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Who's driven a motorhome in the snow?

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Neal

Staff member
RVF Administrator
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Messages
11,477
Location
Midlothian, VA
RV Year
2017
RV Make
Newmar
RV Model
Ventana 4037
RV Length
40' 10"
Chassis
Freightliner XCR
Engine
Cummins 400 HP
TOW/TOAD
2017 Chevy Colorado
Fulltimer
No
I may be in for a treat in the weeks ahead. Northern AZ is getting quite a bit of snow starting end of the week! I'm not planning to reroute (yet), I don't see why you can't drive a motorhome in the snow (engine brake off of course). Who's driven in the snow and what are the tips? I'll have to plan this like combat missions, wait and see what the threats are when the time comes as I have Sedona in December then Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, then Flagstaff. All in the path of SNOW!!! I wonder if I can get a Chinook booked to take me to Naples!
 
I have a home in Flagstaff, so I get lots of practice in that area. The annual snowfall averages 100.3 inches (254.8 cm), placing Flagstaff among the snowiest incorporated cities in the United States. For those not familiar with the area the high and low deserts of Arizona can fool folks into thinking the whole state is like that. Flagstaff is located on a north south ridge line (Arizona divide). So for a 40 mile radius West, East and South the terrain quickly rises from 5,000' to over 7,000'. The snow is one problem but the grades in the area make it really interesting for trucks and buses moving through the area. It just started snowing very hard in Flagstaff as I write this. Predictions are for up to 2 feet of snow over Thanksgiving. Time to park for a while in that region.

15--15
 
Neal, I can't say as I have driven a MH in the snow, but I have bob tailed in a semi in the snow. The biggest piece of advice I have is GO EASY with everything. Easy on the throttle, easy on the brakes, give yourself a lot more room ahead too. Air brakes can be a handfull when it gets slippery.
 
Excellent advice from Mntom! Speed and close proximity are your enemies in slippery conditions. As advised, take it easy (aka "slow"), keep your distance and don't let others push you into doing something you are not comfortable with.

TJ
 
In my youth I drove not only truck-tractor-semi trailers, but large duty wreckers and buses for Uncle Sam. There was a mountain pass (San Augustin Pass) that could get huge amounts of snow in the winter. Not an especially pleasant experience driving big rigs through that pass or going up there to recover large rigs that had went off the road.

I personally would not drive my Newmar in snowy conditions unless I absolutely had to for some type of emergency. It isn't so much the snow that will get you it is the ice.
 
I have never driven a Newmar, or any other MH in the snow. Being retired, I don’t foresee ever having to do that. I can wait it out

In my younger days, the family drove from Houston to Chicago area every Christmas for seventeen years for holidays with the grandparents. In the course of all those trips, I have seen literally dozens of large rigs (semi’s) in the ditch. Mostly due to black ice. Our whole family slept on church pews one night in Arkansas, the roads were so bad. I figure if the pros have so much trouble keeping their big rigs on the road, I never want to try it in a coach.
 
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There is much wisdom in just waiting things out. For us, that's one of the major benefits of retirement; no schedule.

We actually had this scenario happen a few weeks ago when we left Montana. Looking at the weather forecasts for Lookout Pass, we could see an early snow week ahead. We left a day early while the weather was still good.

Got to Spokane and saw a weather front coming in, so we just stayed there an extra three days until it passed. Discretion is usually the better part of valor!

TJ
 
As I work from my coach I have no set schedule and can change as needed. Due to this being AZ and snowbirds the problem is just having reservations and a plan through March. I'll change as needed and certainly call ahead to ask about conditions, research, etc. I prefer to stay on course but will see how things go. I simply did not anticipate SNOW to affect AZ travels. WRONG!
 
Lots of people don't realize that there is definitely an "alpine" Arizona along with the desert version. IIRC, Flagstaff gets something like 100 inches of snow a year on average. Having lived in AZ earlier in our lives and working a job that required travel throughout the state in all seasons, we became very familiar with the weather differences there.

TJ
 
As I work from my coach I have no set schedule and can change as needed. Due to this being AZ and snowbirds the problem is just having reservations and a plan through March. I'll change as needed and certainly call ahead to ask about conditions, research, etc. I prefer to stay on course but will see how things go. I simply did not anticipate SNOW to affect AZ travels. WRONG!

Neil, if you are going to roam around the southwest in the Winter, I suggest you carry a pair of AutoSocks on board. They will get you moving when it gets really greasy.
 
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