Winter RV'ing in Northern NWT/Yukon
I am looking for ways to power an RV for several weeks/months during the winter in the northern half of the Northwest Territories or Yukon. Assuming the RV is parked most of this period, most of the p...
Forum Discussion
pianotuna wrote:If Don, who is about as close to crazy in his ability to stay in a winter environment, wouldn't do what the OP is planning, I would say the most important thing the OP can add to his plan is to have an updated will.
Peter-hs,
https://www.yukoninfo.com/listing/eagle-plains-hotel-service-station/
66.504070, -136.688115
Inuvik, Northwest Territories 68.560742, -133.383327
https://www.inuvik.ca/en/index.asp
and
https://www.inuvik.ca/en/discovering-inuvik/resources/About-Inuvik-Printable-Resources/FLAT-SHEET_CAMPS-AND-PARKS-web.pdf
Unless you are an extremely seasoned winter camper, I would not go away from other human habitation. You really don't wish to end up as Robert Falcon Scott did.
What you are attempting is dangerous and any mistakes won't be forgiven. You will need a way to call for help. A satellite phone would be a requirement. Even if you call, assistance may be days away from you. Helicopters and planes do have cold weather "no fly" temperatures.
Likely you will be required to file a proposal (permission may be denied) and may have to buy "rescue" insurance.
I've boondocked at -37 C, and been storm stayed by a four day blizzard where the daily high was -27, but I was in a town. That allowed me to replenish fuel supplies. I burned 50 pounds of propane in 48 hours. I ran a Kipor 2800 electric start generator for about 6 hours per day and burned 44 liters of fuel in 4 days.
Winter diesel gels at -40 C, and the boiling point for propane is -42 C. That means using some kind of tank heater in truly cold weather. I have a "magnetic mount" block heater that I can use on the propane tank. It can be used on the bottom of my generator as well.
My RV has been highly modified for cold weather use. I can heat 100% electrically--but the peak load is 7700 watts (about 26274 BTU's). That is more than the output from my propane furnace.
A wind mill that would produce significant power and be reliable may cost more than your RV. Steel doesn't behave the same way in extreme cold. There are documented reports of hammers shattering. Two commercial wind turbines in Rankin Inlet lasted less than two years.
Your diet will need to be calorie rich, so forget about eating sparingly. You will need LOTS of water. Tonight, where I am, it is currently -4 C. Relative humidity in the RV is only 30%. I've measured as low as 5% RH inside my unit.
If you still want to do this, plan on triple redundancy for ALL the necessary systems. I've been camping and boondocking in extreme cold since 2000. I'd not attempt what you seem to want to do.
Montana is by no means the Northwest Territories or upper Yukon Territory and I can attest that even a Montana winter will tax every system. Plastic will crumble, metal will shatter, and everything will need constant maintenance to even marginally function. An even bigger concern the effect extreme cold has on your mental faculties. Every year people die due to exposure even though safety was within their reach. What sounds possible while sitting in a 72F living room isn't what you are going to find when you actually face reality.
