I stumbled onto the Canadream site and found that they rent winterized Class C motorhomes for winter camping. It never crossed my mind that this was possible, but I guess it is! (There is no way I would take my own trailer into very cold conditions -- the underside is not enclosed or heated.)So we are beginning our planning for next winter, and (of course) I have some questions:I know that there are only a few full hookup campgrounds open in the winter. Will I need reservations? (We usually don't make reservations because it limits our spontaneity a little. But if I have to, I will.)Are there places to rent "extreme" clothing, maybe in Calgary or Edmonton? I am hoping to spend some time outside at night, on the chance of seeing the Northern Lights. (We will schedule our trip for the dark of the moon to maximize the visibility of the aurora.)If you have had any experience with the Canadream motorhomes, are they as well-equipped as the website seems to indicate?Thanks in advance for your comments, suggestions, and ideas!

If you are looking to spend time in major ski and winter sport locations, your choice of campgrounds will be more limited without reservations but there is always walmarts. Allstays was pretty accurate for opening times.As for clothing - we spent a lot of time in Iceland early winter last year outside looking at the Northern Lights and picked places to stay the night well away from town lights and just wore very basic mild-winter street wear and layered as much as was necessary. When the show is really on, and the whole sky is alight, you could be naked and not notice the cold. At least having a motorhome right there, once you have enough photos, you can sit inside and look out the windows. Be really lazy and just leave the camera outside clicking away every couple of minutes. Show is generally over before midnight anyway.Our motorhome is double-floored and all water systems are in the heated living quarters so fairly easy to manage. Grey tank is outside though so had to be left open if it got too cold.There are a couple of apps we used for predictions and while they are not 100%, you soon get to know the forecast indicators that are likely to give a good display.

“Are there places to rent "extreme" clothing, maybe in Calgary or Edmonton?”Not needed. Buy Goretex boots, gaiters, three pairs of wool socks plus knit hat, Goretex gloves, wind shell with hood and pants. Layer underneath with things you already have. You’ll be fine to zero for less than renting.

Hi Profdant139,There are few Parks that have water and sewer at the sites in winter. There are dump stations and hoses.

When the kids were younger (think 90's) we'd take our then 5th Wheel to places like Rocky Mountain House in Alberta spending time in our snow suits making snow angels, forts, sledding etc (January on Fri, Sat, Sun). Also Sunshine Village/Lake Louise for skiing weekends, staying in their car park O/Ns. We put antifreeze in the toilet so we could use it for just a short time, but never filled the water tanks, carrying our water in large containers inside and having strip washes for the sake of a few days. In all fairness "yes" we'd wake up often to ice covered windows inside, but it never phased us, it was part of the fun and experience of winter camping.As for winter clothing, check out a place called Value Village up here (gently used second hand clothes), as well Goodwill/Thrift shops. You'll possibly find it a lot cheaper overall than renting at "ski cellars" that target tourists for the slopes. We also have the equivalent to your Craigslist which is www.kijiji.ca if that might help with anything you want to source.By the way, us Canadian Eskimos dress in layers, because when in Calgary area, if you get bored of our weather wait 10 minutes! We leave in the mornings for work often dressed in thick parkers and snow boots, and by lunchtime are heading out in a sleeveless shirt and snowboots = seriously! It's our Chinooks, which aren't always kind to migraine sufferers by the way.

Great tips -- keep 'em coming -- thanks!

Winter RVing in the Rockies? | Good Sam Community

pianotuna
Nomad III
Dec 02, 2017
Hi Profdant139,

There are few Parks that have water and sewer at the sites in winter. There are dump stations and hoses.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Dec 02, 2017
“Are there places to rent "extreme" clothing, maybe in Calgary or Edmonton?”

Not needed. Buy Goretex boots, gaiters, three pairs of wool socks plus knit hat, Goretex gloves, wind shell with hood and pants. Layer underneath with things you already have. You’ll be fine to zero for less than renting.
tony_lee
Explorer
Dec 02, 2017
If you are looking to spend time in major ski and winter sport locations, your choice of campgrounds will be more limited without reservations but there is always walmarts. Allstays was pretty accurate for opening times.

As for clothing - we spent a lot of time in Iceland early winter last year outside looking at the Northern Lights and picked places to stay the night well away from town lights and just wore very basic mild-winter street wear and layered as much as was necessary. When the show is really on, and the whole sky is alight, you could be naked and not notice the cold. At least having a motorhome right there, once you have enough photos, you can sit inside and look out the windows. Be really lazy and just leave the camera outside clicking away every couple of minutes. Show is generally over before midnight anyway.

Our motorhome is double-floored and all water systems are in the heated living quarters so fairly easy to manage. Grey tank is outside though so had to be left open if it got too cold.

There are a couple of apps we used for predictions and while they are not 100%, you soon get to know the forecast indicators that are likely to give a good display.

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