Winter camping

[kay-shane]

I was wondering if any of you go camping in the winter around the Midwest where it's colder. I've got the urge to hook up and head out this weekend. Weather says 40's and 50's.

[mystikalkat]

Can anyone tell me if all Carriage 5th RV's 1999 to 2015 have enclosed heat underbelly and heated tanks?
Specifically the 2011 Carriage Cabo 341?

[ike66]

This was the first of March at Mueller State Park Co. 50 deg in the day down in the 20's at night. Left the antifreeze in brought water and a bucket to wash dishes in. Works for a quick weekend.

[DSteiner51]

22F here this morning in central Ohio. Great weekend to go camping. Arrived yesterday with a high of 35 degrees. Perfect camping weather! Go for it!

Hot and cold running water and a flush toilet with water from the fresh tank. Will rewinterize before leaving Sunday. Takes approx 1 1/2 gallons of antifreeze. Small expense to have all the comforts of home. :B

[centerline]

I havent camped in the mid-west in cooler temps, but I have camped here in the northwest in 16-18 degree weather... during hunting season it gets pretty chilly in the central and eastern part of oregon.

a balmy 40-50 degrees is good atv riding weather here as the trails arent dusty.. and if we didnt camp in the cool weather here, we would only have about 5 months of camping per year, and that isnt enough. rain... sometimes its a part of the "real" camping experience...

[jjjandrbaker]

By the way... If you are winterized and don't want to undo it for a quick trip, just flush with the pink stuff. Doesn't hurt a thing.

[jjjandrbaker]

I know I'm not in the midwest, but I camp all year round here in Texas. I try to go at least twice a month. I don't cancel my plans for bad weather. I have camped comfortably in temperatures between 13 and 109 degrees. Camping is camping. Have fun!

[pianotuna]

At 40 f there is no need to do anything other than make sure the propane tanks are full, and the battery bank fully charged. The rest of the systems will work essentially the same way they do at 70 f.

[Merrykalia]

We also really like to camp in the "cooler" weather of late fall and early winter - when the temps are in the 30s and 40s during the day and down into the 20s at night.

If we have already winterized, we will unwinterize when we get on-site and then winterize again before we leave the campground. I want the water for the toilet and the kitchen sink, but we will normally use the bath house for showers.

We make sure that we unhook the hose from the spigot in late evening (we keep a couple gallons of flushing water in the bathroom) and we hook the water back up in the mornings when the sun hits the spigot and/or it gets above freezing.

A big fire in the evenings with friends is wonderful, but I usually have a blanket as well as a jacket and hat, maybe even gloves.

[Campinfan]

GordonThree wrote:
Wow, April 1 for water... In lower Michigan they wait until Memorial day. In the UP I've been to State Parks that still have the water off and dump station plowed shut in June.

Thats because in the UP there are two seasons, winter and the 4th of July. I was in Marquette a couple years ago and right before Memorial I woke up to 2 inches of snow on my car...It was in the 70s where I live the day before. 😄

[GordonThree]

kay-shane wrote:
Thanks everyone, we won't dewinterize camper yet. Would take water with us to flush toilet and if need to use sink and will have antifreeze to put back in tanks. The more I read on here the more I want to go.

Where would you be camping, in Illinois or somewheres south?

Do you have a maceration pump to dump your tank, or are Illinois dump stations open year round?

All the ones near my winter camping spots in Northern Michigan are locked out or plowed shut right now.

[memtb]

We love to “winter camp”..... but rarely is it “that” warm!

[DutchmenSport]

kay-shane wrote:
.... The more I read on here the more I want to go.

Winter camping IS invigorating! It's not for everyone, but those of us who do ... love it!

[kay-shane]

Thanks everyone, we won't dewinterize camper yet. Would take water with us to flush toilet and if need to use sink and will have antifreeze to put back in tanks. The more I read on here the more I want to go.

[janstey58]

We love to winter camp while still winterized. We find parks that still have their bath facilities open and heated, and use that for personal needs. Otherwise we have heat, TV, and our own bed. We even cook with paper plates, ect... so we don't have dishes.