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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/21/2020 in Posts

  1. If you cannot go camping, you should check out the Virtual Reality experience from Google Arts & Culture. The site is called Hidden Worlds of the National Parks. You can visit Kenai Fjords NP (Alaska), Dry Tortugas NP (Florida), Hawaii Volcanoes NP (Hawaii), Carlsbad Caverns NP (New Mexico), and Bryce Canyon NP (Utah).
    4 points
  2. 3 season. The AC noise is unbearable.
    4 points
  3. For winter camping, the Oliver has a few things going for it that many others don't: small air volume and surface area (size) mean there is less to keep warm. No slides and good seals mean less air leakage. The insulation is better than any other camper I have been in, and while it could be better and some areas could use a better thermal break, we were able to keep warm with a 1200 watt heater in 11 degree weather with 40 MPH side winds when we got caught in a blizzard in South Dakota. Note that I would never camp like that by choice as going outside was pure misery. Note that was October, so I guess that is only "fall". There are a few things that can be done to make your winter experience more pleasant: dehumidifier - moisture will be an issue in any camper in cold enough temperatures, electronic drain actuator(s) - lets you dump tanks from inside - not letting freezing air into basement or you standing outside waiting for tank to drain), and a space heater for the inside (or with remote) and basement. The space heaters allow you to supplement/replace the propane heater. Propane becomes less viable at altitude/low temperature - plus if you have free electricity with your site - use that instead of paying for propane and having to stand outside to get your propane refilled. We weren't really prepared for the situation in South Dakota (forecast had been in the 30's to 40's up to a day before hand), so we used internal fresh water. For our winter trips this year we used a heated hose and punched a hole in a foam faucet cover for the RV side of the connection. I had to get some pipe insulation and heat trace to make sure the faucet side of the connection didn't freeze.
    2 points
  4. Joking aside, ‘realistically’, it’s 4-season. I think what you’re asking though is whether it’s ‘absolutely’ a 4-season camper. And absoluteness is an impossible bar to pass. What I mean is this - I’ve been camping in November and December with freezing weather and snow and nothing broke or froze and my wife and I were comfy and warm the whole time. That doesn’t mean we could winter in Fairbanks. (Or maybe we could, with some extra prep and common sense. Don’t know; haven’t tried.) Point being, nothing about trailer ownership is absolute. Winter or summer, you’ll have to prepare, have to do maintenance, have to make repairs, have to use common sense. I’ll be the first to say that there are things Oliver could do to make the trailer more cold-worthy. All the same, I have no problem with them calling it a 4-season trailer. But it’s true I’d much sooner take our Ollie out into nowhere in January than July.
    2 points
  5. We stopped once in Junction and bought a big bag of Plumley's Pecans at their store. Incredible paper shell pecans some of the best available.
    1 point
  6. Well, yesterday was the first day Texas State Parks were open for day use only. We packed up the grill, chairs and a few other items and headed out to South Llano River State Park in Junction, TX. Grilled some lunch by the river and then walked through the campground to ID the best sites for when we’re back to camp. It was a semi-camp day! Mike
    1 point
  7. @John E Davies Not a big deal in the big scheme of things, but thought I should mention it before others spent a day looking for something that didn't exist.
    1 point
  8. Thanks for pointing that out, it was a Senior Moment, I should have known better. I have corrected that other thread.... Flathead Lake State Park, West Shore John Davies Spokane WA
    1 point
  9. I was in charge of the National Forest, which borders Glacier on the west side - the Flathead National Forest. I am very familiar with Glacier. It is difficult to find space, and often they are small and quite close. An alternative is to camp in National Forest campgrounds outside the park, and make day trips if you cannot find something inside the park. You can bushwhack up the North Fork of the Flathead River, and go in thru the Polebridge entry. There are also National Forest camp grounds. Across Highway 2 in Hungry Horse, is the Hungry Horse Reservoir.. Check out places there. For real adventure, Drive up the East side of the Reservior to Spotted Bear Campground. Very remote feeling, but you are long a few miles down from the ranger station. The South Fork of the Flathead River is knock-down-dead beautiful. Go to youTube and search Flathead National Forest. There is a short video with amazing. landscape, an the fly over of the trail and river are in it. The scene of the fly fishing off the big rock in the river is just up from the Camp Ground. If you need to, you can call me for more details. I am a retired Forest Service Supervisor. We are considering a Oliver to take to Montana each summer.
    1 point
  10. One last thought that occurred to me after my post from yesterday. Fires: In the last decade, perhaps longer, our summer air quality state wide (usually) has diminished greatly due to western wildfires. For those who don't live out west the next part will most likely seem improbable to you. Even if Montana doesn't have much itself in the way of fires we do get smoke and lots of it from other states. Its not uncommon in the least for the CA wildfires to inundate our skies here in MT, and its not just CA it could be BC, OR, WA, ID, NV or any other of the western states or provinces dependent on the prevailing winds at the time. Generally through out most of the summer, spring and early fall months the prevailing winds are from SW to NE but even this can change in a heartbeat. This past summer of 2019 MT had very few fires itself due to the heavy snow fall and continued wet and cool weather throughout the summer months and for the most part we did enjoy for a change mostly clear skies and clean air and lots of rain. Our snowpack this winter is above average, a good thing, but even this is no longer a guarantee of a summer/fall season without fires. Please understand this information is not meant to discourage anyone from venturing up this way, but rather come prepared yet most importantly have some alternative travel plans should all hell break loose with fires. Here's hoping for a fireless season with beautiful blue skies… that we used to be known for. Rob PS, I would like to make one correction to John Davies expose on traveling to Glacier from last year. Had not realized he had written up such an excellent piece, but in quickly scanning his prose I saw he mentioned "Kalispell State Park and Lake". There is no such thing, including a Kalispell Lake although there are a number of lakes nearby Kalispell. Perhaps he meant either Whitefish Lake State Park or even Flathead Lake to the south of the town. Again there are numerous state park campgrounds around Flathead Lake and even Whitefish Lake. My favorite by far is the one near the small touristy town of Big Fork called Wayfarers State Park. Its small but there are numerous spots to fit an Oliver into and all of the MT state parks do take reservations. Whitefish Lake State Park is also nice, but if you camp there expect to be woken off and on through the night with freight trains that run literally right next to the park. I'm talking a stones through if that. Hope this helps.
    1 point
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