If A RV says "Montana" is it good for cold weather?
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From what I've seen Arctic Fox's build quality lends itself well to colder weather. However I have a Hallmark soft-sided pop-up camper and this past hunting season I was out in some really cold weather. -8 one night. I had 20 gal of water in the tank, and it did fine as long as the factory propane furnace stayed lit. I ran out of fuel in the middle of the night and the pump froze on me. The lines didn't freeze, the pump (which was under the floor and exposed) did.
Thawed it out and it was good to go. I'll damned sure be insulating that pump and making sure it is exposed to the cabin next winter!
I was very comfortable in my rig and I stayed basically holed up an entire night and a day through the worst weather.
I think any decent quality RV will do okay in cold weather as long as attention was paid to how the supply lines were routed and where the storage tank is. Hallmark prides themselves by saying their RV's will operate to -20. I would still take mine out in -20, but not with any water in the tank. I'll bring several 7gal water jugs with me and keep them on-board!
The article is propaganda.
The park is flush with money, after the last few years of record number of visitors.
Then there is this line. Like they are the only ones who know how to move snow or have equipment.
" Even if the local community offered to help plow them out, Nash said it was unlikely that they would be able to get fully back on schedule.
"I can't imagine an individual who would have the equipment necessary to assist us," Nash said. "
Every community around the park and some ranchers have the necessary equipment from snowcats to large snow blowers mounted to front end loaders to specialized trucks with snow blowers to plow trucks of all sizes like these just out side of Cooke City.
Both of these pics is of them clearing Beartooth Pass with sees more snow that they do down in the park.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SD4020
Yes, Yellowstone is going to be affected by the sequester.
ps, so it will delap opening 1-2 weeks. a heavy snow year could have the same results.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2013 13-018
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEWS RELEASE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yellowstone National Park Spring Opening Delayed
Roads into Yellowstone National Park will open one to two weeks later than normal this spring.
Each spring, park road crews clear snow and ice from 198 miles of main road, 124 miles of secondary roads and 125 acres of parking lots inside the park as well as 31 miles of the Beartooth Highway outside the park's Northeast Entrance to prepare for the summer season.
hi there i am going on a trip to billings and aronnd montana on the apirl 25 till may6 is this a good time 2 do this will we be able 2 get around ok i should say we are from IRELAND so would like 2 no will all the snow be gone and all roads open 2 the yellowstone park
Absolutely not. Beartooth, the closest entrance to the park from Billings will certainly not be open. You should be able to get to the park through Livingston, MT (west of Billings on I-90) and enter on Hwy 89. That's a year-round road so will remain open. (Even without the budget "cuts", this route would not be open during your time frame.)
Even though the "sequester" still allows our government a larger budget than ever before, our Supreme Leader and his minions have seen fit to cut spending wherever it will be the most noticed. Yellowstone will be "open" and employees will be in place drawing their salary. Small problem. We have no money to clear the roads leading into Yellowstone.
Chambers of Commerce in Cody and Jackson are looking for ways to raise money to pay the State of Wyoming to plow them. They're running behind schedule, because the plowing was originally planned to start March 4. Wyoming's governor says it could be done, but he's not willing to take from state funds to do federal work. The park would welcome WyDot to open the roads.
Yellowstone will be losing more money just in access fees than plowing would have cost them, not to mention all the tourist dollars private companies in and around the park will be losing, but then nobody would realize how bad the sequestration affects us.
Absolutely not. Beartooth, the closest entrance to the park from Billings will certainly not be open. You should be able to get to the park through Livingston, MT (west of Billings on I-90) and enter on Hwy 89. That's a year-round road so will remain open. (Even without the budget "cuts", this route would not be open during your time frame.)
Even though the "sequester" still allows our government a larger budget than ever before, our Supreme Leader and his minions have seen fit to cut spending wherever it will be the most noticed. Yellowstone will be "open" and employees will be in place drawing their salary. Small problem. We have no money to clear the roads leading into Yellowstone.
Chambers of Commerce in Cody and Jackson are looking for ways to raise money to pay the State of Wyoming to plow them. They're running behind schedule, because the plowing was originally planned to start March 4. Wyoming's governor says it could be done, but he's not willing to take from state funds to do federal work. The park would welcome WyDot to open the roads.
Yellowstone will be losing more money just in access fees than plowing would have cost them, not to mention all the tourist dollars private companies in and around the park will be losing, but then nobody would realize how bad the sequestration affects us.
The NPS made the call. The FT park employees in Yellowstone are mostly there to preserve the park itself, not so much concerned with the public access. Biologists, rangers, bldg maint, etc.. The delay in plowing saves personnel costs that are not directly related to critical park preservation. They are truck operators etc. They have to balance two critical missions- pay for park preservation and scientific needs or plow roads for tourists.
Take your pick which one you think is more important. It's Hell on the park superintendents. They have to balance both needs. I wouldn't want that job.
1. The local communities rely on the influx of tourist dollars.
2. The park gets it revenue from the gate, this revue will pay for the plowing and it's personal.
3. The park does have rainy day funds set a side from the last few years that have been all record setting years. (park visitors)
Where did the money go?
4. The maintenance personal, biologists & ranger rick also use the roads to get around.
he could keep the seasonal employes, just fewer of them, and bring them on two weeks later, saving $450,000. He could freeze all permanent hires ($1 million), delay the snowplows ($250,000) and open most entrances two weeks late. About 50,000 visitors would be lost, and hundreds of fishing and hiking guides, rangers and concession workers would lose their livelihoods.
The late opening has further inflamed the area’s anti-government sentiment as small, rural communities that serve park visitors absorb the reality of the cuts. In the large scheme of 3.4 million annual visits, losing 50,000 seems small.
But the ripple effect on jobs and tourism could means millions of dollars in lost income. The plowing delay also means that snow won’t be cleared until mid-June from the scenic Beartooth Highway, which straddles Montana and Wyoming outside the park. The National Park Service plows about half the the road.
“We have 90 days to make a living,” said Sam Bolinger, 56, who leads whitewater rafting tours along the Yellowstone River from Gardiner, Mont., in the summer and grooms park trails in the winter. “If people get the impression they can’t get into the park, they just won’t come.”
“It’s a bad message for Wyoming to say, Yellowstone is not open, call back later,” Mead said in an interview. “But do I ask that state resources step in to cure a large federal screw-up?”
His answer late Friday: No. His office announced that the state would provide labor and equipment — but will not “backfill federal dollars lost through sequestration.” That means the park communities must pay for the plowing.
Local leaders said they are trying to raise the money. But every day causes more delays.
It's my understanding that user fee entrance income is specifically restricted funds. All the new visitors centers, intrepretive centers and science buildings I have seen at RMP, YP and Glacier should have all been paid for in whole or part by fee collections. It's supposed to be used to enhance visitor experience. Or something like that.
I have no idea if general road maintenance falls into that category. If it does not, then funding from fee collection for snow removal would be legally impossible.
The sequester impacts appropriated funding, not program revenue. And I thnak God that I don't have to deal with Govt accounting.
In any event, I am not going to throw the 'shenannigans' flag around unless I know the answer. In any event, it IS good and healthy to see private and public cooperation in a time like this. I hope the roads do get opened. I want to hit Glacier early and often this year.
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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Montana is the model. Keystone is the Manufacturer.
We have friends who have Montana's, some love theirs, some don't. I would say that Montana is considered a mid-range built fiver. Will it handle cold weather. Yes.. if you know how to camp in cold weather, and depending on what you call cold. We used to have a Holiday Rambler Presidential fiver (about the same quality wise) and had her down to 15 below. Never froze up. But... winter camping requires things like heat taping your water hose, underpinning or skirting, heated underbellies, extra insulation in places, possible DE-humidifier cause most likely the walls will sweat.
Some of the best four-season RV's include (although not a complete list)
Teton (not in business but some great used ones out there)
Carriage
Mobile Suites by Doubletree
Excel by Peterson Industries (used to be the only one guaranteed to not freeze up down to zero... still?)
Travel Supreme (not in business but used)
Newmar (although I don't know if they do fiver's anymore?)
Remember also that each manufacturer has different models, and the models themselves can vary greatly in quality.
I saw one that says Montana on it. Is that just a brand or does that indicate you can use it in very cold winter weather and stay comfortable?
Keep piping and holding tanks from freezing.
In the galley and the head, open the cold water tap slightly and keep water running {a trickle}at all times.
Pour a good amount, according to bottle directions, {RV Antifreeze} into the stool and down your gray water tank {sink/s if so equipped} very important!
Consider heat tape wrap for your outside rv water supply hose, be cautious though, some get so hot they might melt the hose itself. If need be, put it on a electric timer.
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