In case you’re contemplating hanging out on a winter RV tenting journey, good for you! It’s an unbelievable alternative to get some actually distinctive tenting experiences underneath your belt.
Nevertheless, winter tenting in an RV isn’t all enjoyable and video games – there’s loads of prep to do beforehand. Right here’s our full information to RV tenting within the winter!
“Winterizing” Your RV
What’s Winterizing?
To place it merely, winterizing your RV is the method of making certain that your pipes received’t burst as a result of temperature dropping under freezing.
Similar to pipes can freeze and burst in your home, they will additionally freeze and burst in your RV. Actually, it’s extra possible that they’ll burst in your RV than in your house.
Ought to You Winterize Your RV Earlier than Winter RV Tenting?
In case your winter RV tenting journey goes to take you someplace with below-freezing temperatures, it’s greatest to winterize earlier than you go.
Even when the temperatures are technically above freezing, do not forget that wind chill can play an element, and climate apps aren’t at all times correct. It’s higher secure than sorry.
Winterizing your RV will imply which you could’t use the water–not even for showering. In case you’re deeply connected to having your water working in your winter tenting journey, you should buy a heated hose and pipe heaters.
What You Have to Winterize Your RV
To winterize your RV, all you’ll want is a toolkit (together with wrenches, pliers or screwdrivers, and a flashlight) and antifreeze.
You additionally may have a water heater bypass equipment, however provided that your RV doesn’t have already got a bypass put in! Be sure you examine earlier than you start winterizing.
Whereas studying easy methods to winterize your RV could be tough the primary time, it’s value it to keep away from mopping up floodwater out of your RV and having to take care of damaged pipes.
Discovering the Proper Winter Campground
What to Look For
In case you’re winterizing your RV, you’ll wish to ensure you select a campground with a bathhouse, except it’s a really brief journey. Physique odor and RVs don’t mesh nicely.
You’ll additionally wish to select a campground with potable water obtainable, or ensure you carry a lot alongside. With antifreeze in your pipes, you’re not going to have the ability to entry any in any other case.
Attempt to observe down campgrounds that supply alternatives for winter actions, equivalent to cross-country snowboarding, sledding, ice skating, and extra.
In case you can, choose a campground the place firewood is out there for buy, both throughout the campground itself or shut by. Odds are you’ll need a hearth going extra typically than you may in the summertime.
What to Keep away from
Strive to not choose campgrounds which can be fairly distant for winter RV tenting.
Winter climate could be unpredictable and harmful, and in case of emergencies, it is going to be safer to remain nearer to civilization…and cell service!
If something goes mistaken with the RV or you find yourself stranded for any motive, you’ll need to have the ability to contact assist.
Except you’re a practiced winter RV camper, it won’t be sensible to boondock in your first winter tenting journey. Staying in remoted areas within the winter is a substantial danger, particularly since you received’t be capable of use the heating perform in your RV.
Greatest Time to Go RV Tenting within the Winter
Attempt to keep away from tenting in January; out of all of the winter months, January is the coldest in 90% of the US!
In case you don’t have vacation plans with prolonged household, December is the most effective month for winter tenting if you wish to keep away from essentially the most crowds. Most individuals don’t spend the vacation season of their RV, so it could actually make for a peaceable and distinctive strategy to bond together with your shut household over the vacations!
In case you have your coronary heart set in your vacation traditions–or just have a busy December–November or February can each be good for winter tenting, as nicely. Simply consider they could lean hotter than different months. Since November is correct on the cusp between fall and winter, the campgrounds should still be a bit crowded, too.
Staying Heat on Your Winter RV Tenting Journey
When to Purchase a Heater
Not all RVs require a separate heater, notably in the event you select to insulate the undercarriage of your RV. Nevertheless, it’s not unwise to maintain one available.
As a result of the RV is a smaller area, you don’t must put money into something too fancy; a heater that may cowl the area of 1 room ought to do it. You should buy one which runs on electrical energy, or a gas-powered one in the event you do select to boondock or keep in a campground with out electrical hookups.
Choices for Insulation
Insulating your RV (or “skirting” your RV) is a simple method to assist preserve your pipes safer and the RV itself a lot hotter!
You should use skirting kits, get a custom-made vinyl tarp on your RV’s dimensions, or get monetary savings by DIYing the skirting/
Vinyl is the favored selection of fabric for insulation, however you too can use foam, canvas, polyethylene, and even plywood!
What You Want for Winter RV Tenting
Snow and Ice Scrapers
This may occasionally seem to be a no brainer, however it may be simple to neglect, particularly when you have a motorhome as a substitute of a journey trailer!
We don’t at all times take into consideration needing a snow and ice scraper for our RVs; in any case, we normally drive them in the summertime.
However identical to our different automobiles, RVs can get crusted in snow and ice, which might make it troublesome and even unattainable to maneuver them. All the time carry a scraper alongside!
Snow Tires and/or Snow Chains
Snow tires for RVs could be troublesome to trace down, however they’re on the market if you wish to put money into them. In case you’re not going to be winter tenting typically, you in all probability don’t want to fret about swapping out your tires.
You should use snow chains on RV tires; nevertheless, it’s extremely beneficial that you just solely use them in an emergency, and that you just take them off as quickly as you’ll be able to. They will injury your RV’s tires fairly a bit if used for too lengthy.
It’s simply good to have them available in case you find yourself caught.
Automotive Emergency Equipment
Repurposing a automobile emergency equipment as your RV emergency equipment is one other good strategy to prep for potential points. You wish to be ready for a winter climate emergency it doesn’t matter what you occur to be driving!
Two elements of a automobile emergency equipment you completely ought to have available for winter RV tenting are cat litter and rock salt. These will probably be your new greatest associates if it’s important to get your RV unstuck in slippery, snowy circumstances.
Meals and Water
Deliver loads of meals and water in your journey–together with emergency rations and non-perishable objects. In case you lose energy or find yourself caught within the campground for longer than anticipated, you’ll be joyful you overprepared.
As talked about, drinkable water can be necessary, contemplating your pipes will probably be stuffed with antifreeze. Fill up greater than you suppose you want, and refill much more than that if the campground doesn’t have potable water.
Heat Out of doors Gear
Be sure you carry all the required winter out of doors gear–not only a coat! You wish to ensure you have sturdy, heat boots, gloves, a hat, and perhaps even snowpants or a snowsuit.
You’ll additionally wish to carry hand and foot heaters. Bear in mind you’ll be spending a whole lot of time open air, even when it’s simply across the hearth! Numb fingers and toes are not any enjoyable for anybody, and frostbite can occur even while you’re a couple of ft away out of your heat RV.
Frostbite can occur shortly, and it could actually occur with out you being conscious of it! It’s at all times higher secure than sorry in terms of sporting your winter gear.
Further Firewood
If the campground doesn’t have firewood on the market–and actually, even when it does–ensure you carry loads of further firewood together with you, so long as it’s allowed.
In case you lose energy whereas RV tenting within the winter, the hearth could turn into your new cooking medium, in addition to a warmth supply. You wish to ensure you received’t run out of gas for it!
Further Gas for the Heater–and Your Car!
Talking of gas and warmth sources, when you have a further heater that requires a gas apart from electrical energy (equivalent to propane), ensure you carry further propane alongside.
Attempt to carry further gasoline as nicely.
Creature Comforts
This “necessity” is definitely targeted by yourself enjoyment greater than precise want!
Whereas RV tenting within the winter, you may discover that sure issues are completely different than they’re in the summertime. As an example, the flooring may get extraordinarily chilly.
Bringing alongside heat socks or slippers is an effective way to beat the brand new chill beneath your ft!
It’s also possible to carry alongside different objects to remain cozy, equivalent to fluffy robes, heated blankets, heat PJs, and particular snacks.
We additionally advocate bringing the components to make your favourite sizzling chocolate, espresso, or tea, in addition to some favourite mugs.
In Case of Emergency
What To Do If You Get “Snowed In”
In case you get “snowed in” and might’t depart the campground, there are some things you must do.
First, ensure you sweep all of the snow off the highest of your RV occasionally. If snow piles up an excessive amount of, its weight could cause injury to the roof. It may even lead to drafts and leaks!
Secondly, contact your emergency contacts and allow them to know the place you might be and what’s occurring. Set a time to contact them once more. If one thing goes mistaken, it’s necessary that somebody is conscious of the place you might be.
Thirdly, preserve salting your steps right down to preserve ice from gathering. A fall is rarely good, but it surely’s particularly not preferrred within the midst of a storm.
In case you have advance discover {that a} storm is on its method, attempt to put together forward of time. Begin conserving assets like water, meals, and gas, and put together to hunker down for some time.
What To Do If Your Pipes Burst
In case you do select to not winterize your RV earlier than your winter RV tenting journey, chances are you’ll find yourself with a burst pipe. In case you attempt to flip your water on and see leakage or flooding, right here’s what you do.
First, shut off the water pump.
Subsequent, attempt your greatest to trace down the burst pipe. This might take some time; the burst pipe may very well be hiding inside a panel or cupboard or within the underbelly of the RV itself.
When you find the burst pipe, use leak restore tape to seal it off. That is solely a short lived repair, however it is going to purchase you time to get someplace the place it may be repaired!
Mop up the standing water earlier than you are taking your RV to the restore store. In any other case, you may find yourself with water injury.
What To Do If The Roads Are Slick
In case you’re driving your motorhome or dragging your journey trailer behind you, and also you discover the highway circumstances have turn into icy and harmful, don’t attempt to push by.
As an alternative, flip in your hazards, pull over slowly and punctiliously, and put together to attend out the storm.
Motorhomes are far tougher to cease than your standard automobile, and journey trailers can throw off your automobile’s stability. Slippery roads are at all times a hazard, however they’re even worse in the event you’re driving with an RV in tow.
In case you completely must preserve going, go as sluggish as is secure alongside different site visitors. Be particularly cautious when taking curves or turns, and don’t slam on the brake or speed up quickly. All the time use your indicators, and remember the fact that different drivers could not be capable of see you as nicely.
Why Go RV Tenting within the Winter?
Winter Sports activities Alternatives
As talked about earlier, winter sports activities are one of many enormous perks of RV tenting within the winter! You possibly can head out to some unbelievable locations for snowboarding or sledding and know that you’ve a pleasant heat RV to return again to.
Snow Hikes
Mountain climbing within the snow is an expertise that may result in some actually unbelievable views. Many tenting trails supply lookout spots, however few folks get to expertise these views with snow glittering over each floor.
Completely different Wildlife
You’ll possible spot a unique number of wildlife within the winter than in the summertime. Actually, with a backdrop of white and never as a lot foliage to cover themselves in, chances are you’ll even spot extra wildlife than standard!
Emptier Campgrounds
Final however not least, it doesn’t matter what month you select on your winter RV tenting tour, the campgrounds will probably be significantly much less crowded than within the busy season.
This additionally means the paths will probably be much less congested!
Winter RV Tenting Isn’t For The Faint of Coronary heart, However…
Although winter RV tenting would require extra effort, preparation, and probably some fast pondering, it’s additionally one of many biggest adventures you’ll be able to have through the snowy season.
For extra winter tenting recommendation, go to our winter tenting part now!
