How to Remove Snow from Roof While Camping

[MarkBC]

If quite a bit of snow fell on the roof of your FWC or ATC camper while you were out camping (roof up/raised) -- deep enough that its weight was a concern -- how do/would you remove it?

My main reason for removing it isn't because the roof will collapse, but that when I try to lower it it will slam down. (Yeah, if I got roof-lifter shock things it wouldn't be such a big deal.)
On the other hand, the local ski area, Mt. Bachelor, received 35 inches of snow (wet, heavy snow) in 24 hours a couple of days ago, and I'm pretty sure that would have exceeded the 1000lb load limit if I had been camped in their parking lot.

At home I could use a ladder and push broom to push/pull the snow off the roof. But I don't carry those with me when I camp. Do you need to?
I guess I could...and I guess it would be worth it to carry if I was heading out expecting a bunch of snow to fall.

One idea I had was to use one of those long-handled roof-scrapers sold (in snow-country) for clearing snow off house roofs. They have long handles so you can reach way up without getting on the roof. So maybe if I got one of those (I've seen them at Lowes/Home Depot) I could carry that without need for a ladder, too.

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions -- preferably based on personal experience?
What do you who live in the mountains or northern latitudes do?
Or do you just not camp when it snows?

 

[Kokopelli]

Sno-rake
http://www.snorake.com/

I also wondered the same thing after coming close to being in a big storm last year. Someone suggested this. It's nice because it is fairly compact and can be stored in the cab of the truck. I keep it there during shoulder seasons. Haven't had to use it with the top up yet as I haven't been in any significant storms camping. I take the camper off the truck during the winter, but I use the sno rake it to rake the snow off the top of the camper after storms. It works well.

If the top was up, I would use the small ladder I use to get in the camper, stand on the top step, and reach as far onto the roof as I can from each side. Ideally better to have a tall ladder, but I'm not brining one. This should get enough snow off that you can safely lower the top.

Good luck!
-Rick

 

[MarkBC]

Sno-rake
http://www.snorake.com/

Thanks Rick. The snorake (or similar by a different name) is what I was thinking about when I mentioned roof-scraper. Good to hear that it actually works.

At the snorake link I like this bit: "makes a great gift for that special someone".
Yep, nothing says "I love you" like a sno-rake!

 

[EdoHart]

Drive backwards and hit the brakes, then forward and swerve left and right before hitting the brakes again?

When I bought my used FWC, the previous owner told me that the way he lowered the top when it had snow on it was to close all the doors and windows, pull the support for front wall, then open the roof vent just a very small crack and as the air was released, it would drop on it's own in a controllable manner. Close the vent and repeat for the rear wall. I've never had the chance to test this method.

 

[MarkBC]

When I bought my used FWC, the previous owner told me that the way he lowered the top when it had snow on it was to close all the doors and windows, pull the support for front wall, then open the roof vent just a very small crack and as the air was released, it would drop on it's own in a controllable manner. Close the vent and repeat for the rear wall. I've never had the chance to test this method.

That's not as crazy as it sounds at first, I think -- actually pretty clever. It might work!
One possible drawback is that since the internal air pressure is what's holding up the roof in this approach, slowing down its lowering, I think that the soft-sides would be bulging out from that pressure (even with the internal bungees pulling in), so the material will be sticking out a lot when the roof pinches down on them. Maybe still would be do-able, though.
Thanks for the "outside the box" suggestion.

 

[Lighthawk]

That's not as crazy as it sounds at first, I think -- actually pretty clever. It might work!
One possible drawback is that since the internal air pressure is what's holding up the roof in this approach, slowing down its lowering, I think that the soft-sides would be bulging out from that pressure (even with the internal bungees pulling in), so the material will be sticking out a lot when the roof pinches down on them. Maybe still would be do-able, though.
Thanks for the "outside the box" suggestion.


Oh man. I hope whoever does this posts a youtube of it

I would suggest that when the front (or could you do the back first?) is lowered, you use that opportunity to dump any remaining snow. Once unloaded, it would be easy to lift the edges and tuck in the soft-sides.

 

[billharr]

Drive backwards and hit the brakes, then forward and swerve left and right before hitting the brakes again?

When I bought my used FWC, the previous owner told me that the way he lowered the top when it had snow on it was to close all the doors and windows, pull the support for front wall, then open the roof vent just a very small crack and as the air was released, it would drop on it's own in a controllable manner. Close the vent and repeat for the rear wall. I've never had the chance to test this method.


I try not to camp in the snow, but you never know. I need to file this info in the small data bank between my ears just in case.

 

[MarkBC]

I try not to camp in the snow, but you never know. I need to file this info in the small data bank between my ears just in case.

Well, I camp in the winter, and most winters -- where I go -- that can include snowfall.
This photo, from a Xmas-New Years trip I took to Great Basin National Park in my PRE-camper days shows the kind of overnight snowfall that I'm referring to as a potential issue for the roof of my camper...

...and is an example of my primary reason for getting a camper after decades of tent-camping.
Follow the line from the propane tank and somewhere in there you'll find my snow-bound Coleman stove...

As a result of experiences like this I suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic-Snow Disorder), which is why I cook inside my camper even in fair weather.

 

[MarkBC]

And before somebody posts, "Move south"...
I'll just say, "It's easier to get warm when it's 10° than to get cool when its 110°".

 

[chnlisle]

You clearly have not enjoyed the aura of an old, fat, bald, naked man jumping into a pool in Tucson in the summer. Talk about cool.

 

[Smokecreek1]

I try not to camp in the snow, but you never know. I need to file this info in the small data bank between my ears just in case.


Wow! I sure wish I knew about this web site about six years ago! Did it exist then! sure could have used some of this info then. Anyway, here is my story on removing snow/ice from the roof! I had only had the Gramby for about a year and was still learning how to work the frig (push the damn button, push the damn button), let alone worry about snow on the roof! It was January-a real cold and snowy old type of one - and my old aust. shep dog "babe" had recently broken her leg chasing a ball and to make a long story short -they found bone cancer and I was given the choice of putting her down or having her leg cut off-needless to say I chose the later and the vet hospital that could do the best job was in Reno. And as always happens it seems, the super storm hit on the day I had to drive to Reno (80 miles) the day before the operation was to be done; I had planned to stay a the Border Town RV park over night and be at the vets by 0800 in the morning. Took me three hours (usually takes 1 1/2) to get there-snowed all the way, checked into the RV park, drove to my camp site, parked and tried to lift the roof up-forget it. The snow was almost frozen solid and I was screwed! It was snowing like hell, I was freezing, and Old "Babe" was playing in the snow on her three good legs (the broken one was wrapped up and sort of stuck out). I started off first by using my can of deicer, snow windshield scraper, and a broom handle, then I used an old trowel to poke under the roof rack, then the shovel, kept working at it until I could lift the front-then it became easier (still snowing) to push the snow and ice off. After an hour or so, I got the roof up! All night long I keep going out side and poking the snow build up to try and keep it loose(kept the heater going all night-don't know if it helped-doing something is better than doing nothing). In the morning, the snow on the roof way pretty frozen into ice-so I went through the same process again, chip away, then get the front up, etc., and I did use the punch it and then hit the breaks trick when I felt it was loose enough to try-it worked just had to be careful about it. Off to the vet-not snowing, just black ice on the road, cars slipping and sliding all over the place. Spent the day vets, operation went okay, and since they decided to keep her over night , I went back the RV park, had dinner and drank a six pack of beer. I forgotten to bring my cell phone, so I got "Babe's " status every so often from the vet by using a pay phone (started snowing again). It was not snowing as bad the next day, so it was easier to get unhooked and out to go pick up "Babe" and head home. While things like that combined with the storm of the century can't be planned for, sure wish I'd had that snow "thingy or another", to use, but cans of deicer, an something to poke with are a must! A straighned wire coat hanger worked real good once things got a bit loosened up, Two people would have helped with one on each side! Getting one end up really made it easier too-and much to my surprise, the "punch it and hit the breaks worked better than I thought it would! I kept hoping and I some type of torch as a source of heat but I would have probably burned a hole in my roof-so maybe that isn't such a good idea. Staying cool and not screaming and starting to break things is a must-it was hard, but I had to stop all the time and think what I was doing! Babe made it through her rehab (I almost didn't) and I took her on a several week vacation to all of her favorite places; she died of a heart attack, swimming after her ball at Eagle Lake (her favoristest) place seven months later-buried her there on the shore. Don't know if that helped you much Mark, but I sure wish I had some sort of heat source, blower or something like that to melt the snow-sure would have made things better!

Smoke

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

When anyone mentions lowering the top without the door open I have to stop and say be careful. The front and rear liner are attached to the lifter panel by 3 short strips that pull the liner in as the top comes down.If the air pressure can't get out fast enough these tabs will pull out from the panel or the liner.I made the mistake of not having the door open one time and managed to tare two of the front ones off.Seems the only way to fix them is to remove part of the liner.What a PITA.So now I make sure to have the door open and check the front liner. Sometimes it needs a small tuck other times it's OK.

I read in another post about lowering the top with the door closed and the fan on to pull the liner in,can work put I don't' want to risk pulling more of those tabs off.

Just a rambling thought.
Frank

 

[MarkBC]

When anyone mentions lowering the top without the door open I have to stop and say be careful.
Frank

Yeah, I'm sure you're right about that.
It makes most sense to remove at least some of the snow. Not just for ease-of-lowering the roof, but because there are situations where enough snow could accumulate that it would stress/challenge the load-capacity of the roof.

But I still think it's a clever idea -- one that I didn't think of.

 

[Cort]

For those of you who have an awning and still actually have the pole that came with it.....just add a dust pan and some duct tape and there you have it.....and improvised snow shovel. Trust me it works. It works so well that I never actually bothered to buy anything else. Now when I have to remove snow I try to think think ahead...I usually lower the back of the camper before too much builds up and let gravity help a little.

Cort

 

[Ted]

The problem with the snow rake or dust pan is, depending on your truck, the roof top is 10-11 feet high. You need an angled pole to reach up there and scrape stuff off.

This exact thing happened to us in Yosemite about a year ago. So much snow piled up overnight the roof was sagging. I knew we couldn't drop it like that. Brilliant wife came up with an idea to tie a towel to a rope. We would then throw the rope over the roof and drag it across the roof to remove snow. It took a while but got it to a manageable amount. A small board like a 2x2 with a rope tied to each end would probably work better.

 

[MarkBC]

The problem with the snow rake or dust pan is, depending on your truck, the roof top is 10-11 feet high. You need an angled pole to reach up there and scrape stuff off.

This exact thing happened to us in Yosemite about a year ago. So much snow piled up overnight the roof was sagging. I knew we couldn't drop it like that. Brilliant wife came up with an idea to tie a towel to a rope. We would then throw the rope over the roof and drag it across the roof to remove snow. It took a while but got it to a manageable amount. A small board like a 2x2 with a rope tied to each end would probably work better.

Ted, now that you mention it, I think I remember your post about this...

You're right about the problem of the roof height. But I have seen roof/snow rakes (for home roof use) that are angled for that same reason. I haven't looked close enough into this issue to figure out if a long, angled, roof/snow rake or a shorter handled rake plus step-ladder (I have a lightweight 5-footer) would be better.

Looking back at my old pre-camper snow photo drives home -- to me, anyway -- that it's not like I'm worrying about something that never really happens. It really did snow 10 inches (or so) overnight that night, and it can/does snow more than that. As I mentioned earlier, in the Cascades west of Bend, at Mt Bachelor Ski Area, they got 35 inches in 24 hours this past week....

 

[EdoHart]

The problem with the snow rake or dust pan is, depending on your truck, the roof top is 10-11 feet high. You need an angled pole to reach up there and scrape stuff off.

This exact thing happened to us in Yosemite about a year ago. So much snow piled up overnight the roof was sagging. I knew we couldn't drop it like that. Brilliant wife came up with an idea to tie a towel to a rope. We would then throw the rope over the roof and drag it across the roof to remove snow. It took a while but got it to a manageable amount. A small board like a 2x2 with a rope tied to each end would probably work better.


The rope and towel or board sounds like a good idea, especially if you put it on top before or during a snowfall. Might want to have a second rig ready to put on top in case the snow was too thick or compacted to remove it with the pre-emplaced one.

Then again, dragging a board across the top with the weight of the snow on it might damage the roof, but a rubber garden hose might do a good job, without damaging the roof.

I can see how running the furnace during a snowfall may create a layer of ice on top of the roof, but I'm reminded of the trick of 4x4 "mudders" and moto-cross riders of spraying the inside of their fenders with Pam cooking spray to make it easier to wash out the mud. Maybe a light coat of the pink RV antifreeze on the roof would make removing the snow a lot easier.

 

[MarkBC]

Another potential issue is racks, solar panels, etc. on the roof, and, if nothing else, the vent lid.
Using whatever we use to clear the roof shouldn't be too aggressive, harsh, brutal.
But the point, for me anyway, is to just reduce excessive snow-weight; it's fine if a couple inches -- the depth of roof-top gear -- remains.

 

[Roger]

The problem with the snow rake or dust pan is, depending on your truck, the roof top is 10-11 feet high. You need an angled pole to reach up there and scrape stuff off.



I bought one of those collapsible ladders from RV World to get to the top and I use the kids plastic snow disk or sled to scrape the snow/ice off. It fits right behind the couch and it is a 'winter pack' item. I tried the angled pole thing, and it didn't work; the pole has to be incredibly long and the angle has to be "just" right due to the height of the camper. I've done the drop down the back using the closed door / open vent thing but you have to be very careful to not blow out the fabric, it does work though.

Roger

 

[Smokecreek1]

Another potential issue is racks, solar panels, etc. on the roof, and, if nothing else, the vent lid.
Using whatever we use to clear the roof shouldn't be too aggressive, harsh, brutal.
But the point, for me anyway, is to just reduce excessive snow-weight; it's fine if a couple inches -- the depth of roof-top gear -- remains.


Agreed on that, just ordered one of those snow rakes, you can never have to many "tools" , better over prepared than buried out there with no way to get out-still think ice is a worse problem than snow on the roof.

Smoke