Glacier NP in the winter

[Rhamilton001]

Has anyone taken their RV to Glacier in the winter? St Mary's at the East entrance is open year round.

[Judge]

I can’t say I know anyone who has but based on what I heard from a Park Ranger, I wouldn’t do it personally.

We took the boat ride and hike over at Two Medicine Lake last year just south of St Mary’s where we stayed at the KOA. The Ranger told us that temps can drop well below zero and winds can hit over 100MPH very quickly.

She showed us pine trees that look like they exploded from the inside out. She said it was from the water inside the trees freezing when the temps dropped rapidly from the 30’s and 40’s to below zero in a matter of minutes coupled with wind gust over 100mph. This was down at the lower elevations and not up at Logan’s Pass or on the Going-to-the-Sun Road:

I don’t think I would be in a RV in that area in the dead of winter… but that’s just me.

[Pete'sMH]

People live there so it’s certainly not uninhabitable. Check the weather and go if you want. You certainly won’t be able to take the road to the sun but the entire park is beautiful. Our son lives in Missoula and camps and hikes a lot in the area. He especially likes to do it in the winter because it is beautiful and still. I expect it would be gorgeous and not crowded.

[MLP]

Yes I cannot disagree that people live there year round, but it is not in motor homes or trailers.

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by Rhamilton001

Has anyone taken their RV to Glacier in the winter? St Mary's at the East entrance is open year round.

I just left Montana ..NO!

[Pete'sMH]

The west side of the mountains has more agreeable weather than the rest of Montana. A bit of the northwest’s temperate climate. Check the weather and decide for yourself. I just HAS to be spectacular in the winter.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by MLP

Yes I cannot disagree that people live there year round, but it is not in motor homes or trailers.

Exactly!

It's one thing to stay in a hotel... watch the weather... and go for a hike or drive.... it is something totally different to be in a MH or TT in extreme winter conditions.

Now maybe you get lucky and can get a few decent days where it is doable but you would need to watch the weather and hope the weatherman is right.

As Clint Eastwood said.... "Do you feel lucky?"

[happy]

We used to live in South Dakota and now in Kansas.
Knowing a little of the work to keep a house and barn water systems from freezing I would not want to try to keep a motorhome from freezing up.

The driving and the sleeping part sounds fun. But dealing with toilet and sink water would be difficult.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Totally winterize it, carry electric heaters and flush toilet with RV antifreeze or...don't do it. She'll freeze up and you'll use more propane than the local distributor can supply. Make sure your life insurance is paid up and let your beneficiaries know where you can be found.

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by Rhamilton001

Has anyone taken their RV to Glacier in the winter? St Mary's at the East entrance is open year round.

Do you have AWD?

[Rhamilton001]

Thanks so much for the input. I do love an adventure. But will take everyone's input to heart.
I will, if I go, be traveling alone towing a jeep. Just pondering if the adventure will be more than I can chew. I am thinking staying fully winterized may be an option.
If I do go, I will post the results unless I don't make it back.

[MJC62]

As Gritz said leave it winterized and flush the pee with RV antifreeze. (No number 2s in the rv's toilet.)
Electric heaters are a must along with good thermal underwear to sleep in & a good 0*sleeping bag on the bed.
I also wouldn't want to subject the slide motors to failure in extreme cold either.
Personally, if I did it, I wouldn't even use the rv's toilet, or sinks. I would invest in a good portable cassette type toilet for night duty. Use dish pans for washing & shower in truck stops.
You also might want to have you rig sprinkled with Holy Water...
Good luck!!

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Rhamilton001

Thanks so much for the input. I do love an adventure. But will take everyone's input to heart.
I will, if I go, be traveling alone towing a jeep. Just pondering if the adventure will be more than I can chew. I am thinking staying fully winterized may be an option.
If I do go, I will post the results unless I don't make it back.

I for one, hope you go. It’ll be a grand adventure that, as we can see here, most folks will never take. Sure it’ll be cold but not like the rest of the state.

[Scubawise]

My wife said when are you going?
Will the engine block or oil freeze.
Will the generator start?
You are our hero!

[Scubawise]

You have a small window now!
My wife says stay home.

[happy]

Totally winterized is an option that I did not think about.
You could do that!



Maybe read up on Ernest Shackleton's adventure.

[Judge]

Having to have the coach winterized and then flushing the toilet with antifreeze.... burning through tons of propane or having so many electric heaters Thor's wiring starts to melt... just doesn't sound like fun.

If I wanted to visit in the winter, a cozy hotel with a fireplace sounds much better... but that's just me.

Oh.... remember when I mentioned the winds in my first post? There is a high wind warning right now with 75MPH gusts!

And while it is not like this every week.... here is just a couple examples from January and February of this year..... -27F doesn't sound like much fun in an RV.

[Rhamilton001]

The winds scare me more than the cold. I would plan on keeping the slides in to conserve heat. Less area to heat and less outside exposure.

My must haves:
Elec heater
Anti-freeze
Long John's
Sleeping bag
Empty and winterized tanks
Updated Will.
Coffee, beans, and soup :-)

The campground is open year round which tells me other brave souls have ventured forth.
My schedule is very flexible so will be watching for doable weather.

BYW - DW just gave me the telephone number for Colonial Life whatever that is.

[Scubawise]

Keep us posted!

There are several ways to insulate them: foam insulation boards, bubble insulation, solar blankets, etc. For extra warmth, line your windows with heavy-weight thermal curtains. You may also want to go over your RV windows and doors with a layer of RV sealant or caulk, just to ensure they're nice and weather-tight

[rxsleeper]

I personally would not. I do know as fact that over 100 mph winds were recorded at the caretakers chalet just outside Many Glacier Hotel. And that was during well below 0° f temperature. It blew window coverings from the hotel as well.

I finished seasonal employment at the Hotel 9/15 of this year. Keep in mind you will have to get there as well. Montana 89 is under construction. Your best bet is to go to Browning and then drive to Babb. Then you are only 9 miles or so to the St. Mary's entrance. Good luck