Readying for the Cold

[bebewanna]

Hey.....

Looking for answers and ideas on surviving 5F (not counting the wind) Temps that are set to arrive December and January.

I am in a Grand Caravan.... We kept pretty toasty with zero insulation in Last winters Seattle snowmageddon down to about 20f without issue.
I know the general belief is that you should not run your Big Buddy heater while you are sleeping. Well, I have done that exact thing for the past 13 winters in RV and past one in this van, not an issue. Yes it adds moisture and I am dealing with the places that last winter leaked air, like a few tears in door seals, one which would freeze rear lift door frozen shut. The rear wing windows work well for controlling fresh air
The metal bars where the seats connected have little metal wells I found filled with moisture, as well the passenger seat base, metal dripped moisture, clueless about how I stop that .. The seat connector wells are soon to be filled with spray foam.
48" x50 feet of Double Reflectix sitting at the Post office awaiting pick up. That will do the windows(maybe double layers) and a layer the length of the interior roof. Moisture from the stupid roof console poured out if I drove off in the morning, blew out interior lights.... Not great insulation for R value but it rolls up and I can buy a ceiling pocket for storage.... I have a small 12v fan and a motor controller coming so I can slow it down to circulate warm air in van.... I tried it one night it moved warm air off the ceiling... And the Dog lol

I am 30 years off grid and in snowy places. The Van has 4x4 tires that did well in Washington slush.. NM powder snow unless deep is not an issue. I have a $500 Canadian Down super jacket and new Sorels on the way.... And 2 new 20lb tanks, give me 4 and 2 weeks of heat... 370 watts of solar and NM Sun, should be fine there.

I am not interested in taking walls apart but I will insulate inside where the tire jack is stored

Am curious.... I can take everything out of the van and put underlayment between the original carpet and the area rug I cut to fit, and I might buy new area rug.
My question is will that cause the original carpet below the vapor barrier to get soaking wet? I realize that the vapor barriers should be below all of it.

Have I missed anything except for the fact that this is a crazy plan at best

I grew up on Race Horse Farm and am deathly allergic to hay and straw, so that is out around the van. I could see if it was stationary putting on skirting or something but....

So... Am I going to freeze to death

 

[tx2sturgis]

If I recall correctly you have an off-grid piece of land in Northern NM....so why not spend your winter in or around Southern Arizona? BLM land, LTVAs, etc. You wont have to be freezing your (something) off if you head off into the southern desert. Lots of amenities await...not to mention tolerable weather.

I've been in your part of NM during several winter snowstorms and its gets really nasty up there...they will close lots of those roads due to being impassable with 4+ feet of snow and the government will often use helicopters to drop hay to the stranded livestock.

If you dont have a safe structure to huddle up in and wait out a deep snow event, you might be unable to get food and water since your vehicle could end up immobilized. You might even wake up one morning with the snow up over the roof of your minivan.

Seriously, head south.

 

[bullfrog]

Absolutely crazy. Turn the key drive to southern Arizona or California LTVAs. Spent one winter in Fort Wingate New Mexico, note I said one. If you are staying build a well insulated shed or igloo and stock up you are going to need it. Check the stats you will see many Navajos die each year on the reservation due to freezing.

 

[INTJohn]

 

[user 423]

Get a NM annual state parks pass ($180 for residents) and head south to Truth or Consequences (3 parks), Deming area (4 parks). Plenty of shopping available at those locations. Primitive campsites don't require reservations. Avg. lows in Jan. are 27F but it can get down under 20 or so. Plug in to electric for just $4/day on the really cold nights. Or see what it takes to install a diesel heater.

 

[user 423]

If you are staying build a well insulated shed or igloo and stock up you are going to need it.

X2 If you stay put.

 

[bebewanna]

I see it is unanimous

I know all about Rocky Mtn Weather.... 20 years in Colorado at high elevation. But the snow disappears fast unless you are higher up than I am. I am more worried about cold and wind, than snow. It averages here 45 inches, that's not much unless it all falls in a few days.

Just to say... In the past 4 years I was snowed in, 3 weeks, 4 weeks and last winter 2 weeks stuck on powerline down closed hwy 101...

That won't save me though. But I have been here before.

I cannot do campgrounds, period. My 90 lb Pitbull is a friendly guy to people, but other dogs, lots of activity. Won't work. He's a handful at best. That's a disaster waiting to happen, that I want to avoid.

Guess I will hold out as long as I can.
But be ready to flee when necessary.

It can go 2 ways... Mild winter or hell

 

[tx2sturgis]

Ok...your call. We want you to make the decision that is best for you.

Just FYI...camping in the desert on BLM or LTVA can't really be considered a 'campground'...there is so much space you can spread out and camp a mile or more from your nearest neighbor.

You could move about a few times until you find your perfect spot.

Again, your call. Good luck!

 

[bullfrog]

A 90 lb. Pitbull that is not controllable around other animals is a hazard anytime. The dog needs to be trained, given to someone that can or put down before it injures you, someone else trying to save their dog or some other animal. Even in remote areas problems will eventually arise. Ask around the local humane society for help with training your dog. Make a lifetime companion not a liability you have to deal with for a lifetime. Good luck!

 

[bullfrog]

Sorry if my post was harsh but I lived through trying to own a well trained dog that even with everything I could do was still a hazard to my neighbors and their lack of good judgment. Even with double height, double row electric fencing inside a 6’ high stock fence around a 120’ x 300’ dog run he became so enraged when my neighbors allowed their dog to run free and mark one of the fence posts with urine he worked through it all and killed my neighbor’s dog but not before the pregnant woman owner went into labor trying to save her dog. My dog after being simply commanded to sit and stay did so for several hours til I got home. No amount of apology would have kept her husband from killing my dog so I gave him to a friend that had a large farm with a coyote problem and a female that needed a mate several states away. He lived a good life but not with me, he was a great dog while I had him, but if you can’t control them you need to deal with the problem. Freezing isn’t a good solution for either you or your dog.

 

[user 22017]

Sorry if my post was harsh but I lived through trying to own a well trained dog that even with everything I could do was still a hazard to my neighbors and their lack of good judgment.

Don't feel bad. I had problems with dogs that became over protective toward us. Had to find homes for them. It was very difficult and sad for my kids.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Lets try to get back on topic and help the OP prepare (one way or another) for the approaching cold weather.

This information and advice will also be beneficial for others reading thru this thread.

 

[bullfrog]

Advice for those later on reading this thread. Wool is one of the few materials that can help keep you warm when wet, no mater how many cotton quilts or bedding you have if it gets wet it will freeze or freeze you. Spend your money on a really good sleeping bag and keep it away from the wall and shielded from drips of condensation from the ceiling. Use a marine venting material under your bedding or drill holes in the platform so water doesn’t collect or puddle. Unvented propane heat, your body, your pets body and anything you cook will cause condensation, a lot of condensation in cold temps. Nothing worse than waking up with your quilt that you crawled into frozen to the wall of the van so tightly you have to use your body to melt the ice to get enough room to get out. Ventilation is necessary and really with cold temps a ventilated heater or electric heat is a must in my opinion. Old truck campers used to have ventilated propane heaters that did not have a blower fan, I would attempt to find one of those or plan on running a dual fuel (fuels can become a problem in really cold temps at altitude) generator almost continuously to power an electric ceramic heater and recharge batteries as many use a ventilated diesel heater with a blower fan. Living in cold climates is neither cheap or easy as there are plenty of things that can go wrong. Be sure to have several back up plans for when problems occur. A small cabin or mud hogan with a wood stove and lots of protected dry fire wood was the only way most survived a long time ago and on the reservation it still works today mostly.

 

[CoyoteG]

Get a NM annual state parks pass ($180 for residents) and head south to Truth or Consequences (3 parks), Deming area (4 parks). Plenty of shopping available at those locations. Primitive campsites don't require reservations. Avg. lows in Jan. are 27F but it can get down under 20 or so. Plug in to electric for just $4/day on the really cold nights. Or see what it takes to install a diesel heater.

New Mexico is the best state.

 

[hugemoth]

Try a diesel heater. There have been some all in one units on eBay for $70. You can test it out by placing it outside and running the outlet hose in through a window.

 

[user 423]

New Mexico is the best state.

I may end up there doing the parks thing this winter. It will be colder than QZ but I'm installing a diesel heater. That direction (from SE Arizona) fits better with my travel plans for next spring.

 

[bebewanna]

A 90 lb. Pitbull that is not controllable around other animals is a hazard anytime. The dog needs to be trained, given to someone that can or put down before it injures you, someone else trying to save their dog or some other animal. Even in remote areas problems will eventually arise. Ask around the local humane society for help with training your dog. Make a lifetime companion not a liability you have to deal with for a lifetime. Good luck!

I am not really sure how I want to respond to this but......
The post about the dog was referring to being in a campground with 9 RVs with dogs.

He is trained quite well, but put your hands on me and that changes....
Putting the dog down is a stupid comment and really I am not interested in your dog judgement.... I will leave it there

 

[bebewanna]

I have determined a solution and this post took a direction I was not really interested in...

So thanks for the advice

 

[user 423]

Sorry it went off-topic as many threads do.

What do you plan for a solution?

 

[tx2sturgis]

Bebewanna I'm hoping that you can find your answer. And getting rid of the pooch is not the answer, in my opinion. Often a large dog is a great asset...certainly a companion, and maybe even a lifesaver in certain situations. Just as long as you know the dog's limits in crowded areas with other people and animals nearby.

And with that...any further negative comments about the OP's preferred canine companion will be removed.

We have to draw the line somewhere.