2013 Camping Thread

[firebug]

Originally Posted by bringtheheat

Looking to go camping in southeastern AB. have a small tent and can pack everything I bring in my corolla.

My wife an I were looking at either Cypress hills PP, Waterton NP, or Kinbrook island near Newell lake. any one ever camp anywhere around these places? or other options? how are the hiking and biking activities in the areas? I'm assuming being next to lakes that there is a beach and that swimming is definitely an option.

Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks.

You should add Writing-On-Stone to your list. Its about halfway between Waterton and Cypress hills. We were there in June and my kids are begging to go back.

[Violator]

Originally Posted by meanmachine13

Im heading to Boulton Creek in a couple weeks. Im glad it finally re-opened after the flood.

Anyone have ideas on where to get firewood for cheaper then the small $8 bundles they sell there?

I was just there last weekend the fas gas has it for 6$ but we figure its a slightly smaller bundle.Still cheaper than 10$ at mount Kidd rv park

[Tailgator]

Originally Posted by Violator

I was just there last weekend the fas gas has it for 6$ but we figure its a slightly smaller bundle.Still cheaper than 10$ at mount Kidd rv park

Just about everything at Mount Kidd is a ripoff. If you have the means, we always go to Blue Grass out by Mallzac. Got a 1/4 cord for about $145 and store it beside the garage. Just load up as much as needed for each camping trip and avoid paying for bundles of wood that burn through your wallet quickly.....

Really gotta try the LED light thing in the trailer. Great idea.....

[CaptainCraig]

Looking at camping next week in Peter Lougheed at Elkwood? Is it a good campground? Is Lower Lake warm enough to swim in and does it have a beach? Anyone know of good biking trails and if they are open?

Never been this way before.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

I neglected to mention that the tent is made out of umm... a live bear.

I was driving home today and thinking about this and laughed. Funny stuff.

[hedge]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Thinking that my tenting for a week days are over, I will keep the little north face 3 man for back packing, but next year I want to have a truck camper. Anyone have any experience with these bad boys and can offer advice on what to look for and what to watch out for?

I have a truck camper, what kind of questions do you have? To get you started:

-you pretty much need a 1ton truck, even then it's hard to stay under the weight limits, although pop-ups are lighter
- mixing different years can be tough, ie some older campers won't fit on newer trucks and vice versa. Cab clearance issues aren't a big deal because you can build a riser but if it's too wide you're screwed
- shortbed/long bed issues. You are pretty limited in the range of campers with a shortbed truck, you always want the COG ahead of the axle and it an be hard to do.

This site will probably answer a lot of your questions http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/newbie-corner/

[Tailgator]

Originally Posted by CaptainCraig

Looking at camping next week in Peter Lougheed at Elkwood? Is it a good campground? Is Lower Lake warm enough to swim in and does it have a beach? Anyone know of good biking trails and if they are open?

Never been this way before.

Elkwood is a great campground that my family has always loved. I've heard it changed a bit since they went to the reservation system, but should still be great.
Both the upper and lower lakes are friggin cold and don't really have beaches (unless you like beaches made of rocks....)
There are biking trails that go through the whole area down in the Peter Lougheed and were open last I heard (they'll close them if bears are in the area though).

Hope that helps!

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by meanmachine13

Im heading to Boulton Creek in a couple weeks. Im glad it finally re-opened after the flood.

Anyone have ideas on where to get firewood for cheaper then the small $8 bundles they sell there?

Burnco in Okotoks. I think it's $35 for a single row, hight and width of a pickup bed.
I think that works out to about 1/8th of a cord.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Tailgator

There are biking trails that go through the whole area

Hope that helps!

I read this as BIKINI trails. Had my reservation all set up then double checked for disappointment

[Slava]

Can anyone provide water pressure/flow advice? Mine starts out great, but within say 30 seconds of running a tap it slows to a trickle.

[Violator]

Originally Posted by Tailgator

Just about everything at Mount Kidd is a ripoff. If you have the means, we always go to Blue Grass out by Mallzac. Got a 1/4 cord for about $145 and store it beside the garage. Just load up as much as needed for each camping trip and avoid paying for bundles of wood that burn through your wallet quickly.....

Really gotta try the LED light thing in the trailer. Great idea.....

The guy that was camping beside me said he was gonna get 4 cords for 200$.
Next time i go I think im gonna just drive around the industrial areas and find wood in the free bins.

[Titan]

Originally Posted by Slava

Can anyone provide water pressure/flow advice? Mine starts out great, but within say 30 seconds of running a tap it slows to a trickle.

is your water pump on?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Titan

is your water pump on?

Yes, and its brand new. It just doesn't seem to have enough flow though.

[Red Potato Standing By]

Check by your water pump there is two valves one is to suck up the anti freeze make sure that is closed and make sure the other is turned on (open)

[Red Potato Standing By]

The one that does the sucking will have a tube on it that should be loose(at least on mine it is)

[Slava]

Mine only has one in and one out, so nothing there. I suppose the trailer isn't very level (just in my driveway), so maybe the pump pushing somewhat uphill is a factor? Its not a huge slope, just a 'normal' driveway grade, but that's about all I can think of.

[Madman]

Air lock somewhere.

Do you have a hot water tank bypass?

Is your hot water tank closed? Both the anode rode drain and also the pressure valve on top.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Madman

Air lock somewhere.

Do you have a hot water tank bypass?

Is your hot water tank closed? Both the anode rode drain and also the pressure valve on top.

I never did check the hot water tank at all... Hopefully that's the issue!

[Tailgator]

Originally Posted by Madman

Air lock somewhere.

Do you have a hot water tank bypass?

Is your hot water tank closed? Both the anode rode drain and also the pressure valve on top.

That's really weird. If you had a leak, or your hot water tank was open, your pump would keep running - either constantly or intermittently. Is it just hot, just cold, or both?
There should also be another bypass at your water pump to make it easier to winterize. Until lines get pressurized, your pump will run. I'm assuming you're just trying one faucet at a time? You may have an issue with your pump.....

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Tailgator

That's really weird. If you had a leak, or your hot water tank was open, your pump would keep running - either constantly or intermittently. Is it just hot, just cold, or both?
There should also be another bypass at your water pump to make it easier to winterize. Until lines get pressurized, your pump will run. I'm assuming you're just trying one faucet at a time? You may have an issue with your pump.....

Well I thought it was a pump issue. I took it out and pulled it apart expecting to find a damaged/unclean diaphragm perhaps. Put it all back together and then it wouldn't work at all. Did this three times and finally gave up, and bought a new pump. So unless the pump is defective from the factory, which is possible, I have to eliminate that as a cause for the time being.

I have been trying one tap at a time, usually cold. I did try the bathroom and shower and opened everything both individually and at once. I'm going to poke around and see if there are cutoffs that I've missed.

I do appreciate all the help/advice here! I realise its not exactly camping, so sorry for derailing this as well!