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Old 12-11-2020, 02:59 PM   #1
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Minnesota winter camping

Hi all. We have a '14 Greyhawk FK and are wondering if it is possible to go winter camping in southern Minnesota, Mankato area? What would I have to do to keep water and sewer systems from freezing? I have tank heaters but am worried about pipes. Or maybe it not recommended because the sometimes extreme cold temps?
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Old 12-11-2020, 04:17 PM   #2
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Well, it will be cold and kinda tough on the equipment. Is the underbelly of your Greyhawk enclosed and heater? If not, I’d wait till April. If it is, have a lot of propane at the ready and keep the furnace running. Guessing you’re camping on a family/friend property as most every developed campground is closed for the season.
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Old 12-11-2020, 05:19 PM   #3
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The camp site part is easy! Check out the MN State Park website: winter camping. They plow many campsites at many of the parks. To my knowledge, none of the SP's dump stations are open in the winter. When I have winter camped in the past, only running water is at heated buildings, such as the Ranger Station (frost proof hose bib). Electric is on at the sites.

How cold do you want to winter camp in? In this weather it is easy to do, with minimal prep work. January? Better start prepping if you want flowing water inside your MH.

Hard part is how to prep your unit for winter camping. Your MH has most if not all the FW pipes exposed to the elements under the floor. Those small FW pipes will freeze fairly easily, when below 25ish (short jaunts below freezing), or for extended periods below freezing.

Lots of options to prep so you can have water, and not freeze things up.

Adding a skirt is easy solution, a bit expensive, can be a pain to setup, and bulky. It will trap radiant heat from the MH, better yet, you can add a heat source, like a few high wattage lightbulbs, or an electric heater.

Someone added to a post a few months ago in regard to their Class C. They stated they added heat trace wire to the pipes, then foam pipe insulation. Then added a timer, that cycles on/off times, to keep from over heating the plastic pex tubing. Again a lot of work, he stated he winter camps a lot, so it was well worth it to him. I don't think he said anything about skirting.

Easy solution is what a buddy of mine does. He keeps the FW system winterized. He flushes the toilet usually with Windshield wiper fluid, some times RV antifreeze. He uses bottled water. Uses dish pans to collect he grey water. Pending on the weather, he will dump it in the woods, just like a tenter does. Sometimes down the toilet (have to watch the volume as diluted wiper fluid/antifreeze will freeze).

I have never asked him about dumping. I assume he has found a few places that are open all winter. I know a few gas stations and like that have dump station. It is very important to have a lot of fluid in the tank to dump.

Crazy question, how are you going to get here? I see you are from Canada, and the boarders are closed to drive across for the average person.

If you make it, let us know how it goes for you.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_pa...mping_map.html

Note: if there is an "e" after the campsite number it has electricity.
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Old 12-11-2020, 09:25 PM   #4
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Call Hilltop service area to find out what you can and can't do. Personally, I wouldn't fill my onboard water without checking, but I only have a TT. I would port-a-potti and use baby wipes to clean up.
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Old 12-11-2020, 09:26 PM   #5
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oops and plenty of MN State parks have electric sites open in the winter.
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Old 12-11-2020, 11:04 PM   #6
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Sure you can... with the right preparation, enough propane, enough electricity to keep things thawed... We were camping 3 weeks in the Twin-cities when we got to experience a record breaking snow... we were prepared, had enough propane and electricity to make it thru... We had to haul water from the heated laundry roon/tornado shelter almost daily. No water in the sites until late May.

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2018/...s-snow-record/
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