New to the 5th Wheel world, Colorado

When you get settled in ask some of the full timers who winter in the park tricks that help with winter proofing and keeping warm.

We lived in our 5er one winter here in NE OK in the middle of 40 acres with temps down to zero and 40 mph winds at the coldest. Wind is the worst to deal with.
Mobile home skirting was our biggest help.
Next was inside storm windows I made from 1/8 Lexan.

I learned too late a 100 lb LP bottle would have been a better idea rather than Changing a 30lb LP bottle every three days when it got windy and temps dropped to single digits.

I see folks staying in RVs in the Dakotas in the winters working in the oil fields so its done by many folks.

foolonnahill wrote:


I've recently retired to a 5th wheel RV and am living in a park in Fort Collins. I don't see over-winter and maintenance as a big issue.

If I was retired with a 5th wheel, By November 1st there would be only tire tracks out of my park spot in Fort Collins disappearing over the south horizon! Wife and I are CO natives, but even the natives knew to head to lower ground in the winter!

:C

foolonnahill wrote:
Wuss!
I've lived in Colorado above 7200 feet for years and years in a stick and brick. At least two six foot snowfalls per winter and generally three or four, three foot falls.
Staying warm and whole in that environment is much more work than wintering in an RV in Colorado Springs.

I've recently retired to a 5th wheel RV and am living in a park in Fort Collins. I don't see over-winter and maintenance as a big issue.

Good suggestions were made here regarding winterization. One thing I'd add is an on-demand water heater. Since you'll be pulling city water rather than relying on a fresh water tank the way a boondocker would.
Precision Temp licensed Atwood to manufacture a 50k BTU on-demand system with a winter weather kit installed. It cost me $900 including professional installation.

Go for it tough guy.LOL. Been here since 1945. Best thing that ever happened to me is getting to spend winter in AZ. About a gazillion people scattered around the south must agree with me. CYA next April, if you haven't froze to death! LOL

foolonnahill wrote:
Wuss!
I've lived in Colorado above 7200 feet for years and years in a stick and brick. At least two six foot snowfalls per winter and generally three or four, three foot falls.
Staying warm and whole in that environment is much more work than wintering in an RV in Colorado Springs.

I've recently retired to a 5th wheel RV and am living in a park in Fort Collins. I don't see over-winter and maintenance as a big issue.

Good suggestions were made here regarding winterization. One thing I'd add is an on-demand water heater. Since you'll be pulling city water rather than relying on a fresh water tank the way a boondocker would.
Precision Temp licensed Atwood to manufacture a 50k BTU on-demand system with a winter weather kit installed. It cost me $900 including professional installation.

Obviously delusional, but you tend to see a lot of that on forums. Colo. Spgs. is at 6,000' and can be pretty harsh in the winter. I lived there for a few years and am not just pulling info out of my backside. I lived in a house at 8,600' elev. and keeping it warm was not really any more difficult than the house I currently own at 5,200' elev. Can't compare sticks n bricks to an rv. I see where the screen name came from... ;)

Wuss!
I've lived in Colorado above 7200 feet for years and years in a stick and brick. At least two six foot snowfalls per winter and generally three or four, three foot falls.
Staying warm and whole in that environment is much more work than wintering in an RV in Colorado Springs.

I've recently retired to a 5th wheel RV and am living in a park in Fort Collins. I don't see over-winter and maintenance as a big issue.

Good suggestions were made here regarding winterization. One thing I'd add is an on-demand water heater. Since you'll be pulling city water rather than relying on a fresh water tank the way a boondocker would.
Precision Temp licensed Atwood to manufacture a 50k BTU on-demand system with a winter weather kit installed. It cost me $900 including professional installation.

Having lived in Colorado most all of my life, I would not want to live in a 5th wheel through the winter months here. It can be done, obviously, but if an apartment is an option for you, it would make for a much more comfortable, warmer home. There are many nice, sunny days here through out the winter, but there is always a week or two where the temperature never climbs above 0, and double digit negative temps at night. (Fahrenheit, not Celsius)I have camped in my rv's when temps have gotten into the mid 20's, and the furnace runs pretty much non-stop just trying to take the chill off. Can't imagine 20-40 degrees colder than that, and being in an rv.
Mile High and ChopperBill are also right on the money. It would be wise to listen to the folks who live here, and pay heed to their advice, that you came here asking for.

Don't think any RVs main purpose was built for the winter. They put wheels on em for a reason. You can make em work but in the winter weather give me something that was built for it. A stick house. We do spend winter in an RV, we get the heck out of Colo and go to AZ.

Bret,

It's just no fun, nor is it financially a benefit. RVs depreciate terrible, they are maintenance headaches, they don't handle extreme weather well, and the Dealer isn't going to come to your cozy cove to fix it, he will want it parked in his lot for 6 weeks while he tries to "fit it in".

UV is harsh here, thawing and refreezing snow, interior condensation that can ice windows and ruin seals and woodwork - heck at a run of 1 week of below 0 even the walls will frost on the inside. LP consumption is huge, and electric doesn't heat pipes well underneath so you start freezing tanks valves and pex couplings.....

ya ya I know folks out there do it, and I know folks that swear never again in extreme cold or extreme heat climates, and I know you can drop $150K for better insulation and better build, but why? You still have a 400 sq ft trailer that is losing money faster than you can put in it.

Just me - but I like having a camper, but I live in sticks and bricks - whether rented, owned, or borrowed. If I was a snowbird I would do an RV in a second, but I would be roaming to the mild climates.

All just my perspective - but you asked.

I appreciate all kinds of advice but responses like Mile high and chopperbills.... I could really use something more. If you have advice on why its a bad idea please let me know, that's why I came to ask the experienced. We are a military family and have lived in conditions some can't imagine before but if you have thoughts on why it's that bad please share. Thank you

Mile High wrote:
In all seriousness - rent an apartment.

Yep.