Cold-weather camping is a thing - for some people.
Maybe you are the hardy type who can handle discomfort.
Or maybe you have a heater in your tent or camper.
I know that I would NOT enjoy the tent version, but we have done a bit of cold-weather camping in our RV. Two memories come to mind...
January 2015
We were living on Dauphin Island when the polar vortex dipped all the way south to the mouth of Mobile Bay causing great concern to the campground staff. They were unaccustomed to dealing with freezing temps and weren’t sure how to advise the campers - except to try to protect the shallow plumbing infrastructure through the campground. Different ones of us tried different methods - some disconnecting and draining and some running water throughout the night - and most of us survived without damage. Well, except one neighbor who was away for a few days… The next morning there were icicles hanging from the bottom of that trailer pretty much all the way around. Yikes!
March 2016
Our second ice-camping adventure did damage our rig. We had just arrived back in Michigan from 10 weeks in the Dominican Republic and were camping in our daughter’s yard when an ice storm hit. We heard the ice hitting the roof but it was cozy inside and we did not think to retract our slider. Daylight illuminated dozens of small tears in the awning over the slider. Phooey! Wish we had thought of that!
Fast forward to October 2018
Not necessarily seeking a cold-weather camping opportunity, but hoping we were prepared for whatever - we set out for a color tour to north Michigan. The weather forecast motivated us to take warm blankets and quilts as well as extra layers of clothes.
By the way, this trip was not with the fifth-wheel trailer, but with the little old pickup camper, the mobile man cave - which the man had generously (if dubiously) invited me to share for a few days. Dubious because he wasn't quite sure there was room for two. No electricity or running water, but it does have a nice little furnace. With the area around Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes as our destination, off we went on our adventure.
In our travels we watch for things like hiking, history, scenery, and local culture. This trip did not disappoint. We enjoyed some of our favorite scenery and did find lots of beautiful colors, And yes, we had a fun time despite a wintry mix of rain, sleet and snow along with heavy winds and very cold temps.
Most of the rain was during the night so we were able to do some hiking during the daytimes. We hiked to the beach near our campsite at D.H. Day campground and we stepped into the historic log cabin there. Adventure Bob showed me where he and his brothers had climbed up into the tower when they were little guys. You can't do that anymore!
Speaking of the historical... Glen Haven has always been a favorite spot - but is even better now with its restored historic buildings - the cannery, the general store, the blacksmith shop and the Sleeping Bear Inn.
The old Coast Guard station nearby has been transformed into a maritime history museum. Several of the buildings were open under the supervision of volunteers - yet another form of work-camping.
And local culture...?
When in the area one simply must return to Art's Tavern in downtown Glen Arbor for a famous burger and some mac and cheese.
On the way north we had stopped at Cops and Doughnuts in Clare. Oh, my; their doughnuts are amazing!
The return trip brought us right past the 13th Street Market which is now a full-service restaurant near Cadillac. We were three for three on the local culture stops.
It was a good camping trip despite the weather. It did get cold inside our little camper. We were very glad for that little furnace AND for the extra layers. We shivered and giggled and made the most of it… until the fan started slowing down because the “house battery” was running out of power. Oh, no!!! Never fear; Adventure Bob figured out a way to re-charge the “house battery” from the truck engine via jumper cables. And it worked! We were able to find a place to buy another propane tank because we were using it faster than expected because of the frigid temps. But we survived - with more fun camping memories in our pockets.
On the way north we had stopped at Cops and Doughnuts in Clare. Oh, my; their doughnuts are amazing!
The return trip brought us right past the 13th Street Market which is now a full-service restaurant near Cadillac. We were three for three on the local culture stops.
It was a good camping trip despite the weather. It did get cold inside our little camper. We were very glad for that little furnace AND for the extra layers. We shivered and giggled and made the most of it… until the fan started slowing down because the “house battery” was running out of power. Oh, no!!! Never fear; Adventure Bob figured out a way to re-charge the “house battery” from the truck engine via jumper cables. And it worked! We were able to find a place to buy another propane tank because we were using it faster than expected because of the frigid temps. But we survived - with more fun camping memories in our pockets.
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