Thank You to the Forum for Cold Weather Tips

[BBBakes]

Hi All,
We bought our 2014 30' Int. Signature back in August 2017 and I've been lurking about on the forum ever since to gain insight for how best to use (and not break) the AS. We made a couple of shakedown trips from our home in the Seattle WA area, Bayview State Park and the Elwha Dam, in preparation for the major event in 2017, a visit to the Whistler RV site and the experience of winter camping. It was all we could have hoped for, with 2-3 feet of snow falling over 5 days and temps down to 7 F. If not for multiple items learned on the forum this trip could have been less than pleasant. So thanks to all of you.
A few of our main lessons learned: 1) although we had a small electric heater, we kept the propane heat on (keeps the plumbing from freezing); 2) Black/grey water valves stayed mostly shut (we opened once daily to drain the tanks - the valves/pipes froze up daily but were easily unfrozen with a hair dryer; 3) use a heated water hose (our neighbor SOB was without one and didn't fare very well); 4) keep bathroom/shower vents open (helps out immensely with window condensation; 5) when in doubt, chain up - our trip up a 7% grade on compact snow/ice to the RV site went well enough, but without chains (rear tires) on the way down, am fairly certain we'd have ended up in the ditch.

[pcskier]

7 degree temps, 2-3 feet of snow, are not a couple of the usual things we hear mentioned in the same paragraph as "all we could have hoped for." HA! I appreciate your spirit of adventure, winter camping is awesome! (Particularly when prepared as you were). Keep calm and winter-camp on.

[BBBakes]

For us skiers/snowshoers these are dream conditions. All for only 40 CAD / nite during the holiday season in Whistler BC ! Loving our AS

[KJRitchie]

http://just5moreminutes.com/blog/win...rstream-style/

[JFRINALDI]

And a big THANK YOU for the encouragement to get outside and enjoy the cold. I'm presently getting ready for an annual two months of Steelhead fishing in Southern Oregon and greatly appreciate your sharing valuable thoughts about Airstreams in Winter.

[Acheron2010]

Thanks to you for such a positive message on winter camping with Airstreams! I was getting depressed constantly reading about dead batteries, leaks, propane use and broken awnings. Your post came at the right time, and renewed my faith in AS trailers.

[Philip Jones]

Don’t the black/grey flush pipes crack when they freeze? I was never sure about this aspect of using the plumbing in a non-winterized Airstream. I get the part about not freezing the interior pipes by keeping the furnace on, but what about the waste tanks/pipes?

[BBBakes]

As much as possible we tried to keep the grey/black water on the Airstream side of the valve box, i.e., only opened the valves once/day (first opening/closing black then the gray for a flush) after finishing with morning showers. Each morning the valve mechanisms were stuck (frozen), but after 5 min. or so heating with a cheap hair dryer they opened and water flowed after another ~10 min application of the warm air. After the flush we were careful to ensure that the flexible sewer hose was completely drained. Didn't experience any cracks or breakage (that I know of ) and this process seemed fine for our 5 day stay. For a longer stay would likely change this - skirting would have helped.