Towing and Camping in Snow

[sacrawf]

While National Weather Service predicts that I will get to enjoy some snow flurries while camping over Thanksgiving, it just made me start wondering....What is the deepest snow that you have ever camped in or towed through in with your pop-up?  Was your experience intentional or was it a surprise snowstorm?

[JimQPublic]

Being from Southern California I actually seek the stuff out.  I've skied or snowshoed into the backcountry knowing that the forecast was for a blizzard and/or -10 temperatures.  On one 5 day ski touring trip we got eight feet of fresh snow.

Our choice of the Chalet was in large part to allow camping in a typical "Sierra Dump".  That said we've only gotten snow on one trip.  The big winter two years back we didn't get to the mountains, then last year I had new snowshoes and sleds for everybody but there was very little snow.

We've camped a couple times with deep snow around, but the parking area was plowed.

Other than choosing a pointy top, insulated trailer, I made some custom requests and have done a few things:

Water heater is right next to the water tank, and the piping is very compact.  The standard setup has the water heater in front causing the piping run to be much longer and run through the vented fridge compartment.  I pulled the upper insulation shell off the water heater so that waste heat keeps the whole plumbing compartment warm.

Inside-mounted grey water tank.  No freezing bucket here!

Shutoffs to outside shower.  I had shutoff valves installed since the outside shower unit is exposed.

20,000 BTU furnace, dual propane tanks, dual GC batteries.  Been plenty to handle four nights at around 15F.

Reflectix covers for windows & vents.  Also made a reflectix strip that goes around the main bed so feet or elbows against the walls don't get cold.  I have foam strips to help insulate the bare aluminum at the wall/roof joint.

All wheel drive tow vehicle, Prodigy brake controller, tire chains for car and trailer.  I haven't actually used chains but I do carry them.  Our newest Subaru has amazing performance in snow and slush, with electronic center differential and limited slip rear.  

I've towed only once in snow.  The road had about 4" of fresh snow on top of the remnants of prior plowing.  This was going into and back out of Yosemite Valley- so curvy mountain road with grades to about 6%.  Although technically I should have used chains I didn't. Traction was quite good.  I did back off the Prodigy setting.

Hopefully this winter we'll get to do more snow camping at Sequoia National Park.a

[wavery]

While National Weather Service predicts that I will get to enjoy some snow flurries while camping over Thanksgiving, it just made me start wondering....What is the deepest snow that you have ever camped in or towed through in with your pop-up?  Was your experience intentional or was it a surprise snowstorm?

Surely you jest....... :J

[beacher]

My PopUp has been in the snow three times.  Not intentional, but we knew there was a possiblity due to the weather reports.  All three times we set up while it was dry, and left in snow.

The first two times were at Big Bear in the local San Bernardino Mountains.  Those storms dropped under a foot of snow, but it was cold and windy.  The last time we were at KQRanch in Julian, near SanDiego.  We awoke to a nice little snow storm with about 3 feet of fresh slushy snow on the ground.

Over a tent bunk end, even five inches of wet snow will start to weigh down the tenting.  I found out that relatively flat King Size bunk tenting is made to collect snow! While those same bunk ends perform really well in the rain, shedding all water, they act like huge snow shovels in a snow storm.  When I woke up while at Julian, there was about 12" or really wet snow collected on top of the bunk ends and I was worried that the shepards poles were going to bend.

I tow my 2004 GTE Niagara with a 4x4 Dodge Durango, no problem with traction, little curbside snow banks, or mud.  We towed through unplowed roads to get out of town on all three occasions.  My trailer has a friction type anti-sway device that I made extra sure was tight.  The trailer tracked behind the TV through the snow without any problems.

[flyfisherman]

Got caught in a fall snow/sleet storm in northern Michigan around about mid October a few years back. Had to move our location and when it it had stormed left maybe three inches or snow and by the time we hit the road there was still snow back in the woods but on the highway what was left was slush. No problems towing and at the time I had a little GMC Sonoma 2whl drive with posi-traction and no problems.  No doubt if the highway had been slippery it would have been a different story but the little PU just followed behind like it was supposed to. Did manage to sling all kinds of slush onto the front of the PU but that was no problem washing off. My biggest concern would be an icy road.



Fly

[tlhdoc]

I have camped in the snow, knowing it could snow, but it wasn't supposed to get as deep as it did.  I ended up with over a foot of snow.  When I towed home from the trip the roads were mostly cleared.  I took my time and didn't drive the speed limit.  There are a few pictures of my PU in the snow on my webshots page.  March 2007 trip.

[Done Working]

I've never camped in the snow. I'm guessing that it would be a nice experience. My concern is how to dry the darn thing out and wash all of the slush and salt off of the PU.

[campdaddy]

We've thought about and talked about tying to camp in the snow and this year we are storing the camper in the garage (instead of over at the BIL's barn across town) so we could, in theory at least, just pull it out and "go for it." However I have a big concern and that is the salt they use on the roads around here in the winter. Our camper is made of aluminum and I'm afraid that the salt would have a detrimental effect on it. Even though the aluminum has a baked on powder coating on it, where it is connected to boarding under the camper is not really sealed to keep moisture like salt spray out. Really, if it weren't for that we'd love to give it a try.

[Dray]

I have camped in the snow, knowing it could snow, but it wasn't supposed to get as deep as it did.  I ended up with over a foot of snow.  When I towed home from the trip the roads were mostly cleared.  I took my time and didn't drive the speed limit.  There are a few pictures of my PU in the snow on my webshots page.  March 2007 trip.

How did you stay warm?  Did you run the heater all nite?  We're thinking of bringing the down blankets.  It looks like having a small snow shovel would greatly help.

[dthurk]

Have not camped or towed in the snow as of yet, but are planning a trip to Pittsburgh to visit DD#1 and fiance.  It's about 250 miles one way for us.  Will leave sometime after Christmas Day and return New Years Day.  We've got additional days off after New Years, so travel schedule can be flexible.  If we're looking at weather on a travel day we'll wait until it clears, or stop on the way and continue next day.  Campground's on top of a mountain, though.  Could be interesting getting up and getting down could be worse.

[Funrover]

Camping in snow is fun!!!!   One thing I recomend while towing in snow(mainly Ice covered actually) is check your trailer brakes!  Should you have to do a faster than exspected stopo... YOu want the trailer to do more brakeing thn normal... If you don't have or they barely are being used there is a chance the trailer could pass you up!