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Old 04-13-2015, 12:20 PM   #1
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In WA, winter ain't over 'til it's over

We drove the North Cascades highway yesterday and encountered light snow flurries and freezing temperatures at 5000 feet elevation in the pass. Fortunately, the road was clear, although substantial snow had fallen the day before.

There is a greater snow depth in the pass than this photo shows, but the pullouts were not plowed so there was no place to stop 41 feet of rig for a picture up there.

We camped in the funky, sporty town of Winthrop last night, and like the Pine Near (groan) Campground, its owners, and the community enough to stay a second night. It's not quite spring in the Methow Valley, either, as our fresh water hose froze, but didn't split, last night.

We'll get to our destination of canyon country in Utah yet, but meanwhile the journey is good.
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Old 04-13-2015, 12:34 PM   #2
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Thanks Brent, noted for future use. Looks like a place I would stay.


What are your personal thoughts on the route for towing ease?
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Old 04-13-2015, 12:55 PM   #3
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Bruce, with your Hemi you have a beast of a tow vehicle, so the climb up to the pass would give you no problems. This is my first trip towing with the Tundra, and the 5.7L V-8 handled the grades with ease.

Highway 20 is generally a wide two-lane road with paved shoulders and a fair number of pullouts for slower vehicles. Despite the snow flurries, the drive was low-stress and enjoyable.
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Old 04-13-2015, 06:57 PM   #4
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Even where we were in the last few days down in Hannibal, Missouri Mark Twain Country we had freezing temperatures one night. Disconnected the hose and hit the low-point drain. With no low-point drain in the 21', how do you drain the lines?

Looks beautiful up there.


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Originally Posted by Catchlight View Post
We drove the North Cascades highway yesterday and encountered light snow flurries and freezing temperatures at 5000 feet elevation in the pass. Fortunately, the road was clear, although substantial snow had fallen the day before.

There is a greater snow depth in the pass than this photo shows, but the pullouts were not plowed so there was no place to stop 41 feet of rig for a picture up there.

We camped in the funky, sporty town of Winthrop last night, and like the Pine Near (groan) Campground, its owners, and the community enough to stay a second night. It's not quite spring in the Methow Valley, either, as our fresh water hose froze, but didn't split, last night.

We'll get to our destination of canyon country in Utah yet, but meanwhile the journey is good.
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Old 04-13-2015, 08:38 PM   #5
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Even where we were in the last few days down in Hannibal, Missouri Mark Twain Country we had freezing temperatures one night. Disconnected the hose and hit the low-point drain. With no low-point drain in the 21', how do you drain the lines?

Looks beautiful up there.
Cathy, I don't think you can drain the lines in the 21. On the other hand we had a few nights with lows in the low 20s / high teens on our recent trip. It wasn't a problem for us. We do have the extra insulation and foam on the bottom
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Old 04-13-2015, 09:13 PM   #6
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Now don't blame me if this doesn't work for you, but if you only get down below freezing for one night and the temperature rises above freezing during the day.. don't worry about it. It's only when the temperature stays below freezing for days on end, or you're towing and it's below freezing for hours and hours... you need to worry.

Disconnect the freshwaster hose from the hose bib anytime it's going to freeze... only because you will want water without worrying about having a frozen hose when you wake up.

This has worked for me for years... YMMV
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Old 04-13-2015, 09:30 PM   #7
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Bruce, with your Hemi you have a beast of a tow vehicle, so the climb up to the pass would give you no problems. This is my first trip towing with the Tundra, and the 5.7L V-8 handled the grades with ease.

Highway 20 is generally a wide two-lane road with paved shoulders and a fair number of pullouts for slower vehicles. Despite the snow flurries, the drive was low-stress and enjoyable.

thanks, thats what I was looking for. Enjoy the Utah heat when you get there!
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Old 04-13-2015, 09:35 PM   #8
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Here in the typically Pacific NorthWET, we'll take every single snow flake that wants to fall in the mountains. We're so very dry.

Safe travels, always.
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Old 04-13-2015, 09:49 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Donna D. View Post
Now don't blame me if this doesn't work for you, but if you only get down below freezing for one night and the temperature rises above freezing during the day.. don't worry about it. It's only when the temperature stays below freezing for days on end, or you're towing and it's below freezing for hours and hours... you need to worry.

Disconnect the freshwaster hose from the hose bib anytime it's going to freeze... only because you will want water without worrying about having a frozen hose when you wake up.

This has worked for me for years... YMMV
What we wonder is how your lines do not freeze that night, nothing to do with how warm it gets the next day.

Leon, yes, we expect that the foam will fix that to some extent. Still would perhaps want to open cabinets, run heat, whatever, if below freezing. Did you run the heat all night? Open any cabinets?
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Old 04-14-2015, 08:37 PM   #10
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Looks like we will be disconnecting the water hose again tonight, as the low here in Pendleton, OR, is expected to be about freezing, and the guy who checked us in at the CG says it could snow a few inches overnight. And there is news of a different kind.

I was lowering the stabilizers when our neighbour came out of his travel trailer to walk his dog. We introduced ourselves and realized we were both from BC. When he heard we lived in the Comox Valley he said, "Perhaps you know my brother, Mike Leary." Uh, yes I do. I worked with Mike at the same high school for 22 years, and taught his daughter journalism for two years.

I'm sure similar "it's a small world" coincidences go on all the time in the world of trailer camping, but this was our initial "one degree of separation" experience. Has anyone else had a similar surprise encounter?
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Old 04-15-2015, 12:25 AM   #11
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Looks like we will be disconnecting the water hose again tonight, as the low here in Pendleton, OR, is expected to be about freezing, and the guy who checked us in at the CG says it could snow a few inches overnight. And there is news of a different kind.

I was lowering the stabilizers when our neighbour came out of his travel trailer to walk his dog. We introduced ourselves and realized we were both from BC. When he heard we lived in the Comox Valley he said, "Perhaps you know my brother, Mike Leary." Uh, yes I do. I worked with Mike at the same high school for 22 years, and taught his daughter journalism for two years.

I'm sure similar "it's a small world" coincidences go on all the time in the world of trailer camping, but this was our initial "one degree of separation" experience. Has anyone else had a similar surprise encounter?
Wow! Small world indeed. Amazing too how Pendleton and eastern Oregon was so warm and mild when we were there, and that was in March. We only froze our butts off in one place, and that was in southern Utah. I guess 9000 feet plus in elevation was the reason.
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