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On our way from Santa Rosa, NM to Amarillo this morning we just had to stop at the Cadillac Ranch and rattle can paint a Caddie. We then had a great Texas style steak dinner at the Big Texan…the steaks were excellent. I highly recommend the Big Texan for dinner if you are ever in east Amarillo. It was nice to be back in Texas if only for a brief time. Onward east to Oklahoma tomorrow. Patriot🇺🇸 Spot our Oliver.

Dates for 2024 as posted to the Casita forum on the fiberglassrv.com site: 2024, Feb 5-11: 2024 Quartzsite Gathering The annual Quartzsite Gathering will be February 5th thru 11th, 2024 at Dome Rock! Once again this will be a "No Host" get together and everyone can do as they please, visit with friends, make new friends, ask questions, see mods, sit around a campfire, tell jokes, sing whatever you want to do! The town of Quartzsite is only 3 miles away and has pretty much all you need, gas, food, places to eat, dump facility, trash dump station, and lots of RV vendors. Come when you want and leave when you want, find a spot you like and set up camp. This is a total dry camping get together so come test out your boon docking skills! Best of all it is on BLM land and totally FREE and the most gorgeous sunrises and sunsets you will see anywhere! The 2023 Gathering was a great success after the pandemic with about 125 trailers attending so 2024 should be even better. See you all there! Location-- GPS: 33.643617,-114.304752 Last year was my first year and I met and camped with several other great Oliver Owners as well as many Casita, Scamp, Escape and Bigfoot owners, I am hoping to attend again. Anyone else planning to be there this year?

That's what I've found on two occasions with our Platinum Pro package. The first time I ran the AC exactly two hours, and the batteries were at 81% after. This was in May, and using solar only, it took 48 hours to recover. This was using the factory 400W panels without my additional 200W portable panel. In August I ran the AC for about six hours (untimed) and the batteries were at I think 38% after. I was at an electric site a couple days later, so didn't check to see how long the solar would take to recover. So, AC uses about 10% per hour of running time with the Platinum Pro package, and takes about 24 hours per hour of running time to recover using 400W solar only.

Two different systems, and never the twain shall meet. However, the same black gunk you talked about may very well have caused your Truma problem, as well. If I remember correctly, you bought a 2019 trailer. Did you drain, refill, and sanitize the plumbing system? No matter how meticulous previous owner tried to be, gunk can grow. You don't know how long ago it was sanitized. When you get home, I'd do the sanitizing routine at least twice. And rinse all the crap out of the water heater. After sanitizing twice, fill tank with fresh, and run all faucets (not at once) to drain. Get that gunk out.

Simple Path Idea: Can we intercept the thermistor wire from the underside. Extend the wire as JD has suggested. Then route the wire through the OTT drain line back to the attic. Cut the drain line and pull the wire and thermistor to the street side cabinet surface. Drill a small hole to poke the thermistor end into the cabin just above the Smoke Detector. There it would not be much of a visual issue. Your thoughts? GJ I second JD's suggestion this T-stat works exceptionally well to fire up the OE2 furnace. GJ

I carry a spare pump as they do sometimes fail. I have it stored in a case and setup so it can be used to fill fresh water through the fill port. (An alternative to using the house pump.) Project here: https://4-ever-hitched.com/ggs-blog/f/transfer-pump-project Craig - Hull 505

John is right on the money here. The YouTube videos don't give you the whole story and those people aren't you. We rented before we bought our first trailer and it was very instructive as to what we needed and wanted. RVing has as many problems and frustrations as regular house living (maybe more) and those problems are different than the ones you're used to.

You still need to do a LOT of research before you start checking options in the order form. This is a good start: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/6629-how-to-find-happiness-with-lifepo4-lithium-ion-batteries-solacity-article/ I **** STRONGLY ***** recommend that you delay your order and rent a small travel trailer for a few weeks. You will learn more in a single day than you will thru months of videos. You may even decide that you do not like the whole concept, or that you are uncomfortable with towing. You might prefer a Class B or even a truck camper, neither of which will work with your new truck. The basic rule is to buy the camper first, then the truck that works best for it! Doing it the other way causes lots of heartache. And it is so very common. There have been several excited Oliver newbies that discovered that they just could not adapt to the lifestyle and the many technical challenges, and they sold their trailers shortly afterwards. This is very preventable. Take it very slowly and be sure you know enough to make educated decisions. John Davies Spokane WA

I really like your trailer’s name. So fitting for the curiosity of us Oliver folks.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/search/?&q=Access&author=Overland&search_and_or=or You can add or subtract key words.

Drain it and sanitize it. Bill p.s. glad the "switch thing" worked for you! Unfortunately, I don't have an explanation as to why "flicking" that valve switch has anything to do with the Truma. One could argue that if it now works then all is good, but, I'd like to know why it now works. Sometimes those "simple" switches will have an "issue" with contacts or the little motor that they activate will get confused and just needs to be "reset" and/or the contacts get "cleaned" by the flicking. But, as far as I know, that switch has absolutely nothing to do with anything concerning the Truma.

Thanks for all the advice!! Bit the bullet and bought a 2024 gmc 2500 diesel.

#665 was picked up in Aug 2020. We have an "threaded adjustable" rubber foot (similar to a table foot) at the upper left rear within the microwave enclosure. When you turn the rubber foot clockwise it extends it down until the microwave does not move. You do have to remove the face plate as shown above, to see/adjust that rubber foot. "And/or you have been down some very rough roads." Yes, lots of that. Sorry no pictures. B-Out

Our 2023 came with these vents, shows you Oliver listen to their customers! 😊

No problem - your location makes the situation even more interesting at 3am!😁 But, the switch mod is basically the same.

By the way Oliver did not have the size molding I needed. So I contacted the company who manufactures them directly. The are Coutoure located in Florida. Info@countoureusa.com or 888-656-9317.

👍

I expect yours is an absorption fridge. The 2023s come with compressor fridges. This is another reason to consider solar and lithium: a compressor fridge requires a fair amount of power, and very few RVers get along without a fridge. Also, many campgrounds limit the hours you can use a generator. If you plan to rely on a generator, I hope we don't end up camping next to you! (with all due respect) Yes, the lithium upgrade is pricey. But, unless used nearly full time, Lithionics LiFePO4 batteries should last at least 10 years, likely more like 15. Wet cell or AGM batteries must be replaced every 3-5 years regardless of use. Over time, the marginal cost differential between lithiums and lead/acids is not that great.

We didn't get the electric door lock on our 2022 Elite II, because some folks on this forum noted issues with them. One poster got locked in the trailer when it malfunctioned and had to crawl out the rear window! We have not regretted saving $$$$ by going with the standard key lock. We keep the key in the center console of our truck.

Thank you!

You can get the type that JD used HERE. But any single pole 12 volt switch will do - I used one like THIS that I bought at WalMart. Bill

Bill, I know once water gets into the "inside bottom" it runs out the scupper holes. But where does it drain to get into that 'inside bottom area", just not seeing it. We had water on the floor a few times, but for us it was "ALL TOWELLS ON DECK"... Can water (or maple syrup) get from the floor to the "inside bottom area" from under the refrigerator? Bryan

We had a brief false alarm while in Fruita, CO last week.also in the middle of the night. We have the RV Safe model and the fault cleared quickly. Maybe the air there is different! lol

The answer to this question has a bunch of variables - the time the pump is run, how many times is the pump run, what is the pump being expected to "pull" and from how far, etc. I've never had a water pump fail under virtually any circumstances while others have had them fail after only a short period of time for a myriad of reasons. Having said all this - under the circumstances you describe, I think that you should do fine and that the standard water pump should serve you well for a number of years. But, if you are planning to really be way out in the boonies and/or don't want to take the chance on the pump failing, then simply by a "spare" to cover that base. I've virtually always used a 25 foot hose for the purpose you describe and the draw has usually been from the back of my tow vehicle or from a container located right at the inlet port. However, on two occasions I did draw from approximately 50 feet without difficulty. And, I've drawn from the back of my tow vehicle through a 25 foot hose while using a Camco water filter. If I understand your question correctly - the standard procedure is that the port draws water into your fresh water tank and you must configure the water valves in order to do this. Then you must reconfigure those water valves in order to pressurize the water lines inside the Oliver. I've never actually tried to draw directly from my tow vehicle and use that water inside the Oliver at the same time. My guess is that you can't do that. Bill

In your list I saw a half ton pickup but no Andersen hitch. This TV/RV combination requires weight distribution. From what I have read, Andersen is really your only option because of the aluminum chassis. Best to let Oliver install it. Perhaps you already thought of this and left it out of your description. Be safe! You didn't mention your intended camping style. Will you always (or almost always) be at a campground with hookups? If you intend to boondocks, you should consider one of the higher capacity battery solutions, either the 4 6-volt AGMs or a lithium option. You should add solar charging. If your intent is to boondock more than 2 consecutive days you should also consider the composting toilet. The standard power and toilet options are fine if you will always camp with full hookups. I don't have the compressor fridge. I know it consumes less power (in DC mode) than the Norcold 3-way. Keep in mind how long you might want to operate your fridge without hookups. This might also affect your choice of power option. The push button drain valve and the electronic lock are both conveniences. Neither is necessary. A manual valve is used instead. In either case, you have to open and close the valve manually when appropriate. I think the electronic lock also comes with a remote so you don't need a key or to enter the code each time. The Domestic Penguin is VERY loud. If you're going to camp in hot weather, you should consider the Truma Aventa option, or plan to replace it yourself with a Houghton Recpro or Dometic FreshJet. There are a number of postings on all three options. Get a tongue lock to prevent anyone from hooking up and towing it away. There are a number of options. I use The Collar and an A-Bus disc lock. This can be left in place while hooked up.

Yes Reflectix is a radiant barrier, so like @topgun2 said, reflectix is really only effective when there is an air gap between it and the surface you want it to act as a radiant barrier for. For example, you’ll find reflectix on the outside of the inner top hull of an Oliver. That way you have the outer top hull, an air gap, then the reflectix attached to the outside of the inner top hull. As for the fact that Oliver attaches reflectix to the inside of the bottom outside hull, I believe (might be wrong) but the only benefit of that is to avoid heat from escaping from the inside to the outside, ie reflecting heat back to the inside. The Achilles Heel of the Oliver is the huge gaps between the 2 bottom hulls, so reflectix is not really an effective insulator there.

@John E Davies you're going to like this one! Before and after on the battery tray in my old Bigfoot. Other BF owners on their forum purchased a new Kwikee tray $$$, but it was my challenge to rebuild this one with new 20" slides and toolbox rubber lining.

At Oliver's request, in late 2013, I designed the first solar system that would go on to be installed in all the OEII's from 2014 and beyond from Hulls #050 thru #199. I included the best equipment on the market at the time. Blue Sky was the cream of the crop. Victron was just a future dream. Victron does not work any better than the Blue Sky stuff, it's just slicker, has more bells and whistles and better integration. My panel was not mounted where yours is. It is up at eye level where it should be because that's where I told them to put it. I don't know who's bonehead idea it was to start putting them down below the pantry, but I told them is was a bad idea. Just like I told them switching to Zamp was a bad idea when they began installing them starting with Hull #200. It took them years to finally change to something better (Victron). Most of us have moved all the wires out of the battery box except the jumpers and the main cables that feed the cabin. All those wires are now attached to buss bars, one for negatives and one for positives. It really cleans up the inside of the box and makes adding or changing things much simpler. Plus, you don't need taller posts on the batteries. You could use copper bars but the buss bars are cheaper and come already purposed for what you want to do.

Well, those grommets aren't doing a thing for you, right now. Nylon or some other type of plastic, useless if not seated in the opening. Rough fiberglass is abrasive. Now's a great time to replace with a barbed grommet, or cable glands, that will stay put, since you're pulling the batteries, etc.. Material of your choice. Also, carefully inspect the cables for any apparent abrasions in the sheathing. Hopefully, none, but you do want to know. I'm always inspecting ours, as battety compartment is pretty much under our heads. Btw, in Florida heat, we inspect water levels in the sailboat (fla batteries) monthly, or at least every 6 weeks, in summer. I would certainly do the same in Arizona. Use distilled water only, as you know, of course. Winter, we can check every two to three months, and seem to be ok. Our trailer has agms. As @John E Davies suggested, I would definitely check all 4 batteries. Your system will only charge to the level of the weakest, and if you have a bad cell in one, you'll have issues. If I were you, I'd still check in with Ryan at bluesky/sunforge, and make sure your settings on the charger are correct for your type of batteries. I do agree with you, that for many of us, fla or agm, is plenty, if we limit power consumption. By the way, not for you, but for future readers of this thread, do NOT go over your skill level zone , with electricity, and electronics. If unfamiliar with making connections, get a professional to help. Make SURE panels are covered and turned off before attempting work . Better to be double safe, than sorry, and fry something. Or, hurt yourself.

I have a friend with 15 year old t105's, still going strong. Of course, he's a maintenance freak, they dont have an inverter. and they've been his all along. (You can't be sure of their maintenance prior to your ownership.) Glad everything worked out. As you get to know the Blue Sky gear, I know you will love it. It is seriously tough stuff, and extremely dependable. They've been talking about adding Bluetooth control to their new pro digital panel. I'd call Ryan at sunforge/blue sky and see if it's available yet. If so, I'd get the new pro touch panel, with more info, and abandon the old one. Install the new at a readable height. I think it's less than $200. If no Bluetooth available yet, then move the existing Pro. Blue Sky offers a "panel" to enclose the upgrade, smaller footprint. All you'll probably need is the nerve to cut a new hole somewhere, and possibly a longer telephone type cable. 🙂 I've been totally ok with our old school pro, but we'll upgrade (someday when they get Bluetooth) to the new and cooler digital panel. Ours is located in the face of the attic.

Yes - the original Trojan T-105's are still in the same place. I thought that this year they just might give up the ghost but - they performed as they usually do during my major camping trip out west for fishing. Since new they have never been under 87% full! I'm fairly conservative on my usage of electricity but I do watch a DVD movie about three or four times each week. About all I use the microwave for is popcorn with the occasional heating of left overs for dinner. After treating the battery posts with anti-corrosion treatment during the first year I've never had to get after them with baking soda. But, I do clean them each time I wash the Ollie. I'm going to wait until Spring and assume that at that time I'll replace them. Certainly they don't owe me a dime and I'd rather not have them die while I'm on the road next year. Bill

Bill, when you wrote "original" could you mean your batteries are the originals, now 7 years old? If so, this is a testament to life of the 6V golfcart battery! I will certainly remove these tall posts soon. They can't be good, would accentuate any vibration of the main cables down those two extended posts (same thing on the main -neg post). A past owner must have added this for some reason, maybe for better clearance of the cables. I need to remove all four batteries anyway, for a repair to the back of the bay. More on that later...

Certainly my batteries (also lead acid and still original) were not delivered with those bolts. I'm guessing that there is nothing specifically "wrong" with them but .... I check my lead acid batteries about every 60 days and find that they usually require a bit of water - never more than a cup for all 4 batteries. During the winter I have a small solar panel always feeding them since I have a CalMark cover that shields the main panels on the roof. Bill

Just glue it back on and forget about it.

You might consider removing the decorative hub caps altogether. This will allow you to check wheel hub temp using a non contact IR thermometer or by hand. You can also watch for a loose bearing cap. You can also adjust wheel bearing play without having to remove the tire and wheel assembly. I don’t use the x-chocks anymore either.

That is a great idea, but be sure to leave access to the four big bolts on that flange, so that they can be retorqued routinely. They DO loosen over time. Some sort of “hat” with foamed insulation inside it might be possible, as long as it is easily removable. For example cover the flange with plastic wrap. John Davies Spokane WA

The overnight low last night here in central Idaho got down below 0 F. So today, I took advantage of the cold temps to test the performance of the Varioheat furnace system, with the additional return air vents I added on the aisle side of the front dinette seat and the closet last week The results? First, the good news: The closet and the area under the front dinette seat were significantly better warmed by the Varioheat furnace. With cabin temp at 62 F, the area under the front dinette seat was 6 degrees warmer than before the addition of that return air vent (an increase from 38 to 44 F). The closet improved even more, a total of 10 degrees (from 44 to 54 F). Now the bad news: My hopes that the increased airflow overall would also result in significantly warmer temps in the vulnerable area on the street side by the external shower controls, were not realized. The temps in that rear area of the trailer stayed above freezing once cabin temps got above 60 F, but only 2 degrees higher than before adding the new return air vents (40 F now vs. 38 before). Thus, there was some measurable improvement, and maybe enough to keep tanks and pipes from freezing when ambient temps are in the single digits, but not as much as I was hoping for. Conclusion: Installation of the new return air vents in the front of the cabin and the closet significantly improved the ability of the furnace to warm those areas. But, that installation only marginally improved warming of the sensitive rear underbelly area of the trailer--maybe enough to keep that area from freezing down to single-digit ambient temps, but likely not below 0 F.

Although we have a Truma Varioheat furnace with a return air vent in the bathroom, I chose to add a 4" round return air vent on the aisle side of the front dinette seat. See photo below. I did this in the hope it will further improve circulation of warm air through the areas under the floor, to help keep water tanks and pipes from freezing when camping in really cold temps. I chose this location because it is about as far away from the two main cabin supply vents as possible, yet close to the floor where return heat vents should be. I am advised that maximum separation between supply vents and return air vents provides the most balanced air circulation. These Valterra A10-3345VP 4" vents are available here: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07D2Z8HBV?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1 They are installed using a 4" hole saw. The vents have large bumps on each side which should be filed down to fit through the 4" round hole. They come with two attachment screws that fit in recessed holes on the side flanges, for which you should pre-drill with a 7/64" bit. The drilling makes quite a mess, so you will need a good vacuum. The forecast is for temps around 0F here the nights of Sunday January 29 and Monday the 30th, so I plan to fire up the furnace one of those nights and monitor temps to verify what, if any, impact this additional return air vent has on below-the-floor conditions. While I had my 4" hole saw chucked into a cordless drill, I opted to add two 4" vents to the closet, one high and one low, as Jason recommended. See photo below. I also plan to monitor the impact of these return air vents on closet temps. When camping on our way back to Idaho from Hohenwald in some very cold ambient conditions in November, the closet remained quite cold, even when the main cabin was heated up to around 70 F. I expect the effect of these new return air vents will be temps much closer to those in the main cabin. I will report the results of my temperature monitoring next week.

Jason said: "I requested that"... and told us why. It's nice to know that the Oliver staff pays attention to us! THANK YOU! Charlie

John ,et. al. I bought two of the suggest elbows and they are little bit of a tight fit getting by the water line once past the line everything slid in easily. The only problems I had was the vent tube from the defuser under the bed was a couple of inches short to make it to the rear outfit with the elbows on. I have to get a replace the tube and make it about 4-6 inches long. I hooked everything up above the access panels and then just slid them in place. This is a picture before I slid it in.

I requested that production swap the furnace & water heater locations because the furnace ducting was running right over the top of the water heater bypass valve. This made locating the valve difficult for new owners as well as having to move the duct aside with the potential to tear it. Hopefully this change has made it better for access and does not cause any issues. I have also requested the return air vents as well and they did start putting a return vent in the bath where the air can return below the dinette about a year ago. They are still working on getting one placed in the closet which should be one on the top & one on the bottom for better air circulation through that area. The return air vents is something that can be easily added on older models if you choose to.

I encourage you to place your new return air vent in the wall between the toilet and the front dinette seat, as shown in the attached photo. This location enables return air to flow through the street side bottom of the trailer, under the battery box and eventually back to the furnace on the curb side. To be most effective, return air vents need a minimally-obstructed path back to the furnace. A return air vent in the recessed front of the vanity would have a quite a tortuous path back to the furnace.

Yes my original plan was to do that. But I wanted to see if it would even make a difference before I went through the extra effort . This took me about 10 minutes to swap the piping around to try it and it worked better than anticipated. Next step will be to clean things up a bit and most likely run rigid pipe where possible. Bill

I have had great success with the Mequiar’s Flagship wax. Been using it for years. Holds up great and gives me some exercise. I will apply twice a year.

I want to caution folks who may be unaware that washing dishes and leaving food residue outside in predator country (bears etc) is bad, and it is prohibited in many National Parks and USFS campgrounds. So is showering outside using scented soap or shampoo. Away from those places, and not close to a stream or lake, that works well though I dislike the wet muddy/ sandy mess it leaves on the ground. In situations where you can shower outside you can often do a slow drain of your grey tank using a garden hose run under a sagebrush, with your dump valve barely cracked open, as long as your soaps are not scented. John Davies Spokane WA

I'm with KenB. When boondocking I use the outside shower for washing dishes if grey tank capacity is any question. And, since I use a solar shower whenever I can there can be those days when the temps are too low or the sun is not strong enough to heat the water. When this happens I simply turn on the water heater and fill the solar shower from the outside shower. Bill

A shutoff/bypass for the outside shower would be a simple solution

We've many times camped into the teens, maybe upper single digits in the older elite. But, we don't intentionally seek out winter weather. It finds us, in the mountains in shoulder season, and sometimes in fall in Canada. .I know the insulation is different in the newer models (we really don't have a lot). And, the furnace location has moved. If it's in the 20s or low 30s when we go to bed, I usually open the bathroom door, and open the lower drawer a bit. So far, so good. It was below 32 twice this past 2 weeks, during the night. I did nothing extra. Left the bath door closed. Ran furnace on low. We were fine. Toasty, actually. But daytime highs were in the 50s and 60s.

@ Renagade, first good luck with your trip up here to Big Sky Country. Welcome! I have lived in MT (Bozeman) for well over 40 years and have been to Glacier countless times during all seasons and have watched the tourism in the park explode since the mid 70's. With that in mind while I agree with some of the responses here I also have a somewhat different perspective on a few things. Weather: come prepared for winter. Montana weather is extremely volatile and at times just as unpredictable, and the park itself on any given day can have dramatically different weather compared to just a short drive out of the park. Given that you are from southern FL, your idea of winter and ours is on an order of magnitude different. On the other hand you might experience days that are sublime and think my suggestions are an empty threat, they are not. For instance just over a year ago, late May-early June, I left home in low 80 degree weather here in SW MT. Arrived in Glacier and the next day the weather turned upside down and stayed that way for 5-6 days. It was what most people would refer to as dead of winter or near so. Heat of the day, 42º, down to near freezing at night howling winds, some snow and often rain. This past fall, winter came early. Perhaps the 2nd or 3rd week of Sept, fall color died on the vine sub zero temps for a week or two with plenty of wet heavy snow. The day before the storm hit my wife and I were hiking in tees and shorts. This is not uncommon at these elevations and latitudes. The closer we get to the shoulder seasons the more volatile the weather can be. Campgrounds: You can get RSVPS at Fish Creek just across the lake from Apgar as well as St Marys and Swiftcurrent in the NE section of the park. John is correct Two Medicine is beautiful but it fills in the short summer quickly every day. It also closes fairly early but don't recall how long after Labor Day, sorry. East Glacier is on the Blackfoot Indian Reservation so laws regarding many things including alcohol can be very different and for what ever unknown reason can change from day to day. Supplies in the area are limited at best IMO. Most hikes from Two Medicine campground tend to be quite long, some with serious elevation gains. In addition to Apgar, Fish Creek, St Mary's (by far my least favorite) consider Swiftcurrent as well as Avalanche Creek which also closes earlier than most. There are size limitations at Rising Sun Campground but you could probably squeeze an Oliver in to one or two of them the rest are far too small. Its also first come first serve. Avalanche Creek does not afford much in the way of views, it is deep into the forest but still a very nice campground centrally located for day tours, hikes and what ever your'e up to for the day. Travel, The route into Glacier: Most are beautiful drives. However I do not recommend the route from Missoula to Kalispell. While there is some beautiful scenery along this route the traffic is VERY HEAVY almost the entire year. It's become more trouble than its worth to me. However I would be remiss if not mentioning the state park campgrounds scattered along the shores of Flathead Lake, all are nice with awesome views and fairly good facilities. My preferred route at least from Bozeman is a trip up the Seely-Swan River Valley that terminates in Big Fork and from there about another hour (towing speed) up to Glacier. There are a slew of very nice USFS and BLM campgrounds along this route as well. The Front Range route through Augusta and Choteau Highway 89 are also very nice but the closer you get to the east side of the park count on steep narrow winding climbs and descents. Its a slow go after Browning assuming you continue on to St Mary's. Camping along this route is virtually a no go unless you decide to head due west into the Front Range where you can find some awesome USFS camps there. This would be a detour however. The southern perimeter route highway 2 will be an easy cake walk though a bit more exciting than what you normally might drive in FL. From Mid August on tourism tapers off considerably both in Yellowstone as well as Glacier, due to kids/family back in school. However the weekends assuming really nice weather will experience quite a bit of day use and some camper influx from the locals out in Flathead Valley. It is worth noting, not once have I ever been able to get a drive up camp spot in Glacier even during the peak of summer season including but not limited to the 4th of July weekend. Bowman Lake can be overwhelmed with local day users during the weekends with nice weather. However don't miss this place, its about an hours drive up there from Apgar but not to be missed. Take the outside road. There is a nice hike along the north shore of Bowman Lake that will take you to the far end of the lake about 14 or so miles RT, but very little elevation gain a rarity in this park. That should be enough to digest for now, good luck on planning your trip. Let me know if you have questions.

The furnace has the potential to be quite efficient, particularly in protecting the water lines, if you could find a way to circulate the air that's lost heating single corner of the inner hull space.