Sledding with a truck camper

[Treehawk]

We recently purchased a Arctic Fox 811 truck camper with trailer in tow and are wondering if anyone has experience going to the mountains. Camper weighs 3900lbs(dry) and the trailer is 4500lbs. We would like to know:
1. Can we make it up logging roads(up hill for 6-7 km) to the staging areas?
2. Favorite winter tires to use?
3. Tips and tricks to stay warm in the camper at colder temperatures?
Thanks in advance for your input

 

[mikeydoo]

I'm actually setting up a rig right now to do the same. driving up the roads is fine if: you have a good tire eg: studded duratracs or something good and a set of chains if **** goes south. Me personally im gonna run a dually with a light bigfoot camper and a light 2 place trailer. your setup sounds heavy. gonna run the propane heater but also have a genny and a couple ceramic heaters to dry gear and have just in case.

 

[brutematt750]

I had a buddy do some winter camping and what he did was. Put the foam interlocking kids play room tiles on the floor. And used 1.5-2 “ rigid styrofoam on the walls around the bed to help keep the cold off you and the bedding. He said that made a huge difference

 

[papajake]

Humility is the killer everything stays wet a generator is a must

 

[Pedaling pete]

Maybe a guy could build something to dry gear outside around a fire. Having all that wet gear in the camper might not be the best.

 

[mikeydoo]

I'm gonna use the bathroom portion for drying. no running water in my operation, gonna be a wet wipe situation unfortunatly

 

[Jorg Jorgenson]

It’s a great idea, and I think a lot of people are going to try doing this with how the pandemic situation has unfolded. Can’t get mad at us for camping in the outdoors not being in town or at the hotels! We have been kicking around the idea of sleeping in trailer in parking lot this winter

 

[mikeydoo]

Might be having some parking lot parties this winter, with like minded folks.

 

[FernieHawk]

Might be having some parking lot parties this winter, with like minded folks.

Don’t do it...you need to isolate.

 

[mikeydoo]

Haha will have to line up the sleds 6 feet apart and sit in the saddles to hang out

 

[Caper11]

Dually??? With that much weight, I would definitely be using tire chains and good winter tires for FSR roads.
Highways you should be fine, how are you towing your sleds tho???
I thought hitch extensions were not allowed in BC.

 

[mikeydoo]

lol i'm not planning on going up any fsr roads. maybe the original poster might be. my camper is a light weight 9'6" so im good with my little trailer that 2 guys can unhitch and turn around with ease. also studded duratracks on my rig 12k winch on the front and a set of triple trigs and steering singles also in the gear box. I wanna sled not be that guy the screws it up for everyone else.

 

[firecatab]

We were thinking of doing the same thing. Staying in the trailer at the staging area. We have some single cots I keep you off the floor the generator running, forced air furnace with the back up of electric heaters if need be. Done it a couple years back and all worked out well. Nothing better than sitting around a bonfire having a couple of beverages. (Yes a hot tub would be better).

 

[Caper11]

I think I would be rad to just squat at the staging area and camp out around a bonfire.

As someone mentioned in another post, humidity and drying out the gear would be very important, I spose if the fire gets hot enough the gear will dry out! Lol

Last year at renshaw, I seen a old ambulance with the square body, that was being used as sleeping quarters, it towed a enclosed sled trailer, I kinda wish I seen what the setup was inside now.

 

[Snort]

I thought that clubs were calling the cops on people that attempted to overnight in the staging areas?

 

[Jorg Jorgenson]

I thought that clubs were calling the cops on people that attempted to overnight in the staging areas?

I’ve never heard of this. Might depend where though.

 

[getzcold]

When I first started sledding my dad and grandpa did this all the time with the Calgary snowmobile club. A lot of the time we would stay at the cataract creek staging area. Once I got a little older we used to go to golden area. We would pull into silent pass and hope creek and camp there for the weekend. There was some cold nights but not too bad. Think the biggest pain was water and keeping the suits dry.

 

[Bury Me With My Toys]

We have been thinking about selling our motorhome, and enclosed trailer. Getting a 3500 or 4500 truck, sled deck, and travel trailer. Sort of the opposite of your idea, but I am tired of pulling a trailer with a motorhome, in snow storms.
Camped at parking lots all over the past 3 winters, nobody has complained to us, or called the police.

 

[Treehawk]

Thanks for the ideas, we're all for the parking lot parties! Has anyone tried the Cooper Discoverer STT PRO (AT) or Toyo Open country WLT1?

 

[Treehawk]

Dodge ram 3500 SRW, I'll have to look into the hitch extension (using one ) and have a set or rear chains + a tow strap. I think the steepest place we've been is Belle, 6-7 km up hill.