By Bill “Icy” Whetstone
Occasionally, you will like a work camping job so much that you don’t want to leave — not even in the face of winter. Such is the case with my latest work camping position at Yellowstone National Park, where I am managing the bookstore in the visitor center at Old Faithful. The opportunity to work in a frozen wonderland, while not for everyone, was calling to me and my wife, Jolene.
Winter is real in the northern latitudes and higher altitudes; and while motorhomes are built to take some severe temperatures, where I am the roads will not be plowed. That means no propane delivery, and no driving out to get propane.
Fortunately, this particular job comes with an apartment for winter. Since we won’t be using our motorhome over the winter months, it doesn’t make much sense to keep it here and leave it exposed to the elements. So, what’s a full-timing work camper to do?
In our case, we had time off during the bridge period between the end of the summer/fall work camping season and the beginning of the winter season. We were given a 10-week furlough, so we headed south to store our RV in warmer climes. Our motorhome would spend the winter in Arizona while Jolene and I braved the winter in our temporary apartment at Yellowstone.
If you think this type of apartment-based winter work-camping scenario is something you may deal with at some point, I’ve compiled a few pointers to help you make the transition.
Before You Leave: If possible, set up your apartment before you leave at the end of the summer/fall season. Some apartments are fully furnished, right down to the dishes and silverware, while others only come with the bare necessities. The latter was our case, so we had to prepare the unit for full-time living before we could move in for the winter season.
Household Goods: You can always transfer some items from your motorhome; but if you’ll be using the RV during the bridge period and flying back to your work camping job, you may end up leaving most of your belongings with the coach, as we did. So Jolene and I visited discount centers, thrift stores and Habitat for Humanity resale shops to stock up on the household items we’d need for our winter stay. You may also need to bring your own sheets, blankets and a quilt or coverlet for the bed. If you have a few sheet sets in your coach, you can leave one or two sets behind. Otherwise, if you’re getting ready to retire an older set, you can leave that with the apartment and buy a new set for the coach. Usually we all have enough towels to spare a set for the winter abode.
Food: Here in Yellowstone, you are pretty isolated once the snows cover the roads. Food can be ordered and sent in, but having everything you need at home is better — and cheaper. That’s why it’s best to plan your meals in advance. While you don’t need an exact day-by-day menu, it’s helpful to estimate what type of meals you’ll have over the course of each week, then add up the pounds of chicken, hamburger, beef, pork and fish you’ll need to have on hand. Shop the warehouse clubs and buy food in bulk, but be sure to take your freezer space limitations into account. Milk can be frozen, or you can purchase shelf-stable milk that will keep for months unopened. Look for alternatives to perishable produce. Dehydrated peppers will spice up a sauce; dried mushrooms rehydrate really well. Don’t worry, there is typically a way to have groceries delivered during the winter season; but try keep that to a minimum. Just be aware you can’t dash out for a pint of heavy cream the day before Christmas!
Storing Your RV: What should you do with your coach for the winter season? If you will be storing it nearby, you will obviously need to winterize it. (See my article on winterizing your coach for some helpful tips.) If you have a good amount of time off between work seasons, like I did, you can enjoy some travels and winterize your coach the most popular way — drive it south! We headed to Arizona, and visited some wonderful areas on our way there. Our destination was the new Lazydays RV Campground in Tucson. We stayed at the campground for a while, and then stored our motorhome there for the winter season. Other campgrounds offer storage facilities, as well. Do some research to determine the best situation for you. Storing your coach a temperate climate is similar to storing it in a cold climate, but there is less concern about freezing pipes. Make sure to empty your refrigerator, clean and dry the interior, prop the door open and leave some crumpled newspapers inside to absorb any humidity. I like to crank open my roof vents a small amount for ventilation and to minimize heat build-up inside the coach. I have MaxxAir® covers on top, which will keep the rain out. Draw the curtains to keep the sun out and prevent fading, and turn off your batteries.
Winter jobs can be great fun, whether you work at a ski resort or the interior of a national park. The beauty of these places in the wintertime and the friendships you make with the rest of the staff are well worth any inconvenience or special arrangements. Have fun, and stay warm!
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