Every February or March there’s always those days when the temperatures rise just above freezing and it starts to feel like Spring. If you’re like us, you might be tempted to fire up the motorhome and hit the road.
Do it!
Taking short RVing trips is fun and can be helpful to prepare for camping season.
Cold weather driving gives you a good idea how efficient the on-board heaters are or if your windshield or side mirror defrosters do the job.
Obviously RVers who live, as we do, in the cold and snowy northern region of the Midwest are not going to find many open campgrounds until late April or early May. But if your RV has been winterized, the road conditions good, temperatures mild, winds down and you keep a close eye on the forecast, exploring the local sights in the late winter can be a real fun change of pace.
Kim and I take advantage of the many rural roadside rest stops and pull offs that our area has to offer.
If plowed of snow, these are great for pulling in and enjoying the scenery while sipping hot coffee or cocoa. Kick on the generator for a few minutes, run the microwave and warm up some lunch or pop a bag of popcorn.
Would you drive your RV in snowy conditions?
We posted a short video on our JK and Kim in The Camper https://www.facebook.com/jkandkiminthecamper Facebook page recently showing the road conditions on one of our local Minnesota highways which we were driving. We asked this winter related question to fellow RVers: “Would you drive your RV on snowy roads like this to get to warmer weather in the southern states? And for how many miles and how many hours?”
We got a huge response.
Here are a few of those comments (reprinted here with approval.)
I would leave before it was snowy and drive until I got far enough south that none of the hardware stores had snow shovels on their inventory at any point during the year.
Yes. I have done it several times with no issues. Just take your time. My 2019 25.2 Vegas handles very well in those conditions. If the trucks are rolling, then I am too.
Yes! We have done it many times but with plenty of prior planning. We often chose I-75 for its better weather from southwestern Ontario, Canada to Florida and southern climes.
We watched for a 3-day weather window, and left then, regardless of reservations. On more than one occasion we did get caught on slippery snowy roads and simply pulled off at a travel plaza until the way was safe.
The biggest drawback is a too tight schedule. Shown Yellowstone in June, we did not expect this one!
Of course (we drive our RV in winter).
It’s just not a summer toy.
Last year I got caught in 3 snowstorms. One in Texas, one going from Las Cruces to Arizona and one leaving Williams AZ toward Albuquerque. Couldn’t be helped. I went slow and left room in front of me, but she handled like a champ. I was white knuckled, however. (I was) thankful to get where I was going safely and needed a glass of wine. I was going 30-to-40 mph the whole time.
We did in March 2018 when we were on I40 in Oklahoma and the weather changed quickly so had to drive in snow until we could get to a road that took us south into Texas then head west. It was scary but our AI was a champ.
Years ago, I was heading for North Carolina in my class B Roadtrek driving on I 81 with four-season tires. The metro indicated that there would be some light snow. I had crossed over the Thousand Islands bridge and a few flakes of snow began to fall.
When I got to Waretown, it turned into a snowstorm. I was the only vehicle on the road and was driving no faster than 20 mph following a snowplow no more than 1000 feet in front of me. It was as if he wasn’t there. The 70 miles between Watertown and Syracuse seemed like a 1,000.
Then it turned into strong windy rains. When I arrived, I was shaking like a falling leaf and promised myself I would never chance it again.
Yes, we have done it many times but with plenty of prior planning. We often chose I75 for its better weather from southwestern Ontario Canada to Florida and southern climes. We watched for a 3-day weather window, and left then, regardless of reservations.
On more than one occasion we did get caught on slippery snowy roads and simply pulled off at a travel plaza until the way was safe. The biggest drawback is a too tight schedule. Shown Yellowstone in June, we did not expect this one!
No. Find a Walmart, start the generator and wait until tomorrow. Personally, I don’t want to drive mine on salt and grit. And the few times we have left late for Florida, winterization worries we’re a pain running with everything drained the first day.
My biggest concern with winter driving is the salt. (I’m in VT). So much (money) is invested in a class B, I want it to last as long as possible. I take mine off the road long before any snow and salt, store it in a barn, and don’t take it out until the salt has washed away.
Not an easy answer. It depends on the road conditions. If they are getting better or worse, same with the temp, my driving capabilities, traffic ahead of me and behind me. Can oncoming traffic lose control and hit me head-on, how far away (from my destination) are better conditions. Do I have plenty of gas, and where else can I park overnight.
These responses are great, and we thank everyone who chimed in to share.
More Cold Weather RVing Tips.
Make sure the carbon monoxide detectors in the RV are tested and working, especially if you plan to use your rig’s propane or gas/diesel heater to keep your camper warm. It’s also a good practice to open the roof vent or side window to let any exhaust fumes out and some fresh air in.
We also place insulating reflective panels, such as Reflectix, in all the camper windows to keep heat in and the cold from passing through the glass. It really helps!
Rooftop RV vent covers allow you to keep your vents open and fans running in any weather without worry that snow or rain will get into the camper.
Small clip-on fans help keep RV windshields and side windows from foggy up. These little fans can be plugged into the dash USB ports for power while driving. Some RVers have permanently hard wired and mounted fans onto the headliner above the windshield for added defrost capabilities!
Put state department of transportation (DOT) road condition apps or websites on your phone, tablet, or laptop. If traveling through several different states, it’s a good idea to have these bookmarked and readily accessed to stay up to date with current road conditions or closures.
Don’t fear the cold.
Winter road trips and camping can be fun if you are prepared and when weather and road conditions are favorable. Of course, common sense, pre-planning, and updated forecasts and road conditions are the keys to staying safe on the road and warm at the camping spot.