What to do with the snow on the roof

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larryqp

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Full-time RVer, anywhere USA
Some of you may have actually experienced this, so I'm looking for insight for future occurrences.
My FWC Hawk/Ford F150 combo was parked on my lot near Fairplay while I was spending the summer in my cabin on said lot.

On Monday the temps were in the mid 70s and 5-10 inches of snow was predicted for Tuesday. Tuesday we got 10 inches of snow between 2pm and 10 pm, temps dropped to low 30s high 20s. No worries, I'm nice and cozy in my cabin.

So today I go out to the FWC/F150 and start sweeping of the snow. The camper is closed, but even with a full length broom I can't sweep the snow off the roof. I thought about getting my step ladder, but I thought that I should try to remove the snow as if I was camping. Couldn't do it, even tried driving forward and braking hard to shift the snow,....... no joy.

So here's my problem, it is not inconceivable, that I could have been in the backcountry camping, when this happened. There was no way to raise the roof with 10 inches of dry, powder, snow on it. Had the roof been up, I don't know if I would have been able to safely lower the roof with that amount of weight.

So what have others done????

If set up already, do you lower one end of the roof, every hour or so and hope the snow slides off? And pray if it doesn't slide off you're able to raise the roof back up.

Do you hope you're alone, drop the roof and sleep in sleuth mode?

Thoughts please.
Thanks
 
I've successfully used a roof rake, aka, snow rake, to remove snow from the roof of my camper. The one I got has a long enough extension to reach the roof.

_DSC7326.jpg


And it breaks down into pieces small enough to fit inside the camper.
 
larryqp said:
. . .
So here's my problem, it is not inconceivable, that I could have been in the backcountry camping, when this happened. There was no way to raise the roof with 10 inches of dry, powder, snow on it. Had the roof been up, I don't know if I would have been able to safely lower the roof with that amount of weight.
So what have others done????
Click to expand...
I repurposed my rock climbing etriers (webbing ladder) to get access to the roof when down. I haven't needed it for snow but for wet leaves on the solar panels. The etrier and 15' of webbing fit in a tiny stuff sack.

I have lowered the roof with 4 inches of wet snow with the speaker jack with no problem; wouldn't try to lift with that additional weight on the roof.

With solar panels, MaxxFan, and cell booster antenna on the roof, using a roof rake blind would be awkward and possibly damage something. I would use my telescoping 3' windshield brush for snow removal.

jim
 
We were in Yosemite once and it snowed about 8-10 inches overnight. No way could we drop the roof with that load on it. It would crash down the instant I popped the bifold panels and billow out the canvas sides. We tied a towel around a rope and dragged it across the roof to remove as much snow as possible. Not efficient and took a while. Once we thought it would be manageable we dropped the roof. Still had the sides blow out, but with the roof lower we were able to remove more of the snow, relift it, and drop it properly. Granted this was with two people. If you are solo, only a rake like Mark noted above would work.
 
i always carry a telescopic ladder with me, i have used it to remove snow, open window flaps and i have had to put a tarp over the roof on another camper. i use a brush on a pole when i am up there to remove the snow.
i also carry 6 pieces of plywood about four inches wide to put by the walls to help support the roof if it snows
belts and suspenders i guess
 
All good ideas, but I can't see carrying a roof snow rake, unless I was going camping and I knew it would snow, plus with 2 100 watt solar panels, yakima racks, 2 roof vents and a Bat wing awning, the rake might get hung up or damage something.

But I wonder if a stiff push broom in combination with the etriers might work. I don't have any etriers, but have plenty of long and short web slings from my climbing days which I could fashion into a web ladder.

I do have a speaker stand lift, and I never thought of using it to lower the roof, duh.... have only used it to raise the roof, so that would help.

I have a 6 ft collapsible ladder, but again I don't take it in the truck camper, seems like I'd rarely use it except for cleaning snow or the solar panels.

Great comments, appreciate them. As always, its a compromise whether to carry everything that you might only need once in awhile or go light and make do.

Thanks
 
They make plastic roof rakes that don't scratch paint.

I will stand on the roof of the cab to reach the front to mid portion of the camper roof with whatever I have handy. Maybe not the safest but works quite well. *Note do this before you turn the truck on or the snow may slide off the warm truck as you climb around.

I am very leery of driving with snow on the camper. The bouncing can put a lot of stress on the roof. I have seen a Jeep Wrangler break its fiberglass hard top after driving across a rough parking lot with a heavy snow load on top.

Although if I know there will be any considerable amount of snow I will put the back half of the camper roof down and let the snow slide off the back.
 
 
Hey Larry,
My Granby and I live in Fairplay too.
I upgraded my struts from 30lb to 40lb. Easy job and makes a big difference to raising and lowering.

I have had quite a bit of snow on mine and never really had an issue.
 
I have a 2014 Grandby and would like to replace my struts with a bit heavier duty ones. Where did you get yours, do you have the part number? Are the front and rear struts the same?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give.
 
Live in Tahoe, snow can be an issue. I have a “snow brum” that I carry between the cab and the camper all winter. The soft material protects the vents, panel, etc. It will not reach all the roof when lowered, but gets enough snow off usually.Clears the truck window and hood super fast as well. I also have a snow rake like one of the earlier posters showed that I just started using last season. I put a piece of pipe insulation over the plastic edge and corners to protect the roof and stuff up there. It will get the entire roof even if up.
 
Wallowa said:
'05Tundra / '16 Hawk with solar & two Fantastic vents...@ 5' 10" I can stand on sill of opened Hawk door and reach top ...but I also have etriers and FWC rear wall steps...found a rubber snow removal 'drag' rake on Amazon to lessen any contact damage..

https://smile.amazon.com/SNOBRUM-Original-Extendable-Push-Broom-Scratching/dp/B010MFYL02/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&aaxitk=lucUiTSpRQXSPUK8waL19w&hsa_cr_id=5238790520001&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_0
Click to expand...
You made me go to the dictionary for “etriers”. My vocabulary expanded, thanks! :)
 
Wandering Sagebrush said:
You made me go to the dictionary for “etriers”. My vocabulary expanded, thanks! :)
Click to expand...
Alas....a misspent youth unsuccessfully trying to go from 'bouldering' to 'rock climbing'! But hey, it was fun and no serious injuries.. :cool:
 
Well lots of good tips, I think with my old rock climbing slings I can fashion a set of etriers, purchase that rubber snow rake and use my speaker stand to lower the roof if I wake up to snow. I never thought of using the speaker stand to lower the roof, so from now on, I'll carry it if there is any chance of snow when I'm camping. I bought the speaker stand so my wife could raise the roof on her own and I don't normally carry it.

Of course, my best plan is not to get surprised by a load of snow when camping. LOL
thanks everyone
 
Still...freezing plumbing is my concern in snow country or when temps go into the teens; not snow on the top...haven't figured all that out, except to drain all plumbing or find an electrical hook-up for the small electric heater we carry....
 
That was the reason I ordered a shell without plumbing for my Hawk. I have a battery operated sink, that runs on four D cells, I carry water in a 5 gal Jerry can and various other containers, the factory furnace seems to do a nice job keeping the Hawk above freezing.
 
Wallowa said:
Still...freezing plumbing is my concern in snow country or when temps go into the teens; not snow on the top...haven't figured all that out, except to drain all plumbing or find an electrical hook-up for the small electric heater we carry....
Click to expand...
I removed my plumbing for that very reason. Often I will run the furnace with the top down while I am away or driving to keep the inside of the camper from freezing. Works quite well and with the top down the camper seems to be surprisingly well insulated.
 
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