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Winter TC Camping

hedgehopper
Explorer
Explorer
A few minutes ago, I checked the outdoor temperature: 8 degrees F. Earlier this evening, with snow still falling outside our home as we played games at the kitchen table, DW and I agreed that we had no desire to be out in the TC this evening. Yet I know that some of you enjoy winter camping. What do you do for outdoor enjoyment when the weather is cold and snowy?
41 REPLIES 41

Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Nomad II
hedgehopper wrote:
Buzzcut1 wrote:
we go camping and snowshoeing


Where were the pictures taken?


Yosemite


trip report
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27402204.cfm
2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually, 2019 Lance 1062, Torqlift Talons, Fast Guns, upper and lower Stable Loads, Super Hitch, 48" Super Truss, Airlift loadlifter 5000 extreme airbags

hedgehopper
Explorer
Explorer
Buzzcut1 wrote:
we go camping and snowshoeing


Where were the pictures taken?

hedge
Explorer
Explorer
photoMike: that's not a bad idea, I was thinking Banff just to get our feet wet but I haven't been to Waterton in a couple years. I need to get down there soon.
2017 F350 Platinum DRW
2013 Adventurer 89RB

garbinator
Explorer
Explorer
These are wonderful photos you all. This is exactly why I am hoping to upgrade from my old 96 Lance to a newer version. Your photos speak volumes to me as two years ago we got caught in a severe weather situation while traveling through New Mexico, man! Our grey and black tanks both froze up on us and wow! It was NOT fun spending hours trying to use various heat guns to thaw the valves and tanks. We

We learned a valuable lesson from our experience, as we are Californians unuse to such winter freezing conditions. Heck! We don't even own the high tech cold weather gear I only see in catalogs!

<<<

Photomike
Explorer III
Explorer III
hedge wrote:
Love the pics. I'm trying to convince my wife to try winter camping. We have a '99 Adventurer 810ws. It's not a 4-season camper so really not sure how cold I can go with it. I think I'd be fine at -15C but not sure about the rest of the family.


Hedge you need to some down to Waterton one of these weekends. I can show you all the spots to winter camp there.
2017 Ford Transit
EVO Electric bike
Advanced Elements Kayaks

hedge
Explorer
Explorer
Love the pics. I'm trying to convince my wife to try winter camping. We have a '99 Adventurer 810ws. It's not a 4-season camper so really not sure how cold I can go with it. I think I'd be fine at -15C but not sure about the rest of the family.
2017 F350 Platinum DRW
2013 Adventurer 89RB

billtex
Explorer II
Explorer II
btggraphix wrote:
billtex wrote:
btggraphix...we have been to strawberry hot springs!
What an awesome place...

We'll have to get back to Steamboat again...great skiing/riding!

Bill


We aren't Hot Spring connoisseurs or anything, but we have made a point to get to them when we get a chance. Strawberry is very popular, but it is big enough that its not like you are all crammed in or anything. Plenty of space. It is probably our favorite but have only been there the once. I loved that there were many many different pools coming down the hillside (most had sandy bottoms), each getting progressively cooler until at the bottom, the creek is ice cold.....but yet it is still dammed up and you can move from the hot pools into the cold creek and back out.


It is a very unique place...

Note; be aware of "clothing optional" times...these can be interesting!
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson

btggraphix
Explorer
Explorer
billtex wrote:
btggraphix...we have been to strawberry hot springs!
What an awesome place...

We'll have to get back to Steamboat again...great skiing/riding!

Bill


We aren't Hot Spring connoisseurs or anything, but we have made a point to get to them when we get a chance. Strawberry is very popular, but it is big enough that its not like you are all crammed in or anything. Plenty of space. It is probably our favorite but have only been there the once. I loved that there were many many different pools coming down the hillside (most had sandy bottoms), each getting progressively cooler until at the bottom, the creek is ice cold.....but yet it is still dammed up and you can move from the hot pools into the cold creek and back out.
2006 LanceMax 1191 - loaded and well-used
2005 C4500/Kodiak 4x4, GVWR 17,500

billtex
Explorer II
Explorer II
btggraphix...we have been to strawberry hot springs!
What an awesome place...

We'll have to get back to Steamboat again...great skiing/riding!

Bill
2020 F350 CC LB
Eagle Cap 850
25'Airstream Excella
"Good People Drink Good Beer"-Hunter S Thompson

DiploStrat
Explorer
Explorer
Love the lights!
DiploStrat

===========================

1990 Mercedes Benz 917/XPCamper

Website: https://diplostrat.net/

btggraphix
Explorer
Explorer
Hey Hedgehopper! There are a ton of things to do and places to go camp within a short distance of Denver. Sometimes we are adventurous and ski or hike or snowshoe, but many times we just hang out around the camper, spend time together, and watch the beauty around us.

Here's a small list.......

Hot springs (Strawberry, north of Steamboat during an informal rv.net gathering)



From the same trip. There is a campground right at the end of the bus-line, so you can camp here, and never drive the truck to go to town and skiing. Some of these ski towns have great events such as musical festivals that you can go to without being a skier and have a blast. There's a great one coming up at Steamboat with 60 bands or something like that:



and don't forget, snow angels!



Snowshoeing....this is at the lot for the Colorado Trail at Tennessee Pass by Ski Cooper:



Parking for skiing at A-Basin the next morning (though this lot is now closed)



The after moving to "the beach" the next morning:



Hiking (after an ice storm at Capulin Volcano National Monument:




Having a Thanksgiving Day smoked turkey, watching football and riding dirt bikes (this was about 0 degree nights, but snow was low and so we did some riding.) This is camped along the South Platte near Deckers.)



This was at Ruby Mountain on a New Year's Weekend....we saw one day visitor the entire weekend, a herd of deer cross the river from the camper window, and an Eagle hunting for fish.)



Christmas at my Uncle's:



There are just as many things to do in the winter as summer. 90% of the time we fill up with water and camp using our normal style. Logistics become more of a hassle than if you go waterless in your system as many of the others do. Some of the state parks are open in the winter, and empty, such as Chatfield and Cheyenne Mountain, that are hard to get into in the summer, but in the winter no problem.

My advice is to give it a try....near home.....going waterless if you'd like and give it a try. If you want some other close suggestions let me know. 🙂
2006 LanceMax 1191 - loaded and well-used
2005 C4500/Kodiak 4x4, GVWR 17,500

Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Nomad II
what Jefe and DJ said. Paper plates plastic utensils and just wipe down any pots and pans with a cleaning wipe and a paper towel. Not to worried about anything growing on them as the next heating will kill any bacteria.

I did dump a gallon of -40 antifreeze in both the grey and the black tanks
2011 F350 6.7L Diesel 4x4 CrewCab longbed Dually, 2019 Lance 1062, Torqlift Talons, Fast Guns, upper and lower Stable Loads, Super Hitch, 48" Super Truss, Airlift loadlifter 5000 extreme airbags

_DJ_1
Explorer II
Explorer II
jefe 4x4 wrote:
Putney,
We have a tall plastic dishpan that just fits in the TC kitchen sink and a tall hook shaped spout that comes over the top. We wash what few pans/soup pots we use in there. It's not much. I dump the grey water outside. No harm-no foul.
Winter requires paper and plastic products for us as there is much less to wash. It is kind of bare-bones, but that has it's appeal too. I call it "winter minimalism".
jefe
Not a very impressive pic, until you get the date of our camp here looking east over Nevada from the Sierras: October 6th. It wasn't supposed to be a winter camp, it just turned out that way.


I do the same thing. Camp like a tent camper in winter!!!!
'17 Class C 22' Conquest on Ford E 450 with V 10. 4000 Onan, Quad 6 volt AGMs, 515 watts solar.
'12 Northstar Liberty on a '16 Super Duty 6.2. Twin 6 volt AGMs with 300 watts solar.

jefe_4x4
Explorer
Explorer
Putney,
We have a tall plastic dishpan that just fits in the TC kitchen sink and a tall hook shaped spout that comes over the top. We wash what few pans/soup pots we use in there. It's not much. I dump the grey water outside. No harm-no foul.
Winter requires paper and plastic products for us as there is much less to wash. It is kind of bare-bones, but that has it's appeal too. I call it "winter minimalism".
jefe
Not a very impressive pic, until you get the date of our camp here looking east over Nevada from the Sierras: October 6th. It wasn't supposed to be a winter camp, it just turned out that way.
'01.5 Dodge 2500 4x4, CTD, Qcab, SB, NV5600, 241HD, 4.10's, Dana 70/TruTrac; Dana 80/ TruTrac, Spintec hub conversion, H.D. susp, 315/75R16's on 7.5" and 10" wide steel wheels, Vulcan big line, Warn M15K winch '98 Lance Lite 165s, 8' 6" X-cab, 200w Solar

the_tc_life
Explorer
Explorer
Putney wrote:
jefe 4x4 and others,

To those of you bringing portable water jugs, where are you washing dishes and dumping water? Into your grey water tanks, or draining into pans that you then dump outdoors, or ??


I use my sink and let it drain into the grey tank. I do keep antifreeze handy and add more as needed. I also make sure the traps have antifreeze in them before I shut the heater down.
2010 adventurer 810ws
1999 c3500 dually 12' flatbed

THE TC LIFE