Are you part of the pussy willow group? You know, that group of people who put the RV away in the fall and dream all winter of spring, waiting for the pussy willows to emerge so you can continue your passion for the “RV lifestyle”. Why wait for spring? Join the thousands of RV'ers that camp during all seasons in Canada! Not the snowbirds, but that up-and-coming group of exhilarating RV'ers who enjoy Canada's late fall, winter and early spring at any of the open campgrounds and parks across our country. More and more facilities are opening year around for the Four Seasons RV'er. 

All the park staff we have spoken to will, if they know in advance of your arrival, clear snow from additional campsites as needed. Make that phone call to let them know you are going to be camping and what type of campsite you would like. Unless you want to camp in a yurt, you more than likely do not need a reservation, but it is always best to check with the park. Christmas, New Year's Eve, Valentines Day, Family Day, March school break and Easter are all very busy times. Imagine celebrating a special winter holiday while RV'ing in a park of your choice!  

What is a yurt?  It is a six-sided structure with a metal frame, wooden floor, and heated interior, furnished with table and chairs, plus sleeping accommodations for up to six people. Cooking is done out-of-doors and the whole experience is a great way to introduce the family to off-season camping. 
In Ontario, for example, over 25,000 people are now enjoying off-season camping in trailers, 5th wheels, motorhomes, and truck campers, as well as yurts. The numbers are increasing annually, so what are you waiting for?

Most of what you read about winter RV'ing concerns how to winterize your RV for storage or how to plan to go south. If you camp during the summer months, why not extend your camping season to include the rest of the year in Canada - without the mosquitoes, black flies and other creepy crawlers!

MacGregor Point Provincial Park near Port Elgin, Ontario, is leading the way in innovation for off-season RV'ing. Roads and campsites are plowed, the hydro is turned on, the comfort station has hot showers, and the laundry room has a washer-dryer. This all contributes to the fun of RV'ing in the so-called off-season. The park officials have set aside a number of campsites for RV'ers to store their RV on site for use during the off-season. Storage fee on the campsite is $100 for the season (early Nov. to mid-April), plus the regular day-use or camping fee when you are in the park. Add to this the awesome winter scenery, the colourful winter birds, the graceful deer bounding through the campground and, weather permitting, the 400 meter outdoor oval skating rink plus a X-Country Ski trail is opening this year, and you will enjoy every day, and the fun continues while evening stars twinkle overhead.

In Algonquin Park, Mew Lake Campground is open all year for RV'ers and provides access to about 50 plowed campsites, including some with and some without electrical hookups. This park offers a heated floor comfort station, hot showers, laundry facilities, and good drinking water, and has access to many hiking trails plus cross-country skiing on groomed trails at both ends of the Highway #60 corridor. Moose can usually be seen along the highway, and the visitor centre is open on the weekends during the off-season.

The Pinery Provincial Park, near Grand Bend, Ontario, is modernizing all of their comfort stations - including an RV winter water connection during the winter of 2008-09 (reopening spring 2009). Located in the snow belt of southwestern Ontario, the park has many off-season activities. Keep your camera ready as a walk along the snowy sand dunes and beach may provide some surprising scenery and wildlife photo opportunities. With 20-30 campsites plowed out, RV’ers will have a good selection to choose from next winter.

Valens Conservation Area, near Cambridge, Ontario, is open 11 months of the year (closed during December). This park has a comfort station that is open with hot showers, laundry room, and access to drinking water, but the dump station is closed because of shallow pipes in the ground that freeze. The number of plowed campsites varies depending upon need. Ice fishing is one of the favourite pastimes in this area, along with the usual winter outdoor activities.

Having enjoyed winter RV'ing for more than a decade, in all kinds of weather - including -38ºC in the comfort of our RV - we have learned a few tricks. Responding to numerous inquiries, we started hosting the Four Seasons RV'ing Workshops in the fall of 2006, at a number of locations, to help RV'ers learn the necessary skills. If you are new to RV'ing in the November through to April months, may we suggest participating in one of the workshops (Friday evening & all day Saturday)? Let people who are camping during the winter months share their many tips, suggestions and ideas as to what to do, what to watch for, and how to prepare.

Basic Workshop Agenda:

2009 Dates and locations - http://rvworkshops.blogspot.com/
Phone 519-993-2146 Email: frankspence@hughes.net
Interested in having a workshop in your area – contact us.

One of the significant differences between summer and winter RV'ing, other than the temperature, is campsite selection. During the summer a favourite campsite will often include proximity to a beach and a view of water. In the winter, that is one of the poorest locations due to the icy winds howling across the lake, and the lake effect snowdrifts – don’t discover this as the RV rocks in the wind while snow accumulates. Camping inland amongst the trees offers protection from the wind; the area is usually not as cold, and the snow will not drift as much. When selecting a campsite, even if it is your favourite summer location, things will be different – there could be snow-laden tree branches reducing campsite accessibility. The electrical post may be difficult to access due to all the snow. You will need to watch for sagging overhanging trees along the roadways as the packed snow and ice will reduce the clearance area for your RV. Remember to look up! 

Planning to enjoy off-season RV'ing, check any RV checklists for the usual things but include a few non-traditional items such as booster cables, a battery charger, extra extension cords (30 & 15 amp), a sturdy shovel, extra antifreeze for the holding tanks, cat litter in case you get stuck, and extra coins for the dryer to dry those wet clothes. Until you understand your heating needs, plan on using at least three times the amount of propane you would normally use. Electric blankets and a heater are nice to have. A boot tray for inside the RV will help keep the wet snow from collecting on the floor. With reduced daylight hours your lights will be running longer, so have extra 12V bulbs for your rig. Make sure your battery(s) are in top condition, as a weak battery will fail in cold weather. Many people start their vehicle every day and let it run to recharge the batteries. When parking your vehicle, park so that if you need a boost, jumper cables can reach the dead battery. If you are going to be camping in extreme cold, consider having a vehicle engine block heater. A generator is a good backup source of power.

Black and Grey Tanks: If you have discharge pipes exposed on the underside of your rig, you could have freezing problems in extreme weather conditions. Holding tank systems that are fully enclosed and heated will help prevent freezing. Make sure you understand how the tanks are heated.  We always add windshield washer antifreeze to reduce the potential of frozen tanks. If you have unheated tanks replace the toilet with a Porta-Potty (various kinds are available). Under the sinks, remove the J-trap and add a container to catch any liquids.  Another toilet solution is to use a plastic garbage bag covering the inside of the bowl and replace the bag daily.

Fresh Water: For drinking and cooking, we use jugs of water stored in our shower rather than run the risk of frozen water damaging either the pipes or the water pump.

Heavy Condensation on your windows is an indication of moisture problems. To solve the problem you must get rid of the moisture by leaving open a roof vent plus a side window to create a flow though of air. When necessary turn on a vent fan until all moisture is removed from the windows.  Leave both open about the width of two fingers 24/7. Warm moist air is removed and replaced with dryer air.  When moisture is gone from the windows, turn off the fan but leave your window and vent open as indicated. Most RVs have at least three fans, over the range, bathroom, and living area.

Off-Season Campground Hosts: This group of enthusiastic people volunteer to be on hand during the late fall, winter, and early spring to help other campers with information, campsite selection, firewood, park activities, where to obtain various supplies, and how to obtain necessary assistance if required. These volunteers are a dedicated group of people who enjoy RV'ing in all seasons and for many campers having a host on duty is an added level of comfort and safety. As experienced RV'ers they can share many tips with you on how to be a four-season camper. Algonquin and MacGregor Point Provincial Parks offer the winter campground host program.  Check with the host upon arrival, and they will assist you in locating a suitable campsite and they will help you with other information.

Happy RV'ing and if you have any follow-up questions or comments, please email us at frankspence@hughes.net or lucyspence@hughes.net

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