Survey on Cold Weather Camping

I'm wondering how many people camp in cold, or extremely cold weather. I'm not talking about the occasional night where temperatures drop a bit. Rather this is about what type of temperatures you routinely experience in your RV.

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We routinely try to avoid cold weather camping, but with the temperature swings we experience here in Texas, we periodically encounter temperatures in the 20's. I voted for the first option.

danemayer said:

I'm wondering how many people camp in cold, or extremely cold weather. I'm not talking about the occasional night where temperatures drop a bit. Rather this is about what type of temperatures you routinely experience in your RV.

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Dan, back in the 70's I lived in my Class A at Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia. I stayed there for a year and sometimes in some frigid, tundra-like, arctic conditions. I did have the luxury of shore power but not Yeti stuff. I was interesting to say the least.

I admire your Colorado Rockies life-style and your expertise that you pass along to all of us.

Elk hunting in the mountains of Arizona in November and December brings on temps in the teens at times. Most times the low to mid 20's at night. An occasional low point freeze up has been the only problem and I think we have solved that now.

We have been spending much of the winters in the Texas Hill Country with temps dipping into the 20's. We have encountered temps in the teens but that seldom occurs. No major freezing-up problems so far.

Dan, as one who seeks the cold to go skiing, we are prepared with added heat pads, etc. and we try to go 3 times a year for 5-10 days. Now using our ElkRidge as housing, we don't have the luxury to move at all when the weather isn't favorable. So far this season there's been 4-5 cold snaps with temps below 32, some in the mid 20s. This is in the middle of Texas (far eastern edge of West Texas).


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As a rule, we like to follow the nice weather...mountains in the summer, TX in winter. However there have been a few times when we've camped in freezing weather, usually in the 20's. So far, "knock on wood" the only issue we've had is a frozen city water hose.

We have seen a few below freezing days but try to not have too many of them.

Last year we headed west the end of March and had a number of nights and a few days with temps below freezing, had snow in CO Rockies in April, and frost in the mornings in the MT Rockies in May. No freezing issues and the fireplace and furnace kept us toasty warm!!


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A couple of weeks ago it got down to 2-3 and wind chill -10. Next week calling for below 0 and don't know about wind yet. So far using fireplace, oil filled radiator style heater and ceramic heater, no problems. Electric included in lot rent so trying to stay away from using propane.

travlingman said:

A couple of weeks ago it got down to 2-3 and wind chill -10. Next week calling for below 0 and don't know about wind yet. So far using fireplace, oil filled radiator style heater and ceramic heater, no problems. Electric included in lot rent so trying to stay away from using propane.

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At -10 (F), I'd suggest you spend the money on propane to keep the underbelly heated. You might wake up with frozen water lines if you don't run the furnace enough.

travlingman said:

A couple of weeks ago it got down to 2-3 and wind chill -10. Next week calling for below 0 and don't know about wind yet. So far using fireplace, oil filled radiator style heater and ceramic heater, no problems. Electric included in lot rent so trying to stay away from using propane.

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Don't know what propane costs where you're at but here I just filled a 30#er at the RV store for $2.50/gal. IMO pretty cheap insurance to keep the belly warm.


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We run an electric heater in underbelly. Took wall down so it gets to back of water connects, and have put pieces of insulation in the water connect center. Tonight looks like it will be a rough one. Low in the teens, but winds are blowing 15-30 MPH with gusts up to 40 MPH. The camper does good in just the cold, keeps real warm. But when there is this much wind, you can feel the difference. Since I am taking the wind broadsided, off door side, it gets the cold in around the slide cutouts. Have the furnace set to come on at 70, hasn't kicked on yet. Should be a fun week, 4"-8" snow called for Monday, not to be above freezing until next Saturday, near 0 two nights next week. Guess I will see if the Yeti package works. lol

Having spent several days/nights in the low teens, I can say we survived but we don't like it. We did notice that the comfort level inside was more a factor of the wind then temperature. Maybe if we were long term in the cold, the addition of cold weather mods such as underskirt, insulating windows etc might help.

We were in St. Louis Nov & Dec 2014. It got down to the teens in Dec but the temp wasn't the issue; the windchill was. Our Cyclone has the Yeti package and we made sure it was turned on and the furnace ran more than the fireplace. The RV park had no obstructions to block the wind gusts. The gusts were up to 30mph and I swear you could feel it coming in to the RV around the living room slide out. Our water froze despite having the city water insulated and the sewer pipes insulated up to the RV. The wind got in under the RV and froze the water to the bathroom and the kitchen. We also put the strips of air conditioner foam around the slide outs inside so the air wouldn't blow in. This year when we are in St. Louis for the holidays, I am hoping to have a heater in the belly and a skirt around the RV. I also want to insulate the top of the slides with foam and line the inside of the living room slide with foam also. I'm more worried about the cold than looks. There is no way to avoid the cold of St. Louis as our grandchildren are there. At least, come January, we head south.

We spent winter in ND and last winter in northern colo. And one winter in central Wyo some 30 below 0 with wind had to heat tape the sewer line skirting and heat lamps but we're comfortable in our 3580 Bighorn

Our camper is typically parked and mothballed from fall until spring . . .

Until this year, when we decided to venture out and go to the Arizona Winter HOC Rally in January!

Now . . . we are hooked . . . camping all four seasons!