Utah Winter RV Camping Checklist | Motor Sportsland Blog

Why a Utah Winter RV Camping Checklist Looks Different

Winter here isn't one climate. You can leave Millcreek at 40 degrees and be parked at 20 degrees two hours later, and the overnight low in a canyon campground will surprise you every time. Snow Canyon in January is pleasant. Mirror Lake Highway in January is closed. The gear that keeps a trip comfortable in October won't always carry you through February, which is why we keep a separate list for cold weather.

Go through the groups below before you pull out. Most of it is small stuff you can handle in a driveway.

Outside the RV

Leveling on frozen or snowy ground. Snow compacts unevenly, and a pad that looked flat at noon can settle by midnight once the sun hits it. Check your level after you've been parked an hour or two, not just when you first stop. The Camco Level - T Level, Precision Two-Way is a screw-mounted level that gives you front-to-back and side-to-side readings in one spot, so you're not carrying a bubble level around the rig in the cold. Mount it somewhere you can read it without crouching in slush.

Chocking on slick surfaces. Ice under a tire is a real problem, and frozen gravel doesn't hold the way dry gravel does. The Camco Super Wheel Chock, Yellow is hard plastic with UV inhibitors, built to keep a trailer in place so you can re-hitch without it rolling away. Set your chocks before you unhitch, every time, and give them a push with your boot to confirm they're seated.

Getting chocks back out of the snow. Bending down to dig a chock out of packed snow with bare hands is miserable. The Camco Wheel Chock With Rope, Yellow is the same hard plastic construction with a rope attached for placing and removing it, which means you can set it and retrieve it without kneeling in the wet. It's a small convenience that matters more at 20 degrees than it does in July.

Winterizing the water lines. Clearing water out of the plumbing is the job that saves you the most money in this climate, because a split line behind a wall is an expensive repair. The Camco Blow Out Plug, Quick Connect - Brass screws into your RV's city water inlet and attaches to an air compressor quick connect hose, so you can push water out of the lines. If you'd rather not guess at the process, our service department winterizes rigs all season.

A second blow-out option. The Camco Blow Out Plug With Schrader Valve - Brass does the same job with a Schrader valve instead of a quick connect, which is handy if you're working off a pump rather than a shop compressor. The procedure is the same either way: screw the plug into the city water inlet, open all the drains and faucets, then run air until the lines come out dry. Which plug fits your setup depends on what you're using for air, and our parts counter can sort that out with you.

Walk the exterior before you go. Look at your tires with a gauge, not your eyes, since cold air drops pressure. Check that your furnace exhaust and vents are clear of anything that could block them. Snow load on a roof and anything to do with propane or the heating system belongs with our service department, not a ladder in your driveway.

Camco — Level - T Level, Precision Two-Way — Level - t level, precision two-way

Camco — Super Wheel Chock, Yellow — Super wheel chock, yellow

Camco — Wheel Chock With Rope, Yellow — Wheel chock with rope, yellow

Camco — Blow Out Plug, Quick Connect - Brass — Blow out plug, quick connect - brass

Camco — Blow Out Plug With Schrader Valve - Brass — Blow out plug with schrader valve - brass

Inside the RV

Heat and airflow. Running a furnace in a sealed RV builds condensation fast, and you'll wake up to wet windows and damp bedding. Crack a vent, even when it's cold. If your furnace cycles oddly, runs short, or smells like anything, shut it off and have our service department look at it. Propane appliances aren't a driveway project.

Keep the plumbing bay warm. The tanks and lines in your underbelly freeze before anything inside the cabin does. On a cold trip, leave the interior cabinet doors under sinks open so warm air reaches the pipes. If you're camping without hookups, know where your low-point drains are before you need them in the dark.

Food, water and a backup plan. Carry drinking water in jugs inside the cabin so you've got water if a line freezes. Canyon weather closes roads in Utah with very little notice, so pack an extra day of food and have a way to check conditions. Keep a blanket and warm layers in the RV even on a one-night trip.

Tow Vehicle and Hookups

Protecting the rig from park power. Older campground pedestals can deliver inconsistent power, and winter is when parks run heaters hard and voltage sags. The 30A Portable Surge Guard W/ Cover from Surge Guard (TRC) is a 30A 120V portable surge protector that comes with a cover. It goes between the pedestal and your cord, before anything else.

Adapters for whatever pedestal you find. Utah campgrounds that stay open through winter aren't always the ones with full hookups. The Camco Powergrip - Dogbone 12 15am/30af 125v/1875w adapts a 15-amp male connection to a 30-amp female one. The Camco Powergrip - Dogbone 12 15am/50af 125v/1875w lets an RV with a 50 amp hook-up connect to standard 15 amp power. Carrying one that matches your rig means a household-style outlet isn't a dead end.

Pulling plugs with cold hands. Wrestling a stiff cord out of a frozen pedestal with gloves on is no fun. The Camco Powergrip - Dogbone 18 30am/50af 125v/3750w has integrated pull handles so the plug comes loose without a fight. The Camco 50am/30af Pwrgrip 18 Dogbone 90m/90f 125v/3750wcsa also has integrated pull handles that make electrical hook-up easy. Bring the one that matches your cord and the pedestals you expect.

Tow vehicle prep. Check your tow vehicle's coolant, battery and wipers before a winter trip, and put traction devices in the bed or trunk whether you think you'll need them or not. Test your trailer lights with a helper in the driveway. Brakes, including trailer brake controllers and anything on the brake system itself, go to our service department.

Surge Guard (TRC) — 30A Portable Surge Guard W/ Cover — 30a portable surge guard w/ cover

Camco — Powergrip - Dogbone 12 15am/30af 125v/1875w — Powergrip - dogbone 12 15am/30af 125v/1875w

Camco — Powergrip - Dogbone 12 15am/50af 125v/1875w — Powergrip - dogbone 12 15am/50af 125v/1875w

Camco — Powergrip - Dogbone 18 30am/50af 125v/3750w — Powergrip - dogbone 18 30am/50af 125v/3750w

Camco — 50am/30af Pwrgrip 18 Dogbone 90m/90f 125v/3750wcsa — 50am/30af pwrgrip 18 dogbone 90m/90f 125v/3750wcsa

Frequently asked questions

When should I winterize if I'm still camping?

Plenty of owners winterize in late fall and then run with jugged water for cold trips. If you want to keep the plumbing in service through winter, you'll need to protect it every night, which is realistic in St. George and risky in the Uintas.

Which power adapter do I need?

That depends on your RV's cord and the pedestals at the parks you use. Bring your rig or your cord information to either parts counter in Millcreek or Spanish Fork and we'll match it.

Can I run my furnace all night?

Owners do it regularly, but make sure your exhaust and vents are clear and crack a roof vent for airflow. Any furnace that cycles wrong, smells off, or won't light should go to our service department before the trip.

How many wheel chocks should I carry?

Two at minimum, one per side, and more if you're on a slope or on ice. Chock before you unhitch, not after.

What's the most-forgotten winter item?

Water in jugs inside the cabin. People assume a frozen line is a minor inconvenience until they've got no drinking water at 10 degrees.

Parts in this post:

Order now: call our parts counter at 801-262-2922, or stop in at either store, Millcreek in Salt Lake City or Spanish Fork. Browse all our RV parts and accessories.