2016 Camping Thread- RVing Edition

[ken0042]

Figured we would be due for a new thread. There was a question asked in the bankruptcy thread that would be better answered in a general thread:

Originally Posted by jeffh

I respect this, to a point. A true Calgarian bbq's any day of the year. For my family, camping season is from May long to (Canadian) Thanksgiving. I would like to camp earlier and maybe get some time on the slopes at the same. So, leads me to ask, if anyone does off-season camping & skiing? Where do you camp/ski? And power available?

For winter and early spring camping, the three places I go that are year round:
Mt. Kidd
MacLean Creek
Riverbend (Okotoks)

Mt. Kidd sounds like more of what you want, as it is about 5 km from Naskiska for skiing. Probably my favourite campground.
MacLean Creek is pretty decent, and much closer to Calgary
Riverbend is a bit of a "diamond in the rough." Some sites are great, others are not. Also close to Calgary.

All of them have power year round. While I am an avid dry camper, for winter camping you really need power available.

[Canehdianman]

Whats the point of having a year in the title? Will camping be different in 2017?

[ken0042]

Every camping season we have had a new thread for each season. The exception being last year, the 2014 thread got bumped and it remained the active thread.

While some questions may be repeated year after year, often having the discussion is better than having somebody search the thread when it gets too big.

[foshizzle11]

So we were out at Chain Lakes this past weekend. The weather was amazing. Sunny and wonderful all day. This is a great place to take the kids and just escape the city. The best part was there were only about 5 other families/couples camping in the whole place (only Loop B was open). They have power and it is only $20/night (for power sites all winter). The fishing is great for the kids, we caught a bunch of trout and had a nice fish fry/BBQ on saturday.

I highly recommend this location this early in the season. We used our 1970s bonair tent trailer and had the furnace set to about medium heat. It was chilly the first night but it was also about -10 outside. Just bring good sleeping bags and you are set.

I can't wait to get out more early in the season and get some fishing in before the camp sites are packed. The Alberta Discovery Guide is out and is free from local stores (Wholesale sports and Can Tire), this has a lot of cool spots for camping and maps.

[FlamesKickAss]

What is the camp fire situation at chain lakes? There isn't any on the sites? Its a communal one?

[foshizzle11]

There is group camping and individual camp sites. Here is the link to the Alberta Parks site:
http://www.albertaparks.ca/chain-lak...g/chain-lakes/

We stayed in the B loop, in the middle. The only bad thing about this place is that you can't have fires in your sites but there is a communal camp fire for each loop. There is also an indoor kitchen/cookhouse for each loop as well.

[Violator]

Got out 4 times last year three times to Castle Falls and once to racehorse.Hopefully i can double that i seem to prefer closer to the borders a lot more than being close to Calgary.

[Madman]

Anyone know of RV lots to purchase around Koocanusa?

Could be Canadian or US side.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

What is the camp fire situation at chain lakes? There isn't any on the sites? Its a communal one?

Yeah it's only the communal, and IMO that ruins it. Otherwise it's great there, but basically no campfire, or a campfire with a bunch of people you don't know at all just isn't my thing.

[MacDaddy77]

Anyone been to Highwood group site? Have that booked for Father's Day weekend. There's 12 of us with trailers

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Slava

Yeah it's only the communal, and IMO that ruins it. Otherwise it's great there, but basically no campfire, or a campfire with a bunch of people you don't know at all just isn't my thing.

I wonder if you'd be allowed to bring your own gas firepit. Amazon has these awesome propane ones for under $200 I was thinking of grabbing for home use and camping. Wood is probably better for camping but I wouldn't enjoy sitting at a communal campfire, either. Especially because it's nice just to put the kids to bed and then stay out by the fire.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I wonder if you'd be allowed to bring your own gas firepit. Amazon has these awesome propane ones for under $200 I was thinking of grabbing for home use and camping. Wood is probably better for camping but I wouldn't enjoy sitting at a communal campfire, either. Especially because it's nice just to put the kids to bed and then stay out by the fire.

Well a couple of years ago I booked a site there and the girl on the phone said we could bring our own, so we did. We often do anyway, so it was great. In the morning the conservation officers came around though and were going to fine us $500 for using it. We escaped the fine, but I wouldn't recommend trying that.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Madman

Anyone know of RV lots to purchase around Koocanusa?

Could be Canadian or US side.

That is a pretty broad question. Are you looking for right on the lake, or just near the lake? Full services, are is that flexible.

There were a few at the RV show; both right on as well as near the lake.

[Hockeyguy15]

Does anyone know what kind of a crimper I would be needing to replace the lugs on my battery cables?

From some digging I've done it would seem like a pricey pick up for a one time (hopefully) job.

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I wonder if you'd be allowed to bring your own gas firepit. Amazon has these awesome propane ones for under $200 I was thinking of grabbing for home use and camping. Wood is probably better for camping but I wouldn't enjoy sitting at a communal campfire, either. Especially because it's nice just to put the kids to bed and then stay out by the fire.

No propane gas tanks at Chain Lakes either. I agree that it kind of ruins it and we likely won't be going there much at all because of this. At least when we went in March we were the only ones there and the only people having a fire. I can't imagine the middle of the summer and not being able to have a fire, not really my thing.

[mrbanffgirl]

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

What is the camp fire situation at chain lakes? There isn't any on the sites? Its a communal one?

We were down there a year ago or so, and yeah, nothing other than the communal pits. IMO it sucked, slightly odd people who are awkward, plus their kids running around and almost falling in the fire. will be driving past their and making the trip to the crowsnest. better camping, fishing and other stuff to do

[craigwd]

Has anyone ever stayed in the teepees at River Grove in Drumheller?
Is it fun? Good value for the money?

[FlamesKickAss]

Originally Posted by Slava

Yeah it's only the communal, and IMO that ruins it. Otherwise it's great there, but basically no campfire, or a campfire with a bunch of people you don't know at all just isn't my thing.

......I can't imagine why.......

Originally Posted by mrbanffgirl

We were down there a year ago or so, and yeah, nothing other than the communal pits. IMO it sucked, slightly odd people who are awkward, plus their kids running around and almost falling in the fire. will be driving past their and making the trip to the crowsnest. better camping, fishing and other stuff to do

Yeah I agree crownest is awesome. One of our favorite spots is beaver mines

[canadianmoosette]

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

Yeah I agree crownest is awesome. One of our favorite spots is beaver mines

Beaver Mines is a fave of ours too. The nearby hiking trail up the mountain is awesome too. Great views of the lake

[MacDaddy77]

Originally Posted by craigwd

Has anyone ever stayed in the teepees at River Grove in Drumheller?
Is it fun? Good value for the money?

Haven't stayed in the tepees but I've camped there and looked inside. Unless something drastically changed I wouldn't let my dog sleep in there. They were disgusting