Cold Weather Travel Blackstone 250RKST

[IdahoBob]

Originally Posted by Off Road

When I go hunting in Montana in November I carry chains for both my truck and trailer. My truck is a 4x4 with snow rated tires but I still carry chains because they are often required if you are towing. For the trailer I bought some low cost cable chains. One of the dangers in coming down a mountain with a trailer is that it tends to want to pass the tow vehicle when you apply the brakes. With some chains on the trailer tires I can apply just the trailer brakes via the brake controller to straighten out the trailer. All that said if it gets real nasty we just hunker down someplace and wait for the weather to clear.

X2

Bob

[Lac]

Originally Posted by Off Road

When I go hunting in Montana in November I carry chains for both my truck and trailer. My truck is a 4x4 with snow rated tires but I still carry chains because they are often required if you are towing. For the trailer I bought some low cost cable chains. One of the dangers in coming down a mountain with a trailer is that it tends to want to pass the tow vehicle when you apply the brakes. With some chains on the trailer tires I can apply just the trailer brakes via the brake controller to straighten out the trailer. All that said if it gets real nasty we just hunker down someplace and wait for the weather to clear.

Best advice and a great comment....if it’s nasty just hunker down and wait for the weather to clear.

[BornToWander]

Originally Posted by shane_the_ee

This year will be our first trip, but we're planning to buy some for truck and trailer as it looks like Oregon requires you to at least carry chains... https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/Chain-Law
Les Schwab will let you return unused chains at the end of the season for a full refund.

Yup. If they are requiring chains, that includes at least one axle’s wheels on the trailer too. They call that a “drag chain” but it’s not a special kind of chain, just on the trailer.

[Dalo]

I've recently been through both those routes between Oregon and California. I5 is a lot faster and better divided highway with higher speed limits. 101 slows way down just south of Crescent City, CA. Portions of it are very narrow with many curves. As you near the Redwoods some huge trees are growing right next to the 2 lane road and there is zero shoulder. They call it Highway 101 but it is more like a twisty narrow mountain road. When towing there is not much clearance between your rig, the giant tree and any oncoming logging trucks.
Of course, snow on I5 would be the deciding factor for me.

[BobbyBee]

Originally Posted by Lac

Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Weather is unpredictable. For the time and effort and cost to winterized and de winterize....I would winterize from Vancouver Island and dry camp if going down I 5 until the weather warms up the then de-winterize
Use campground facilities toilets and showers and use the trailer to sleep in only..or better yet hotel or motel it.

Most important....Have good winter tires not M&S. Carry chains for tow vehicle. Some places it’s the law. Stop if the weather is iffy get a hotel.

We left Kamloops beginning of Jan. 2017. South from Osoyoos BC. Coquihalla was closed. Ran into heavy snow on the roads from Osoyoos to Portland. At that point I really didn’t care if my trailer was 4 season or not. I knew the trailer was winterized with antifreeze and the pipes would not freeze... if I got snowed in and had to hotel it.
We now leave to go south beginning of November...still carry trailer antifreeze.

Winter Highway travel is unpredictable at the best of time...add towing a trailer and it makes it a little more interesting.

IMHO.. winterize before you leave...your traveling not stopping to camp for periods of time and more importantly one less thing to worry about...

Picture is Richland Washington...Jan 2017...didn’t put slide out as the rubber bulb slide seals were frozen hard and frozen to the side and didn’t want to rip or tear them when opening.

Coops

You will also need chains for trailer wheels with brakes if Calif. has chain controls in effect, in addition to the tow vehicle. Spent an unpleasant 12 hours in Yreka once (U-Haul trailer); and once we turned back at Donner Lake, had to go back to Reno to find chains for trailer for less than $120 in 1996. Now I carry chains, spare rubber tightener, and spare cross link.

[mfadness]

I traveled to and from Northern Minnesota for deer hunting with my 88 bounder 33'. It was down to -18 degrees F and we had no trouble with freezing either inside or in the basements. It was fantastic. The only encounter was we had to park (boondocking) at a gas station for a blizzard to pass overnight and after I turned the generator off we could not get it started in the morning. I was several days into California before I could blow the ice out of the exhaust pipe. I should have put an empty can covering the exhaust pipe to keep the snow out.

[StageCoachDr]

Your biggest problem could occur if you have to chain up along the way. you'll need chains for TV and trailer. Also, if you camp below freezing, perhaps get one of those heated water hoses.

[cooldavidt]

Why are you even thinking about carrying water? I have done this trip to SOCAL many time. No snow expected.
If you are staying in an RV park get your water for daily use at the park.

[ModestMonk]

Originally Posted by cooldavidt

Why are you even thinking about carrying water? I have done this trip to SOCAL many time. No snow expected.
If you are staying in an RV park get your water for daily use at the park.

[ModestMonk]

Originally Posted by mfadness

I traveled to and from Northern Minnesota for deer hunting with my 88 bounder 33'. It was down to -18 degrees F and we had no trouble with freezing either inside or in the basements. It was fantastic. The only encounter was we had to park (boondocking) at a gas station for a blizzard to pass overnight and after I turned the generator off we could not get it started in the morning. I was several days into California before I could blow the ice out of the exhaust pipe. I should have put an empty can covering the exhaust pipe to keep the snow out.

we’ve done down to -7* with no trouble in our Black Rock, however on our ride home from the west coast we may encounter lower temps.

[LargeMarge]

We are in Baja with family in Oregon, so we are familiar with the section of International 5 from Ashland to Redding past the Shasta volcano.

We experienced mid-December both ways == sunny and T-shirt one time, blizzard and bureaucrats blocking the road another time.

The coast is lovely any time of year. We experienced black-ice only once... in the coast range near Lacey, Washington.

Here is our suggestion:
Full tanks == propane water fuel. Full rations.
Empty tanks == sewage.

[Dalo]

I want to follow-up on LargeMarge's suggestion about travelling with full tanks and rations. I agree. Never can predict when a breakdown, accident or road closure may occur. We got stuck in a massive road block due to a trailer overturning on I15 west of Las Vegas. Road blocked with no alternate available. We had been making great time until that happened. lol. Another time my always faithful Dodge Cummins lost its fuel pump half way between SoCal and Phoenix. That's a long stretch of desert with no services available. Anyway we made it to Phoenix 3 days late but it taught me a lesson to always be prepared.

[LargeMarge]

Originally Posted by Dalo

I want to follow-up on LargeMarge's suggestion about travelling with full tanks and rations. I agree. Never can predict when a breakdown, accident or road closure may occur. We got stuck in a massive road block due to a trailer overturning on I15 west of Las Vegas. Road blocked with no alternate...

Dalo, you have excellent taste. And you are a superb appreciator of talent and experience. Furthermore, feel free to join our caravan any time.

* * * * *

The Originating Poster asks about winter around the Shasta volcano. Here is our Road Report of the turf of Redding-to-Oregon, October 10th, 2018:
North-bound part-way up the Ashland volcano grade, we blew a seam in the coolant-recovery tank.

We noticed the engine temp rising, so we down-shifted to maintain RPM and water-pump / radiator flow. This MPH on that grade looks like a barely-walking pace. At about the 3-mile marker into Oregon on the Pan-American Highway at about 2pm, we were invaded by steam everyplace.

We pulled off to the gravel. In neutral with the parking brake set, we maintained a fast idle while pouring gallons of drinking water into the over-flow tank. It also took all four gallons of 50/50 coolant we always carry.

After twenty minutes at idle, with probably nearly a dozen gallons of fresh liquid, the temp stabilized at near-normal. We made it over the summit, and over into Medford.

* * * * *

Folks, we carry tools and the usual belts hoses filters fluids for our use. Of course.

We also carry tools in case somebody is stranded. You never know. Karma.

PS:
While we were stopped with steam blowing across the highway, four vehicles stopped to offer assistance == two cars with Latin rednecks, and two pickups with Caucasian rednecks. Although we were under control, each of these good people offered to contact our friends / family or a tow service... just like we did a few times we saw somebody struggling with a vehicle problem.

Sometimes, just our offer of washing their hands in our outside faucet makes all the difference.

I hope this helps.

PPS:
During our travels, we realized pretty much everybody is a redneck. Sure, we seem to have different accents, but that is just that ridiculous 'illusion of separation' nonsense.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by LargeMarge

PPS:
During our travels, we realized pretty much everybody is a redneck. Sure, we seem to have different accents, but that is just that ridiculous 'illusion of separation' nonsense.

In the Pacific North Wet, we have Pink Necks. Not quite enough sun to go full red color, but the mindset is the same.