Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts

Towing a teardrop trailer in the snow

There will probably come a point in your teardropping life when you have to tow in snowy conditions. We have towed the Sunflower in several blizzards and on icy and snow covered roads (she has a good set of tires) without any issues by following these few tips — tips you will be familiar with if you live in colder climates.


1. Slow down. This is a no-brainer. You and your vehicle (and the trailer) will be more responsive to traffic, accidents, ice and slick roads when you are driving 10-15 miles below the speed limit. Another tip is to avoid changing lanes. Stick to the slow lane.

2. Don't brake; downshift. Braking hard on slick roads can cause your car to skid. Instead, when you are coming to a stop, slow down and downshift to a lower gear and then brake lightly.

3. Take the backroads. While some secondary or backroads might not be plowed, they are also less congested. You will have the freedom to drive the speed you need to and less vehicles to deal with. In fact, some secondary roads are owned by counties rather than cities and actually get plowed first or more often.

4. If you begin to slide. Try to correct as soon as possible. The trailer will follow you, but because you are longer than a normal vehicle, the trailer could hit a median, a curb or another vehicle. On very slick roads, the trailer could jack knife. The good thing is that if you do jack knife the trailer, teardrops are so small they won't block as much traffic as a larger trailer. However, it is best to get off the road as soon as possible.

5. Park it until conditions improve. If the conditions are just too dangerous, pull over and get a hotel room (or camp) for the night. You might even need to unhitch the trailer and leave it somewhere until you can come back and retrieve it during calmer weather.

Friday Teardrop Photo


I loved camping in the snow so much that I went looking for other hardy snow campers and found this photo from Teton Gravity Research. What a great way to get an early start on the slopes.

Teardrop Trailer Snow Camping

For Thankgiving this year, we decided to skip a family dinner and head up with two friends to Sierra Hot Springs with for their amazing Thanksgiving buffet. All hotels in the area were booked so we thought this would be a great time of year to do some teardrop camping in just a few inches of newly fallen snow.


We were not the only ones in the simple, meadow campground at the hot springs. Several other trailers, and a daring couple in an MSR backpacking tent, also braved the 10 degree overnight temperatures. We were lucky that several of the beautiful springs were just a short walk away and we did not have to do any cooking in the galley.


We realized a few things while camping in the snow with a teardrop trailer:

1. It was wonderfully warm at night with just a some fleece sheets, a feather comforter and our 12 volt electric blanket from Roadpro. It also helps to have a warm partner. :-)

2. Beware of any door locks, galley locks or hitch locks that could freeze when the temperature drops. We had an issue getting our key into the hitch lock the next morning. Use an ice prevention spray or lubricate the locks with Vaseline or grease.


3. Dress in layers and don't worry about sleeping in your clothes. It was actually warmer not to change from day clothes into pajamas, so we just slept in our daytime thermals.

4. Keep your shoes where you can jump right into them. I kept my winter boots under the trailer so I could grab them and put them on right away without having to keep the door to the trailer open and let out any residual heat.

5. Keeping water in a tank or bottles from freezing is challenging. Don't fill up your water tank before heading out and keep drinking water in the bed with you to keep it from icing up.


We were not allowed to have a campfire at this particular campground, but I see teardrop camping trips in the snow in our future with a campfire and some simple cooking in our future. It was so beautiful waking up in the morning to near silence with just the hooting of a few owls in the trees.



Friday Teardrop Photo


The Sunflower enjoying the first snow of the season.
The little solar panel is keeping her battery nice and warm.

Friday Teardrop Photo


Even though it's almost march, winter is still beating down on some parts of the U.S., so I just had to put up this photo from Links Teardrop Rentals in Orange County. Links is a new company that rents out several Little Guy and Cozy Cruiser teardrops for a two-night minimum.

Friday Teardrop Photo


The Sunflower is nicely tucked under her cover for the winter snows.
Happy Holidays to all the Tiny Yellow Teardrop readers and may your teardrop trailer also be protected this winter...or heading to Florida.

Friday Teardrop Photo


I've always loved this photo by the Small Trailer Enthusiast of a colorful T@B trailer and teardrop trailer staying warm together in a snowy campground. Stay warm and cozy with your family this season and have a wonderful holiday.