Get the most bang from your RV buck, and camp all four seasons. It’s a great way to avoid crowds and to enjoy the glory of nature at her frigid finest, with all the creature comforts you love. Here’s some info on the topic from the team here at River City RV in Grants Pass, where we serve all of Southern Oregon including Ashland and Medford. Ask us about financing options!
Winter Camping: Rugged or Refined
Let’s talk about temperatures. When you go winter camping, your rig must be ready for sub-freezing temperatures. The critical factor here is making sure nothing freezes. Just like at home, when pipes freeze you’ve got a problem. In an RV, you need to make sure your pipes, your freshwater, your gray water, and your black water are all protected from freezing. This is a big topic for another article, but please take this matter seriously. Check your owner’s manual and do your research so you can be confident you won’t have an expensive problem when it gets below 32F.
A couple of points about temperature: If you’ll be staying with hookups, you have more options for keeping all your systems warm. Some people who aren’t hooked up will dry camp in the winter. They’ll drain everything for the winter, then arrange themselves so they are not relying on running water or waste tanks.
Winter Camping: Personal Safety
If you are going to be out in the wilderness in the winter, or even in an RV park, make sure you have extra propane and a full tank of gas. There’s always a chance you’ll get one of our surprise Oregon ice storms, a blizzard, or even a downed tree closing the road, so have extra food and supplies, just in case.
You should already have a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector installed, but this is even more important in the winter, since you may be running more devices and keeping the windows closed.
Don’t Forget To Ventilate
Even though it’s cold outside, it’s important to keep a little ventilation open. Moisture will naturally accumulate in the RV, from cooking, bathing, and even breathing. If it has nowhere to go, it’ll encourage mold and mildew growth, which are very hard to get rid of. Consider investing in a dehumidifier.
Adding Insulation
There are lots of ways to make your RV a little warmer by insulating. Insulating can also help keep your plumbing sufficiently warm to prevent freezing. You can add foam board insulation under your rig. Using a skirt will help keep cold air out from under your RV, just make sure to leave all exhaust vents and the tailpipe uncovered and clear of snow.
If you’re RV shopping and plan to do lots of winter camping, let us know! We’ll be happy to help you find the best RV for winter fun. We look forward to serving you at River City RV in Grants Pass, your Southern Oregon RV dealer.
