I am currently shopping for my first "new to me" RV. Was recently at a dealer and he asked what I would be using the RV for. One of the items he spoke on was taking the RV to New Mexico to skiing during the winter.
Dealer told me I needed a nicer, more $$ class C OR a class A for that since cheaper class C models aren't enclosed on the bottom and my gray, black, and water tanks would freeze and possibly crack.
If you're planning on winter camping you'll be much happier with enclosed tanks.
We've had both enclosed and unenclosed. Our tanks froze completely one year when we took our to daughter to upstate New York to college. They didn't thaw until days later in Georgia. With the enclosed bottom we have some heat blowing in from the furnace and if it's really cold we put a small heater in the enclosure. Make sure the valves are also in the enclosure.
If this gonna be a major part of your use, he's likely right. But if you're just gonna do it occasionallly for short periods (1-3 days), there are work-arounds that would probably be unsatisfactory for longer periods. There are stick-on heating pads (12V, 110V, or both) for the tanks, or just carry your water in gallon jugs and use rock salt or RV antifreeze in the waste tanks. You can improvise a shower from a clean plastic garden sprayer, and fill it with water from the stove.
Jim, "Which entree raises the fewest ethical issues?"
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I don't think I would go the rock salt route, RV anitifreeze would work just a well. Something about haveing that rock salt solidify up, or the outside temp going below 20 degrees.
There are a lot of rigs that come with tank hearters standard. There not expensive to install after market. More of pain wireing them up.
ltex wrote: I am currently shopping for my first "new to me" RV. Was recently at a dealer and he asked what I would be using the RV for. One of the items he spoke on was taking the RV to New Mexico to skiing during the winter.
Dealer told me I needed a nicer, more $$ class C OR a class A for that since cheaper class C models aren't enclosed on the bottom and my gray, black, and water tanks would freeze and possibly crack.
Is this true, or was I being told a line...
Kind of depends on where you're planning to stay for your ski trips. A lot of folks park the RV someplace downstairs and drive a toad 20-whatever miles up to one of the ski areas. Staying downstairs means a LOT warmer temps: Freezing cold at night, but often above freezing during the day. However, if you want to stay upstairs near the ski areas, then expect it to be subfreezing 24 hours per day, often with nighttime temps well below zero. No small feat to handle that kind of temps in an RV, so it has to be fully enclosed, insulated and heated for tanks and all plumbing and sewer lines; retrofits simply don't work well enough for these kinds of severe temperatures.
Not only would I have heated tanks, but also duel pain windows to cut down on the sweating. We love fall and winter camping and sweating windows are one problem I would like to do without. We have heated tanks on our C and they have never froze, but once the valve to the black tank did. Our class A has enclosed tanks.
eubank wrote: Kind of depends on where you're planning to stay for your ski trips. A lot of folks park the RV someplace downstairs and drive a toad 20-whatever miles up to one of the ski areas. Staying downstairs means a LOT warmer temps: Freezing cold at night, but often above freezing during the day. However, if you want to stay upstairs near the ski areas, then expect it to be subfreezing 24 hours per day, often with nighttime temps well below zero. No small feat to handle that kind of temps in an RV, so it has to be fully enclosed, insulated and heated for tanks and all plumbing and sewer lines; retrofits simply don't work well enough for these kinds of severe temperatures.
Lynn
Most likely we'd be near Ruidoso, closest place to Dallas to ski. This would be occasional, maybe every other year. I think we could stay down the mountain a bit and drive up with toad. That would eliminate some of the freeze warnings as well as me having to manuever the rv up the small, winding mountain roads.
Thanks to all the replies. Good to see the dealer I met wasn't lying just b/c mouth was moving!
The problem with staying downstairs in northern New Mexico is that the temps or the elevations are not that much different up or down.
If you are planning on doing this a lot and would like a better motorhome for all around use then definitely get a basement model with dual pane windows. It will be warmer in winter and cooler in summer, plus you get the additional storage in the basement.
Now the problem with the 12 or 120 volt electric tank heaters is that you need to have shore power for them to work decently, they will drain batteries very quick. And most ski areas do not have shore power for hook ups. So stay with a basement model that is heated by the furnace whether it is a Class C or A.
Also with a basement model it will be nice to use the motorhome as intended instead of screwing around with antifreeze, etc. for the tanks, etc. Like being able to use the toilet and shower normally.
And remember it gets very cold in northern New Mexico in winter. Been there done that, and was born there.
What ski areas are you planning on visiting? Taos, Angel Fire, Red River, Sandia, Apache. If you are only going to go to the southern resorts like Apache or Sandia, then maybe you could stay downstairs. But why limit yourself, and you may later want to go to the ski areas in Colorado and other states.
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