For those asking about CO laws re: chains, I've attached what my son sent me. We have 4WD and new all weather/terrain tires, so I think we'll be fine. We're not averse to taking more time to get there in order to be safe.