Living in N. Minnesota for 55 years. There is ONE RULE for winter driving. TIRES, TIRES, TIRES!!! Don't even attempt towing in winter conditions with marginal tires!!!!

NOOOOO don't go Kaleb!! You're a solid half of what makes KYD so fun!! Take online classes and keep on being our favorite little genious goofy kid!!!🤗❤️😅👍

Mark, I think this is the most entertaining and realistic video on winter camping that I've seen. Cold temps are fine, but it's a whole new ballgame when you add snow and ice. And, Trish, I agree, mentioning a dish dad cooks well will most definitely get him to cook it for you 🙂

It really is amazing how much you guys have grown over the last few years. From RV newbies to RV pros and great cinematographers to boot!

Oh man, I'm with you on "never doing that again". We did a winter trip to Santa Fe, NM for Christmas a few years ago when one of those "polar vortex" storms came down from the north the day before leaving there. It snowed 8" and dipped into the single digits the night before we checked out. I ended up with the poop-sickle sewer hose, frozen water hose, and realizing that all of the snow and ice that had accumulated on top of our slide-out toppers wouldn't let me close the slides until I first climbed on the roof and pushed it off all 3 slides using a newly broken broom. I had to crawl on my hands and knees to keep from falling off the roof! That's when I said it, never going in the snowy winter again! lol

We got caught in Wyoming Nov.1st.. headed home to NC..in a snow day actually night within twenty minutes we could not c tracks 18wheelers were making. We have a 20 ft travel trailer no kids but Toby my chorkie our fur baby..We found the first Walmart made great fresh pork ribs that night in my instapot ..great memories KOKO greetings from NC and ..just one more mile..

Coincidentally, we were on our Winter Tour in our FC 28 and hit that same snowstorm in Flagstaff. We fell in behind snowplows on I 17 and drove slow and steady through the snow to rain in Camp Verde. 30 days of freezing nights, lowest 17 deg F, and always comfortable in our Airstream. 24 nights of dry camping in remote Nat’l Monuments and State Parks. No crowds! We’ll certainly travel in winter again.

from MN... 4 wheel drive doesn't mean 4 wheel stop

I feel ya! Winter is pretty, from a distance 😂

Nope. Nada. Never. No cold camping for me. One and done. With you all the way.

We LOVE winter camping, its great if you are prepared, no bugs, less people, easier to get into places

Here’s a hint from my dad to did 36 years in the US military. He it his winter location device. Wire a snow shovel to the front of your car, then drive south until somebody asks you what the hell that is wired to the front of your car. When you get that question you know you have gone far enough south that it is probably safe to stay and avoid the snow from winter camping. See you in Florida :-)

Sixty plus years of living, schooling, driving, and working in Michigan. Florida is the place to be from October to May!

Probably the best winter RV tips i have seen. You are actually in the cold. Tips from actual cold experience. All the others KZfaqrs i watched, a dusting of snow, 34*F temperatures. Those KZfaqrs were impossible to take seriously.

Looks like you need some 12 volt heating pads attached to the bottom of your black and gray tanks to keep them from freezing ( only need to keep the tank a 36 or 37 degrees to keep freezing), and you can use Double Reflective Insulation, in conjunction with durable metal duct tape to wrap your black and gray tanks ( covering over the 12 volt tank heating pads) so you will have a more "electric approach" from keeping your RV from freezing, and rely less on your propane when you are plugged in. This is what my little motorhome has, and it works well.

A real shovel is a must. Plus bags of sand in the bed of the truck. You can spread sand for traction under your tires. Especially in the Rockies….

Marc at 21:23 you discuss the fresh water tank leak. You may already know this but temperature swings in conjunction with big elevation swings will cause a tank to siphon all its water out through the overflow valve. Might try looking to confirm if the tank valve is truly broken before discounting the mention above.

I m from northern Michigan and drive all around the north, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and New York pulling a 38 ft reflection rv and I love winter camping. There are so many things you did wrong with winter driving like learn to drive in the snow and ice not just slow down. You need to carry sand and salt clean your windows and head lights and tail lights And most importantly know when to keep your foot off the brakes. Take a winter driving course.

You convinced me to never go winter camping 😂

Mark. I don't drive at night. I will drive some once my cataract surgeries are complete. I try to limit my travels on roads (never traveling) just local roads when it is snowing or frozen precipitation. One event over 35 years ago did the trick for me. So I give kudos to people who like to adventure out in the wild blue yonder when the frozen stuff starts falling!

Very good winter tips! 👍🏾👍🏾

We had to upgrade our propane tanks. Two 30lb tanks was not enough for us. Our two tanks only lasted 8 days in the winter if that but, we are in a 42ft RV. We upgraded to, two 100lb tanks. Not everyone can do this, I know but, for us we are parked long term. :)

I'm a Colorado Native, I have done my time with Winter. While Pretty, right now it is one degree and real feel -10. My Arthritis in the knee's are killing me. Time for chasing 70 and the Warmzzzzz that comes with it. 😉

Having propane is good, but having the power to run the furnace too is even gooder! Mother Nature took me to school during the great Texas freeze out back in 2021.

There is one hiccup with the ultrasonic propane tank level sensors. They are powered by coin cell batteries. As we all know, performance of batteries degrades with extremes of temperature, and once you get down to a bit below zero they no longer have enough juice to work reliably. For above zero temps they’re great, but if you’re dealing with stuff in the -15, -20, and beyond kind of range, be prepared for intermittent/inconsistent function. I haven’t tried this yet, but I think I may get some of those adhesive foot warmers made to stick to your sock and stick them around the sensor for those kinds of trips.

Your repeated comment about we're not doing this anymore cracked me up. I agree winter camping can be awful. Good luck in Florida. The humidity is almost as bad as the snow.

You are about the only one who gives clues about camping knowledge. And its helpful

Great instructional video guys! As I told my son... Yes, "some vehicles" have "four wheel "drive", but just remember that 'ALL' vehicles already have four wheel stopping. So, don't think your 4WD vehicle can stop any faster than any other vehicle on the road. He looked at me and replied... "Uh. I never thought of that..." 😀 Not invinceable. - Cheers!

6 degrees in CO vs. 86 degrees in Fl Keys … Marc it’s a no brainer. Jack Frost bites hard !

I learned the hard way about trusting the fuel gage on my first trip and ran out of gas. Thanks. As a result I will fuel up much more often. I am so freaking stressed regarding winter since I haven’t been drinking in Kansas for over 15 years. Thanks!!!!❤❤😀😀😀😀

Looking forward to next winter. Giving it a shot. Now I did live most of my life in Wyoming/Idaho border. Note that Wyoming doesn’t use salt. Idaho does. Huge difference, huge. And you’re right. I drove Teton pass each day for years. Most vehicles in the ditch in snow were 4wd.

The Mopeka Tank sensors are AMAZING. I have the previous generation (not quite rectangular, but not round). 100% agree that the inside sensor is pretty much useless, but it is a nice quick reference if you don't have your phone handy. I like that the system can be configured for different tank sizes, and you can set when you want the system to alert you (on your phone) when you're getting low. Also, the option to "label" the tanks makes it easy to differentiate between the driver and passenger side tanks. I had my furnace "die" a few years ago in late November, and I cannot stress the need for spares of things like sail sensors, thermostat switches, and even controller boards which can go out with no notice. In my case it was just a loose connection on the sail switch. Also, I've found that with travel, sometimes the hoses that send air through the belly of our rig sometimes would vibrate off of the furnace body. I used actual foil duct tape to seal up the furnace body to make it more efficient, and prevent the ducts from coming loose and dropping. Keeping spares on hand for furnace, fridge, and other systems when considering the low price for doing so can make emergency repairs a lot less stressful.

Thanks for your frankness and plain old common sense!

Watching this video was like watching a recap of our 2022/2023 trip to Breckenridge - so much so that I bet you were staying at tiger run at the same time us. One thing you guys didnt cover that might be useful to other people... Bring a ladder so you can get the snow off your slides before you bring them in. We forgot ours, and had to borrow one from the Tiger Run staff.

Hahaha! @15:45 Trish looks like she's done. That squinty-eye, tight-lipped response, and then Marc said, "So you want to just go to Moab?". Trish: "Sure." Marc's picking up on what Trish is puttin' down. 🤨 You guys have definitely been married long enough! (Good job, Marc)🤣

Welcome to Florida. The snow is definitely behind you.

We are definitely never going winter camping again! Lol!!! 😂😂😂 We have a couple of times though. Like you we put water in our fresh tank. Never more than half. We have a class A diesel pusher. We have hydronic heating through our Aqua Hot. We have a switch we can use to have it heat the bays too. This just solves all life's problems. In winter driving even with our Ford F-150 4x4 truck you have to have good all season or winter tires. Never let your fuel tank get below half. Like you said, you have to have spare fuel to keep the heat on. Fortunately in the motorhome our Aqua Hot will run off electric or diesel. If it's super cold we have to switch it over to diesel. Of course we live in South West Florida so in the winter there is no place like home. We had all the doors open until noon today. Life is better in Florida. 😎

Happy Sunday funday KYD Family! Sending your family many blessings and safe travels!!

I kept waiting on those good winter friends Jack, Jim, Jose, and Johnnie to show up! 🥃☃

Great video! I learned the hard way 4wd isn’t the answer for icy conditions! Lots of great tips tonight ❤

For the few times we’ve camped in cold weather we found having an electric blanket was a big plus. It saved on the propane! We love your channel and had to stop at the RV Hall of Fame last year and check out “your” Blue Bird. That made the HOF all the more enjoyable ❤

It's funny to think that 2 years ago we were RV newbies and these basic ideas were critical for our happy camping. Watching your channel and taking your KZfaq course has taught us all the things we needed to know for comfortable camping and being able to share our experiences with our friends and family. Thanks for sharing and thanks for your continued efforts to help the folks who are just starting their journey!

I'm watching this as we start planning our winter trip in mid-March with our Sprinter RV (2013 Leisure RV Freespirit SS) to go pick up our new puppy up here in Canada. Hope we don't get frozen pipes.

I live in Pennsylvania. I get enough cold weather and snow without going camping in it. But I like learning about all things you told us. I hope you get the fresh water tank issue fixed. Maybe a stone or chunk of ice made a hole in it while traveling. Those ice chunks are incredibly hard.

OMG Yes! on the big trucks in Flagstaff. My house is in your neighborhood and I make that drive on the 17 into Flag from KV every day. I swear those huge trucks think they are invincible and try to run you over in the worst conditions.

Skiing is fantastic and fun but that's what Lodges are for!!!

I would imagine that the winter is brutally hard on the equipment and could get expensive on repairs. Great information for those who wish to brave the elements.

Thumbnails went from “no better way to travel” last episode to “never doing that again.” 😂 We always learn something and take inspiration from you guys! Enjoy the warm temps going forward!

Ice scraper/ brush stay in truck year round. We got snowed on on memorial day last year. And Nov 2, it rained first then snowed a little so that there was a layer of ice on our slide that wouldn't come off the morning we needed to move so then when we went lower in elevation, we had a flood inside our rv that we had to mop up. Added at least an extra hour to our travel day. We're prepared for snow basically Sept/Oct thru May in our state, which means really paying attention to weather when trying to travel in and out of our state during those months. At the end of Nov, we cut our Zion trip short by 3 days in order to get home before wind & snow on i70 came in since the i70 forecast was snow for the foreseeable future.

CheapHeat furnace add-on is the best modification once can make to their RV. Particularly if you are a full-timer or use your rig for several months a year. No more LP anxiety. And it's free heat if your park fee includes electricity. If the power goes out or you choose to dry camp you simply flip a switch next to your thermostat to use the LP side of your furnace. I can't praise CheapHeat enough. No more risky space heaters to trip over and store. I love the Mopeka sensors! Even though I now only refill the 40lb LP tanks every two to three months, thanks to CheapHeat and Truma (another modificationI can't live without with the washer, dishwasher, and two bathrooms), the Mopeka monitor is even more essential for me. I simply forget about LP most of the time. Every few weeks I remember to check the level using the app. I've only run out once in the last three years. That was after a power outrage consumed one tank much faster than I remembered. Being stranded on the side of the road is always a possibility. Excellent point on filling your tank regularly. My cutoff is 1/3 tank. If you don't have your RV with you, you don't have access to warming layers. It's essential to have a blanket in the vehicle for each memeber of the family. This could be nice fluffy throws or something as simple as Mylar thermal blankets in the glove box. Also necessary is a gallon or three of water (depending on typical passenger numbers) and energy bars. As for the fresh tank...... the tank could have partially froze. This left a block of ice sloshing around like a bull in a china shop. This block of ice met cold and brittle fitting....smash!!

Be very careful driving through Wyoming in the winter. Roads will NOT clear up the next day. I grew up driving in winter weather and the best thing you can do is SLOW DOWN. Leave the seconds between you and the car in front of you. Add a second for falling snow or rain. Add a second for wet roads. Add a second for limited visibility. Add a second for freezing temperatures. You get the idea.

You have convinced us that we never want to camp in the snow. Our trailer isn't really designed for winter camping, so that hasn't been a desire for us anyway. 🥶

I wish I was close so I could take a look at the water tank for you. It could possibly be repaired easily depending on what happened, but I'm confident you'll get it fixed 👍. I had to build some better straps and blocking for our freshwater tank because from factory, it was not properly anchored and it was sliding around on the road and eventually broke off the fill hose.

I was told by experts, you never leave you black & gray tanks open when you're hooked up to a sewer. Open them when needed, no matter what the weather is. Also as far as my furnace, I would have a back up such as a buddy heater, or another electrical heater. Especially if I was boondocking you would need one.

Dads Yummy Eggs. Love it. I remember my Dad making the best sunny side up eggs ever. I was 22 years old when I finally found out his secret trick. Love this channel

Great thing about four-wheel-drive vehicles is they get you in a lot further before you get stuck and make it a lot tougher for the tow truck to get you out. 😀

I always tell my “confident” teen driver, “4x4 is great for going, does nothing for stopping! Slow down and leave distance!” He really is a great driver! He maneuvers a truck and trailer better than his dad. He graduates HS this year just like Caleb. So bittersweet. Thanks for another great episode!

One option to keep in mind is that while RV KZfaqrs are constantly talking about the struggles with heating plumbing systems, you don’t necessarily have to do that at all. If you can camp somewhere with a basic pit toilet available (or are willing to deal with even more rustic means) and don’t need to shower in the RV, you can just leave the RV plumbing completely winterized, and use jugs of water kept inside the rig for drinking, cooking, and some touch-up washcloth bathing. It might not be great for full-timing, but for the short-term camper it’s much, MUCH less hassle that allows worry- and stress-free camping down to very cold temperatures where pipes would definitely freeze.

Its 80 degrees here in Tampa today, No SNOW in the forecast either. Safe travels to FLA.

Make sure to hit the like button and I agree we are getting to old for the cold and the added work. Besides there is drinks to be made & trishes dishes to be made lol

We drove from Salina KS to Greeley CO today in 3 degree temps the whole way. Thank goodness we winterized the camper yesterday in Texas. Everything in the camper froze. No more winter camping for me either!

I am stationary currently where it is very cold, and initially left my grays closed. That caused the valves to freeze where they could not be opened so now I leave them open. So far I haven’t had any issues freezing up my sewer hose.

Lippert has great propane sensors as well as fridge/freezer

I have lived in New England for 70 years so when the snow falls the RV is parked until April. I do love the winter!

One big thing you didn’t mention (and from the sound of things, didn’t experience) is that propane stops working well when it’s cold. Yeah, sounds absurd, but it’s true. The vaporization rate decreases with temperature, so when it’s gets really cold your furnace may only be able to put out like 10% of the heat it’s normally rated for. You don’t see any real impact until 15 degrees above or so, and it gets serious by around 15 below zero. For those conditions you want some other way (usually something electric, whether off shore power or a gasoline generator) to “pre-warm” your propane tanks to allow the furnace to keep operating effectively.

The best bet on the Mopeka tank monitors is just buy the two sensor kit, not the kit that includes the sensors and the lame monitor. The Bluetooth app is awesome. It has higher level of resolution for the tank level than the janky little Mopeka "monitor"

Hey Mark. I believe you can buy in tank fresh water tank heaters that keep the tank from freezing in winter. I'm not sure if the work on 12v but they would help keep the tank from freezing as you drive down the road in winter.

We LOL’d pretty hard at the “We’re never doing it again!” Eight years of Illinois and Minnesota and we don’t miss it!

My husband always says having four wheel drive will just get ya in deeper!

Love your honesty. As full timers (all season) nomads with Lance travel trailer, we’ve had similar learning experiences. So, we try to minimize the “winter” camping but resent crazy weather has placed us in unwanted situations; Texas freeze of 2021, resent Sedona snow/freeze, to mention just two experiences. Wish you well with your fresh water issue. Pleasant travels.

oh... LOL !!! LOL !!! LOL !!! on that Dad cooking tip at the end. That is the very best. Love it !

Hi you guys we love love love watching,traveling and learning things from you guys thank you so much and catch Otis and I Cheryl at Better days 806 thank you 😊 ❤😊

Sorry about the new water leak. I do love the honesty! Never again is right! Best...

And if you have been running in snow like that be sure and pressure wash the undercarriage to get all the salt off the frame, etc.

Big props to Trish for driving in that winter weather. 👍🏻 Marc. You probably have the fresh tank fixed by now but if not check this. There is a short piece of hose that goes between the fresh water tank and the fresh water drain valve. I could definitely see this freezing and breaking. My AS had a small access door in the aluminum underbelly so you can get to it. From what I understand some AS’s don’t have this cutout. I hope this helps and you get lucky with a cheap fix.

Best winter camping tip. Go South before the first freeze

Our condolences to your family 💞

Your daughter has her mother's face and her daddy's hair! I enjoy winter camping as long as it stays in the teens. Nothing like waking up in the morning with fresh fallen snow and a toasty camper.

Ugh winter camping. So much work. Beyond normal camping. You guys rock. That’s incredible but crazy 😂. Love to you all God bless

I live in my Lance truck camper full-time. Winter months are different from summertime, for sure. I use a dehumidifier next to my bed and two ceramic heaters that I placed so they don't interfere with my furnace thermostat. That way, my holding tanks are heated properly. I fill my fresh water on days that are a bit warmer unless I don't have a choice. Definitely keep the roof clear of snow, especially the vents and solor panels. I also have extra propane tanks. Other than that, not much else is needed. I don't use a heated hose. I simply fill my fresh water tank then drain my hose, and put it away. While traveling, I do run my furnace and fridge on propane. I never drive on snow-covered roads. I prefer to wait until the roads are cleaned up. Don't be in a hurry.

I’m one of those people that live all year in my camper in Northwest Arkansas. I’ve been here for the last three winters. Everyone is talking about how hard the last three winters have been. This is my last winter of living in my camper. I am buying a real house to live in next week. I leave water running, hoping it doesn’t turn into ice in the slinky. I take the inside covers away from the water heater and the water pump so they get warm air. I have a heated water hose. I buy a lot of propane refills and have two spares for those really cold times when I go through a 20-gallon tank in 48 hours, yes that happened the first year when it dropped to record-breaking -20° F in February! But I’ve done it ‘21, ‘22, and now ‘23!! I’m almost 68 and have beaten the odds with my two Boxers. But this is my last winter in the camper. Next winter, I will be sitting in front of my fireplace enjoying the warmth in my big cozy chair. Thanks for all of your content, you gave me the courage to get a camper that I could afford and see America. I will continue to travel, just not in snow.

The ultimate camp rig for skiing, for a max of two people, is a truck camper. That's what I own, but I still won't winter camp in it if there's snow involved.

Excellent advice! We headed for Kanab (from Missoula) early this morning only to execute a 180, returning home when the road conditions deteriorated - great judgement call when a short time later we learned I-15 was closed at the MT/ID border - and would be closed for maybe two days.

After watching Marc and Trish’ s video of several years ago winter camping in Colorado, we will be spending our fourth year at Tiger Run in Colorado for 4 weeks. But I admit you have got to enjoy shoveling snow and winter in general. We’re in our mid 70’s and still do some skiing too.

First thought. It may be just a fitting you can replace the fitting and be ok. Do you have pex tubing in the airstream? Pex tubing survives freezing pretty good the fittings not as good. I have had a couple elbows crack. I would get acess and see what is leaking. You may be able to repair the tank by plastic welding. Let me know what you find.

Winter for us with a three season is out of the question ,

Space heaters as primary over propane when at full hookup sites? I think that'd be the way to go.

I LOVE the Mopeka sensors too. I buy just the sensors and don't buy the kit that includes the useless monitor. The Bluetooth app on my phone gives more detailed information on the level.

Interesting!!! Hoping to go and stay at Page in Dummer 2024 😊

I’m 54, from Erie Pennsylvania… certainly no stranger to the cold, I’ve gone RV camping in the winter twice… Never again!.. 1st time I didn’t have enough propane. 2nd time i was better prepared but what a huge pain in the ass!…. There’s no such thing as a true “4 seasons RV” …by FAR better off to Rent a hotel room for the night and pay the premium. Subscribed 👍

Great info on your video. Surprised to see you or any RV’er in the Rocky’s in the heart of winter. But I def would have gone a little more West to Monument Valley. Beautiful there.

Great information! Thanks!

Did you happen to see Less Junk More Journey's video last week. They had a poopsicle. The temp dropped 40 degrees in 4 hours. He thought the drains were broke. He got lucky. Thawing doors with hair dryer... Love watching you guys tackle tough times with class.

I was wondering when y’all would come to your senses 😳 I live in northern Minnesota and it was -25 this morning, the high was -4 …..winter living is hard, camping is a NO !!! My biggest and best tip for winter activities is a HOTEL !!! Be safe out there and I hope all is well with the family stuff ! Blessings

The brittle might be right. Did you notice when you were knocking at the leveling blocks they were cracking as you were knocking them? Cold is crazy.

Just read your email, I’m so sorry for your loss. I too have had a sudden loss in our family. Taking time and space to process is important. Take all the time you need, we love you and will be here when you are ready to return.❤️B

This week reminded of some of the older KYD videos - more "these are our adventures and things for you to think about" and less "Hey we're KYD - look what & who we have access to". I enjoyed this week's video more than I have in a long time. Too bad it involved some misery on your part! (That WASN"T what made it enjoyable!)😀

Been there - done that!! Lake Tahoe, Dec 2008, 24 in of snow in 24 hrs. Snow covered the entire steps. Our Golden Retriever looked as us as if to say, you go out in the snow and take care of your business too!! Had to buy propane on Christmas Day ($$$$). Sent the kids on the roof to sweep off the slides. Numerous other trips to Santa Fe, Taos and Pagosa Springs, all that ended well, but not without memorable (read, let's not do that again) experiences. Marc didn't mention this, but one thing we experienced on a couple of occasions was the black/grey tank knife valve freezing in the closed position. We rigged up an electric heater to blow into the sewer connection to solve that issue. Great video with so many good tips!!

Sitting here enjoying a hot cup of cocoa while it’s spitting snow and rain outside; just a super nasty, cold day.. After watching your video there is one thing I am very, very certain of - I will NEVER go Winter camping. I knew it was hard, with many challenges, and Marc unequivocally confirmed ALL of them for me lol. I’m all about chasing 70 and just enjoying the water wherever it’s not frozen and above 50 preferably. Hope all is well with your family and your trip to FL goes smoothly. Bring on the sunshine, turquoise water and palm trees - never enough!

Propane needs ambient heat to vaporize the liquid propane in the tank. When temps get too cold, the propane supply pressure drops and can cause issues, some people run propane tank heaters in winter. 30 lb tanks are better than 20 and full timers often rent 100 lb or even 500 lb tanks to prevent this issue.