Looking for snow advice - POSITIVE COMMENTS ONLY

[fallonator22]

Positive comments only because my last thread in regard to us being noobs and questions about propane got a lot of condescending answers.


OK - we are in southern Texas, looking to go to southern (Durango) Colorado for the christmas holiday. My question is about driving in the snow. Obviously in Texas you don't run into that problem. This is our first winter in the rig and would like to take it somewhere we can have a white christmas, but are a tad hesitant with driving it. Has regular street tires, as does the truck. It is a 40'6" sandpiper, and we have had no issues pulling so far, but in regular weather, or rain.

Any suggestions, comments, or advice from your own experience would be appreciated!

[eubank]

Storms sweep through that area and cause havoc. Elevation is just part of the story. Latitude and longitude play a major role as well.
Lynn

bogeygolfer wrote:
He's not going to the Rocky Mountains, he's going to Durango which is at the foot of the San Juan mountains. I've driven it twice - in the summer - and my recollection is that it is not that mountainous until you go north of Durango proper. Hence my feeling that you could likely tow to Durango safely since you're mostly at lower elevations.

In other words: you won't see treacherous icy mountain roads like those pictured above, if you're just towing to Durango and parking the trailer there.

[attuco]

As someone here said, Durango is on the southern edge of the mountains. Go East across Southern New Mexico then North to Durango. It's not worth the few miles saved to try coming across Colorado such as going up Wolf Creek Pass. Stay in the desert. Call for weather. Camp in New Mexico and drive your truck or wait for the roads to clear.

[bogeygolfer]

He's not going to the Rocky Mountains, he's going to Durango which is at the foot of the San Juan mountains. I've driven it twice - in the summer - and my recollection is that it is not that mountainous until you go north of Durango proper. Hence my feeling that you could likely tow to Durango safely since you're mostly at lower elevations.

In other words: you won't see treacherous icy mountain roads like those pictured above, if you're just towing to Durango and parking the trailer there.

[rockhillmanor]

Looking for snow advice - POSITIVE COMMENTS ONLY

I take this as a person that only wants answers 'they' WANT to hear. Because as it sounds you are going to do it anyway irregardless of what "SEASONED" RV'ers would warn you of why not to.

You are from Texas and have absolutely NO experience of driving in snow with a car, let alone an RV.

Almost all RV'ers avoid driving in snow. I am from Wisconsin. I KNOW how to drive in the snow and will not drive my RV in the snow.

Those who that routinely weekend snow trip to ski, winter sports, camp, etc., are 'SEASONED' RV'ers.

And you want to take your "40 ft" RV on a maiden trip into the mountains just to see snow? And possibly putting your entire family at risk? :R

Well there it is, needed to be said, and sorry it was not your required 'positive comments only'.

[Likes_to_tow]

You wanted positive comments.......well we are sure you're making a big mistake....we're all positive about it!!

[memtb]

rgahfo, Pretty Drive.... where were you?

[memtb]

I didn’t read all of the posts...so this may be redundant! Cables for truck, and check for fit. AND MOST IMPORTANT.....cables for trailer (also checked for fit)!!! If, you need to cable/chain up the tow vehicle....you need to do the same for the trailer. IF the truck stops faster than the trailer.... it makes for a really good “Kodak Moment”!

Living in Wyoming and “not” ceasing to enjoy rv’ing in the winter....we “ALWAYS” keep cables stored in the 5er. When you live here, it can/and does snow at any time. We’ve been in snow in every month....except August.

Downhills will be your biggest (other than an emergency stop) challenge. Again...this is why you “cable” the trailer and get comfortable with manually using your brake controller. Using the controller ( not overly aggressive) will help keep everything “in a straight line”!

On the subject of grades... I would recommend testing the rig, cabled-up, on a flat section of snow-covered road... before getting into the hills. This will give you some knowledge of your trailer stopping ability! If it doesn’t stop adequately OR you do not feel comfortable... you should wait out the road clearing.

We’ve got a Christmas trip planned in our little class c....snow in the forecast! It’s not 4 wheel drive....but I have cables for “both ends”! This will be our first winter outing in it, and I’m a little apprehensive. So.... I’ll be following some of the advice that I gave you!


However, your biggest concern....should probably be “the other guy”!

[eubank]

You know, Durango is pretty country, but you really don't need to go there in the winter for enjoyment. Try some other season.

If it's snow you want, pick someplace where you can stay at lower elevation out of the weather and drive up to the snow. Albuquerque and Santa Fe come to mind. Even then, you need to pay attention to the weather forecasts.

Lynn

[Wadcutter]

So you only want positive responses. OK then, we'll make this positive...
Go ahead and do it. That sounds like what you want to be told so might as well do it. It will be one of life's memorable experiences for you. That's what camping and traveling is all about, going places and doing things that you remember the rest of your life. Your first time pulling a 40 ft 5er on snowy roads in the Rocky Mountains will be one such experience for you.
I have many such memorable experiences that I will remember. Like breaking my back in 2 places and spending 8 weeks in a body cast. And the times I was shot at in my LE career. And shooting back. And every kidney stone. And getting hit head on by a wrong way driver on the interstate early Christmas morning. Those are some of the experiences that I'll remember my entire life. Haven't ventured to pulling a 40 ft 5er on snowy Rocky Mountain roads. That's not an experience I care to add to my memory. Not that I wanted to add those other memories either but some experiences a person can avoid, some just happen.
So go ahead and do it. I'm sure a 1st time pulling a 40 ft 5er on snow packed mountain roads will be a similar such memorable experience for you.

[rhagfo]

So you are new to RVing and you have a 40' 5er and you want to do some of your first towing on roads like the following???? We drove on these roads for about 30 miles, with the 28' 5er in the last picture.
If you choose to go make sure as stated before you have tire chains for both the TV and the 5er, as if you don't have chains on the 5er it will likely become the lead vehicle when you need to brake. Look also where there is traffic in front of us, that is a safe following distance in the snow.

[Likes_to_tow]

If you are heading into Durango and have never driven in the Rockies this is a poor time to head out. You are about to get in over your head!! Colorado does not use many guardrails in their highway design. You will be amazed at the lack of them!!! Elevation plays a big role in snow and ice. I would leave the trailer at home for sure and take a set of tire chains. The Rockies are beautiful but can be deadly. Go on youtube and dial up Million Dollar Highway. The section just before coming into Ouray is absolutely unbelievable. The monument to the snow plow drivers who have paid the ultimate price for keeping this road open should tell you all you need to know!!

[Nutinelse2do]

We have been caught off guard a couple times recently. In S Dakota, and NV in our 5th wheel, and once in Wyoming this past fall in our DP.

We have been rv’ing for 27 years. Both of these rigs had much higher degree of insulation than yours, and it was still not comfortable, and that was with FHU’s. It makes everything a mess, and gunk gets in places you will still be washing off next year.

We would never, intentionally drive anything but a truck/ jeep on snow and icy roads.

Give your family a nice happy, SAFE, white Christmas by sitting in a resort lobby by a fire, drinking Baileys and coffee or hot chocolate.

I understand your excitement and desire to do it, but there will be many more memories to make in the future. Why risk it?

[frfan]

In early Oct. I towed my 39' 5W toy hauler across WY on my way to Denver and experienced a blizzard. I found out why there are signs that say, "Bridges my be Icy." Driving only 35mph, I nearly jackknifed twice while driving up a fairly steep hill on bridges. I was able to minimize my rear wheels from spinning out by putting the truck in 4WD, and taking my foot off the accelerator as I crossed the bridges. I ended up parking the trailer in Laramie, and drove back the next day to pick up it up after the roads had cleared. This was the scariest experience I've had since owning 4 trailers over the past 15 years.

[Y-Guy]

So a few years back we went camping/ATVing in the mountains, knew potential for a bit of snow was possible but we got dumped on. Sunday things cleared up before the next major storm and we figured we need to get out. There were two similar rigs mine SRW F350 with 39' toy hauler and buddy with a DRW F350 similar toy hauler. Be both left the extra water in our tanks hoping/thinking it would help with better traction n the drive wheels. We went very slow down the mountain, no more then about 20MPH and most the time around 10 or less. We we made it down, with a lot of stress. Our SRW did better then my buddies DRW, he slipped several times while going down, but I didn't.

We both had chains, but we we didn't have them for the trailer - mistake #1. Drive wheels are not enough you need to be able to stop your trailer from sliding too. Have both. The water weight, well I'm not sure it was good or bad, toy haulers already have a pretty high pin weight. I my buddies case we both think the added weight may have promoted his RV to slide a bit in the curves, hard to know one way or the other. 4WD is nice but doesn't do squat to stop you. See above about trailer chains.

We were in a bit of a bad situation had we stayed longer it probably would have gotten worse and the forecast was bad weather for the next week so we had to bug out.

Though I've changed RVs I carry tire changes not that I will ever use them, but so I can if I had to and to be legal with the state patrol. Snow is one thing, ice it another. I would prefer to just stop if at all possible.

[joebedford]

Is your truck 4x4? If not, don't do it.

ON EDIT: Please ignore my post. I didn't realize that a somewhat negative post was unwelcome. "POSITIVE COMMENTS ONLY" from a noob.