Travelling south to Arizona from Alberta in the winter with an RV

The Canada/USA land border was open. Christmas was over. We had booked our Mexican campground. All that was left was to decide the best day to leave from Alberta. What would winter travel with an RV be like as we travelled from Alberta to Arizona? We had done many road trips in the summer but we knew this would be different.

Packing the 5th Wheel

January 2022 began with very cold temperatures in the -20’s C which made it very difficult to pack the trailer for 3 months away from home. The trailer leg blocks were frozen to the ground. The closed slide blocked our pantry cupboard. Fresh food would freeze. It was just too cold to be outside long enough to take clothing and other necessities to their places.

January 10 predicted a change with temperatures forecast to be above zero. We started up the furnace the day before to warm the trailer. Friends were travelling with us as far as their home in Arizona. They drove a 32-foot motorhome and towed a covered trailer for their desert toys.

Day 1 Travelling in a Winter Chinook- Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to Conrad, Montana. AB 2-I-15 642 km

It was above freezing as we threw in the last of the items, filled the propane tanks and topped off the gas in the truck. The sun began to rise as we turned south and faced into the Chinook Winds. These winds begin in the Pacific and head east over the Rocky Mountains. Moisture is dropped as snow at the continental divide then the air gains energy as it drops down into Alberta. These winds are warm and very strong as they are forced through the mountain passes. They form an arch of clouds over the mountains in the west and really affect gas mileage when a truck towing a 5th wheel is driving straight into them. We were barely 2 hours from home and had to stop for gas.

Although the mountain views were spectacular, the snow blowing straight across the road created traction and visibility issues. We had to use 4 wheel drive to get back on the road after a coffee stop in Claresholm. We saw a trailer in the ditch and semis blown off the road. Winter travel from Alberta to Arizona was looking like a bad idea.

Montana

The border crossing was uneventful. Covid tests were not required at land crossings, and apparently, vaccine records were not necessary as we weren’t asked. The wind continued to buffet us from the SW, although the amount of snow blowing across the road diminished as we travelled further into Montana.

After filling with gas every 2 hours, we arrived in Conrad, Montana. It is a town just north of Great Falls off of the I-15. The Pondera RV Park was open. When we arrived, there was no one to be found. After calling them the owner said, “Are you a trailer and a motorhome? We saw you on the bridge and figured that was where you were headed.” January small town service! Although there was 10 cm of snow on the ground, the power, water and washrooms were available. We paid $42.30 each for the night.

Day 2- Conrad, Montana to Idaho Falls. I-15 to Boulder, MT 69 to Whitehall, MT55/41 to Dillon 658 km

Before leaving, we decided to empty the antifreeze from the lines and add some water to the tank. This allowed us to be self-contained if we had to stop somewhere along the way.

The wind was less and the blowing snow was mostly gone. To avoid the climb over the pass at Butte, we took an alternate route from Boulder to Dillon. We passed a Historical Old Spa at Boulder where we started on route 69. The road was only 2-lane, but passed through some beautiful ranching and fly fishing country. It was quiet and had a gentle elevation change. Monida Pass at the Montana/Idaho border was still a big climb to 6800 ft. but the views were impressive. Lots of snow at the top but the wind was less and the roads were clear.

Snake River RV Park in Idaho Falls is open year-round. It was -9 at night, but our furnace and a tap with a slow drip kept the water lines open. It was $35 with a Good Sam discount and included a spectacular sunrise the next morning.

Day 3 Idaho Falls, ID to Mesquite NV I-15 885 km

We finally were able to stop for some groceries that wouldn’t freeze and more gas then began to actually enjoy our journey. The skies were blue and the temperature ranged from -7 to +7, depending on the passes. Idaho had snow, but it wasn’t blowing. We experienced big elevation changes up and down into valleys and over the Malad pass into Utah.

Utah-Legacy Parkway (ring road Salt Lake City)

As we entered Utah on the I-15 it was a treat to see green fields in the lower areas. The mountains weren’t as clear due to the pollution and all the trucks on the road. We took the Legacy Parkway (215) which was a great option to get away from the traffic of the I-15 and miss half of the Salt Lake City crowds. Big trucks weren’t allowed.

We travelled uneventfully through Utah to St. George at the southern border. We gassed up at Costco. Although it is cheaper, as a Canadian, there are challenges. Costco in Canada only takes Mastercard. In the USA the pumps only take Visa. We have to buy a gift card inside with our Mastercard, then use it at the pumps outside.

We also discovered that just because a car wash says 11 ft clearance, and you can drive inside, it doesn’t mean that the sprayer hose will clear your air conditioner. After trying to remove some of the mud and slush from our first couple of days, the cover of our air conditioner caught on the sprayer. I was able to climb up on top and remove the broken pieces as well as extricate the sprayer. Backing up was the only way we could get out and I had to crawl back down after ensuring everything was clear. Lesson learned…Know exactly how tall everything is on your unit.

Mesquite, NV

The first place you come to in Nevada is Mesquite. As you leave Utah, you travel through the beautiful Virgin River Canyon. If we had arrived earlier in the day, it would have been a great place to camp. As we were delayed due to our trailer washing debacle, we continued to Mesquite and camped in the gravel lot behind the Virgin River Casino. It was free to stay and reminded us of the importance of having water on board. Our trailer also has a good solar system so we had lots of power as well. Twenty units parked there on that night.

The buffet was a good option after 885 km of driving.

Mesquite, NV to Parker, Arizona 418 km I-15, 167/169 95S

We travelled from Nevada to Arizona to California to Arizona. Each state had a time change.

The morning through the desert was spectacular with the early light glowing off the brilliant red and golden rocks. We took the cutoff on 167/169 to Lake Mead Recreation Area through the Valley of Fire. The road was very quiet and we didn’t have to travel through Las Vegas. And did I mention the views!

We stopped in Henderson for a new AC cover. It took some time but we got exactly what we needed. We headed back out on the 95S to Needles. It was a good 2 lane road and avoided most of the truck traffic heading to and from Los Angeles on I-40.

Lake Havasu, Arizona

Lake Havasu City is beside one of the reservoirs on the Colorado River. London Bridge is located there. It was located in London until 1971 when the masonry from the 1830 bridge was used to clad a concrete structure over a canal. Since we were hauling a trailer through the city, we decided to skip the view of the bridge.

We drove around Lake Havasu and enjoyed the beautiful peaks, following a large body of water and a surprising wetland area at the end of the lake. BLM camping was popular on both sides of the road.

Buckskin Mountain State Park was just before the town of Parker on the 95. We got the last 2 sites. The price was $35 for power and water. Our friends had suggested earlier in the day to get a spot at the state park. It turned out that there is more than one state park and this one didn’t have cel service. When you are accustomed to being connected, I wasn’t sure how to let her know which campground was our home for the night. I was receiving messages, but couldn’t send them. I finally found the wifi spot in the campground and we were able to connect.

The temperature was around 20 degrees C and we finally felt like we were camping. We ate supper around the propane fire ring outside with just a light jacket. We didn’t need the furnace.

Parker, Arizona to Maricopa, Arizona 333 km

Our final day was easy. After a walk along the Colorado River in the campground to stretch our legs, we took quiet backroads to Maricopa, where our friends have a home. We tried the Don’s Famous Cactus Bar in Salome for lunch. Plenty of patrons were in the bar at 1 pm but the restaurant was closed that day. We’ll have to try it another time.

We finished our winter travel from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to Arizona in the early afternoon a distance of 2936 km (1824 miles) It was 20 degrees with blue skies and sunshine.

Advisability of winter RV Travel from Alberta to Arizona

My conclusion on the advisability of winter RV travel in January from Alberta to Arizona is that it would have been better to travel in the cold than in the wind. It was a dangerous situation for the first day and part of the second day as trucks were being blown off the road and slush and icy roads grabbed at our tires. We should have waited another 3 days, according to the forecast, until the winds died down. A couple from Edmonton, Alberta that we met in Buckskin Mountain State Park travelled in the cold and stayed in hotels for the first couple of nights until it warmed up. Although it was cold, the roads were clear. Luckily we arrived at our destination without incident.