Nervous about trip to cold weather

robbecky · 03-23-2019, 12:36 AM

Hi folks. My wife and I are planning to leave next Wednesday for our first long trip with our new Vibe (15 days around different parts of Oregon). One of the places we are planning to stay for, I think, 4 days, is Crater Lake.

I am checking long range weather tonight and it looks like nighttime temperatures may be in the low to mid 20's. I am scared that something terrible will happen to the trailer in that weather from the cold.

Am I just worrying about nothing? What can I do to try to ensure that the trip does not become a disaster? The Vibe is only like 3 months old.

Rob

CincyGus · 03-23-2019, 02:04 AM

Are you going to have electric hookups?
What are the highs going to be during the day?
Are there showers facilities available if you decide to blow out your water system so it doesn't freeze and just haul water for inside the camper?

**bikendan** · 03-23-2019, 03:19 AM

Since you're from the Bay Area and not used to the cold, the idea of 20 degree temps can be scary. Having lived in the North Bay Area, I understand.
Unless the temps stay under freezing all day, you shouldn't have much to worry about.
It takes a hard freeze to require winterizing the water lines.
As long as it gets warmer during the day, you'll be fine.

mjones12 · 03-23-2019, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

Since you're from the Bay Area and not used to the cold, the idea of 20 degree temps can be scary. Having lived in the North Bay Area, I understand.
Unless the temps stay under freezing all day, you shouldn't have much to worry about.
It takes a hard freeze to require winterizing the water lines.
As long as it gets warmer during the day, you'll be fine.

X2

Kimber45 · 03-23-2019, 07:07 AM

I don't know about the "as long as its warm during the day you will be fine advise" 20 is awful cold. 30 yes I would agree with that. As previously stated winterize your camper and use campground rest rooms or fill your water tank (forget city water) and run a space heater in your storage compartment.

blackfly · 03-23-2019, 07:51 AM

Check the weather app and find out how long per day you will be below freezing.

If it's only a few hours then you have nothing to worry about, but if it's 20 hours/day then you might want to consider how to manage freezing.

-6C (20f) is only a few degrees below freezing.

Kimber45 · 03-23-2019, 07:53 AM

-6C (20f) is only a few degrees below freezing

Last time I looked 32 is freezing. 12 is a whole lot more then a few

cavie · 03-23-2019, 08:14 AM

You do know there is no such thing as a four season trailer right? Buy lots of propane.

koller1509 · 03-23-2019, 08:21 AM

20 degrees is not that cold, fill your fresh water tank and remove and drain your city water hose and drain your waste water hose for the night and you will be fine. FYI - if day time temps are above 32 degrees it will take around 4-5 hours of temps of 20 degrees for water to freeze.

mjones12 · 03-23-2019, 08:31 AM

Turning on the furnace in your camper will keep you and your water lines from freezing. If you don't have a heated fresh water hose outside, unhook and drain the hose at night.

dbledan · 03-23-2019, 08:45 AM

Do what koller1509 said. I would also open up any cabinets to the water lines. Worst cast a light bulb in a cabinet would be enough to keep from freezing the lines if you cannot. If you have tank heaters and power hook ups you can turn them on as well.

Use the furnace and not a lot of electric heat and I think you will be fine provided it does not stay there all day. You will go through lots of propane so be ready.

Worst case I would pull a low point drain and not use water. Inside the trailer will be fine because you will heat it. It's the connectors outside you want to think about.

robbecky · 03-23-2019, 11:49 AM

Thank you all for the responses. I feel better at least some more information.

As it turns out we are not actually staying at Crater Lake. We are staying in Prospect and visiting the Crater Lake area during the day. Crate Lake is much higher than Prospect. The predicted temps for Prospect are in the high 40's, low 50's during the day and low to mid 30's at night. Still cold but better than 15 :-).

KeithInUpstateNY · 03-23-2019, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbledan

Do what koller1509 said. I would also open up any cabinets to the water lines....

Use the furnace and not a lot of electric heat and I think you will be fine provided it does not stay there all day. You will go through lots of propane so be ready.

.

Not using electric heat when temperatures drop below freezing at night is key to keep things from freezing in your heated underbelly. When you use electric heat to keep the living space warm the furnace doesn't run as often and not as much heat is sent to the enclosed underbelly. Also, run some water, especially the hot water (hot water lines freeze first), just before bed, during the night if you are up and as soon as you get up. This should keep I've from forming in the lines to the point of freezing solid.

Aside from freezing, the other problem with cold weather camping is condensation, especially on the windows and between cushions and the walls. Check those areas regularly and keep them wiped down as necessary. Make sure the window weep holes are not blocked.

Reverse_snowbird · 03-23-2019, 12:11 PM

Are you camping with hookups?

You might be unexpectedly caught in below freezing weather of below 30 degrees and here's what we do in our rig.

If you are hooked up to fresh water....Turn off water at post and on your rig disconnect fresh water hose (those lines tend to freeze quickly.
Empty some of your fresh water tank (if you've got water in it). I doesn't have to be completely empty. Frozen water will expand so you don't want the tank full.
Empty your black and grey water tanks (same reason as above)
Know where the low point drains are on your rig (red and blue valves under the rig.) Open the faucets in your rig and drain the low point drains for cold and hot water. Keep the faucets open and open the cabinets under the faucets to allow warm air in.

When the danger has passed, close the low point drains and reconnect the water. Easy, peasy.

You're probably not going to need to do any of the above, but the way the weather has been changing lately, it's best to be prepared.

Have fun... you're going to love Crater Lake.

Hi Rider · 03-23-2019, 01:11 PM

In addition to what others have said, I suggest keeping your interior cabinet doors open. I have the arctic pack feature on my Class C motor home and endured a low of 4 degrees when snowbound in Spokane for a month parked at a friend's house. I used two space heaters set on low, ran my furnace, kept cabinet doors open. I had 20 amp power from his garage and bathroom privileges. P.S. I won't subject my RV to that kind of weather again. :-)

cpslim2000 · 03-23-2019, 01:14 PM

I stayed in Nevada City, CA last December, it dropped to the 20's at night. The campground water hookups all froze, luckily we had a full fresh water tank. The morning we left I drained the black tank, no problem. Then I went to drain the fresh tank, the outlet pipe was frozen shut. I could off just left it and drained it somewhere else, however I wanted to clean out my sewer hose before storing it. I had to slowly pour warm water over it for 15 minutes till it thawed. I later read you should dissolve a cup of salt in warm water and pour it down the sink to keep your fresh water tank outlet pipe from freezing.

rockfossilman · 03-23-2019, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbecky

Hi folks. My wife and I are planning to leave next Wednesday for our first long trip with our new Vibe (15 days around different parts of Oregon). One of the places we are planning to stay for, I think, 4 days, is Crater Lake.

I am checking long range weather tonight and it looks like nighttime temperatures may be in the low to mid 20's. I am scared that something terrible will happen to the trailer in that weather from the cold.

Am I just worrying about nothing? What can I do to try to ensure that the trip does not become a disaster? The Vibe is only like 3 months old.

Rob

Good recommendations have been given above.

Apparently Crater Lake National Park has changed a lot since 1967

! My roommate and I were on spring break from the University of Idaho. We had visited his relatives in Seattle, Washington and Eugene, Oregon. On our return trip on April 1, I talked him into taking a side trip to see Crater Lake. As I recall we were crossed the Cascades on Route 62, near Crater Lake. Snow was piled at least 10 feet high on both sides of Route 62 and when we reached the access road to continue up to Crater Lake, there was a sign on the access road that said something like, "Access Road Closed, Travel at your own risk! No Winter Maintenance"

There was 18-20" of snow on the Access Road. I foolishly tried to convince Jim that his huge "boat" of a car could make it (I had wanted to see Crater Lake most of my young life), but he wouldn't relent and we continued down the east side of the Cascades. In retrospect, I'm glad he refused--we may have been found in May after the road was opened for the season.

I see on the Crater Lake website that that access road is open all winter, except during heavy snowstorms. I've read that there have been record snowfalls in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada this year--it would be wise to keep a close watch on weather conditions while on your trip.

DW and I hope to visit the Northwest late next summer--Crater Lake will be on the itinerary 50+ years later than I wanted.

Have a great trip

dwreefs · 03-23-2019, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjones12

X2

X3.
And being from Canada have a lot of experience with cold weather and campers

Freetyme · 03-23-2019, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbecky

Hi folks. My wife and I are planning to leave next Wednesday for our first long trip with our new Vibe (15 days around different parts of Oregon). One of the places we are planning to stay for, I think, 4 days, is Crater Lake.

I am checking long range weather tonight and it looks like nighttime temperatures may be in the low to mid 20's. I am scared that something terrible will happen to the trailer in that weather from the cold.

Am I just worrying about nothing? What can I do to try to ensure that the trip does not become a disaster? The Vibe is only like 3 months old.

Rob

Late Oct camping last year, got down to 20° one night. Should have but did not disconnect the city water. The water froze at the camper inlet and hose to campground supply. No damage but had I been thinking I would have filled the fresh water 1/3 for over night use and brought the hose in. The fresh water not likely to freeze solid at those temps tucked up where it is.

mjones12 · 03-23-2019, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freetyme

Late Oct camping last year, got down to 20° one night. Should have but did not disconnect the city water. The water froze at the camper inlet and hose to campground supply. No damage but had I been thinking I would have filled the fresh water 1/3 for over night use and brought the hose in. The fresh water not likely to freeze solid at those temps tucked up where it is.

A heated fresh water hose is a good investment, especially if you live in Minnesota. I use one in North Carolina and camp all winter.

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