What We Learned Winter Camping in an RV

1st Time Winter Camping. 1st Time RVers. 1st Time to Missouri.

 We laugh reflecting on this. We had no idea what we were in for and did not prepare AT ALL for the winter we endured while living in an RV  for the first time and first time in the Midwest.

Maybe some of you can imagine what the winter was like that we lived through, but maybe some of you, like us, had no idea what a winter in Missouri is like.

Winter in Missouri

As born and raised Californians, we were clueless. Our time in South Lake Tahoe also gave us false hope. We researched the temperatures and they all seemed very similar to the temperatures we experienced in South Lake Tahoe so we thought… we got this. Well, we didn’t. We didn’t have this. Not even a little bit. Not even close.

So for those of you like us who spent our lives on the west coast, let me give you the run down.

It’s cold. Like freezing cold. The humidity causes the temperatures to feel so much colder. It can be 50 degrees F outside and you will still need a winter jacket and gloves. When it gets down to the low twenties and teens, your face literally hurts. And there’s ice. A whole bunch of ice. Ice everywhere. And it’s gray, I feel like we hardly saw the sun.

For those of you who may have been born and raised mid westerners, western winters, even those in south lake Tahoe are not like that. Yes, it snows a ton. But it’s soft, light, fluffy snow and falls down magically and the sun is typically out during the day except for during big snow storms. Even if it’s 30 degrees out, you can wear a light jacket, thick socks and boots and feel as snug as a bug in a rug. So, not the same. Not even a little bit.

What the f&*% did we do?

We did not have a skirt, or any other kind of insulation for our under belly and our pipes froze….SEVERAL TIMES. A hair dryer was used twice to de-frost them. We realize this is not ideal but hey, if you’re in a pinch, it actually works. It works at the cost of you laying underneath your RV in the freezing cold or underneath your sink, but it will get you water.

Now, I know some RVers here will say, just leave the water on all night at a slow drip. Well, this campground made you disconnect your water connection at sunset and they were strict about it. We had a couple of knocks on our door at midnight to disconnect because we forgot about it, a time or two.

We also got COVID.

So let’s re-cap. Brand new full-time RVers, never have RV’d, definitely have never winter camped, it’s freezing and our pipes are frozen, it’s Christmas morning and Chris and I feel like we are actually dying. The kids fortunately, didn’t even get a sniffle. And don’t worry, we healed. But there for a hot second, we seriously questioned every decision we had ever made in our lives! OH! And I almost forgot! We also survived the deadly tornadoes that wreaked havoc on the Midwest in the fall of 2021. So you know, initiation? Karma? Being tested? Whatever you want to call it, it was rough. BUT we survived, we learned, we grew and we wouldn’t change a thing. Welllll, maybe a couple of things.

10 RV Essentials for a Cozy Winter

So now with that under our belt and something we can laugh about now, we wanted to give you our recommendations on winter camping in an RV. The do’s, the don’ts, the must- haves and is it really worth it?

The RV park we stayed stated they did not allow skirts of any kind and we saw most people abide by that. However, if we had the prep time and the option, we would opt for some under belly insultion…FOR SURE. Insulation for your actual connections is VERY helpful, especially in a freeze. Have some space heaters, electric blankets, throw blankets, heat pads and thick wool socks to make inside a comfy, cozy place to remain!

Here’s what we used (or wish we would have used):

1) Heated Water Hose

2) Faucet Covers

3) Insulation

4) Pipe Heating Cable

5) Heat Gun

6) Snow Salt

7) Space Heater

 8) Electric Blanket

 9) Wool Socks

10) Water Bladders

Do’s and Dont’s

If you can leave your water  connected, leave it connected and let your faucets ever so slowly drip throughout the night to keep your pipes open.

If you do have to disconnect, keep the connections covered, insulate as much as possible. Keep space heaters pointed into cabinets while leaving cabinet doors open at night, especially any cabinets where there are pipes & connections.

 Check your slides after a freeze or snow storm if you are somewhere where this occurs. You don’t want any weight of snow or ice to remain on your slides for any length of time. You also don’t want to be scraping ice off of your slides the morning of your first ACTUAL travel day. Yes, that happened to us.

Insulate your windows to keep what heat you do have inside. RV walls are thin and the cold from outside, quickly feels the same inside. Keeping that heat in makes a big difference. The floors get really cold as well, so having good quality socks also helps!

Would We do it Again?

Was it worth it? NO.

HOWEVER, we are considering winter camping again but being somewhere less freezing and where snowboarding is more easily accessible.

We did get to go snowboarding a few times while we were in Missouri at Hidden Valley ski resort. We were so grateful to at least get to go but it wasn’t a place to write home about by any means. We are considering winter camping in Colorado, Utah or Wyoming for winter this year to shred that gnar that oh so desperately needs to be shred every winter. Someone’s gotta do it, and our family volunteers as tribute! We’ll let you know how winter camping goes the second time around!

Happy winter camping! Let us know if you have any questions!