# Yellowstone, Here We Come!!!



## The Teke's (Oct 11, 2009)

Ohio to Wyoming in June. The main reason we got the 210 was for this trip.

We leave on June 11th. headed for The Grand Tetons. Were planning to stay at Colter Bay campgrounds until the 19th.
Then head north to Yellowstone for the next 7 days. I ended up with my back-up plan and reserved our spot at Madison.(Canyon was booked).Head east towards Devil's Tower, then Mt. Rushmore, and back home on the 31st.

Our TT's battery and charging system are bone stock. 
My big concern is, are we going to run out of power? We are very conservitve when it comes to electric. We used to boondock for 5 days at a time with the pop-up. I see Cabelas has a Champion 3500 on sale. Along with my points and free shipping, I can get it for $149.00. Yea, I'd rather have a Honda or Yamaha, but I can't swing that kind of cash right now. Would it be better to buy two 6 volt bats. and a solar charger, or get the genset.

O.C. I could use your boondocking expertise please. Or anyone who has that genny. I'm wondering how offencive the noise will be.

Thanks everyone
Dan


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Congrats on your upcoming Yellowstone trip. We did a similar trip during the summer of 2008 (Grand Tetons / Yellowstone). What an awesome time and memory for the family.

Regarding your question - I would go with a 2x6V setup and you will not have any issues. I have a 2x6V setup and am very happy with it. I would not want to be your neighbor with that generator setup. That will cause some noise that most likely will not be welcome (or allowed) in some parks. If you are looking at boondocking only and it will only be you then no issue.

Good luck with your trip.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sweet...that looks like a GREAT trip for sure.

I don't see where you say you are going to be camping without power. How many nights in a row do you think you will be without power? Because this will be a summer trip, you won't be running the heater, which is the biggest draw on the battery. If you just plan on 1-2 nights in a location without power, your 12v will be fine. Just don't go leaving all the lights on while you are away.

Now, if you're planning on staying >4 days/night without power, I would highly recommend 2x6v batteries. I can go about 5-6 days on mine, but we are pretty good on keep the power usage down.

Another thought is on heat...you are going in the summer and you won't be able to to run your AC on ANY battery configuration....you need shore power for that. The generator will surely help, but you won't be making a lot of friends.









Give us some more info and I think we can steer you right.


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## The Teke's (Oct 11, 2009)

The 13 days while in Tetons and Yellowstone we will be dry camping. No hook-ups at all. After day 6 we will have to move the camper and hopefully charge up the house bats.

The wife and I were there about 12 years ago. The last week of June. It was cold and wet most of the time, even got snow on one day, but that is the season when all the animals migrate over to the summer grazing grounds. I'm sure we will need heat. I was planning to take the buddy heater for back-up.

Dan


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

If you are comfortable with that many nights without shore power, you won't have problems. You only have a problem if you are sitting there wishing "wow I wish we had full hook-ups." Dry camping is really a state of mind. We went to Colter Bay (swam in Lake Jackson, clear and cold but that was late July) and Yellowstone then Rushmore in 2006 but not near as many days as you are planning. We were in a 23 ft motorhome and we stayed in a different camp every night touring along the way. Canyon has showers. Others (including Madison) don't. Canyon also has a dump station as I recall. Most are rustic, but that's real camping. Unless you are really cold natured I don't think you will get too cold. Just bring some warm clotes and blankets. I'd recommend a stop at the Hot Pots outside the park between Mammoth and Gardiner. Just check out the website www.nps.gov for info on Yellowstone and Tetons. (As I am sure you have already done.) Since you've been before you know how much fun this trip in going to be! I am watching this line for the advice on extra batteries/power as I will go back there some day too.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

The Teke said:


> The wife and I were there about 12 years ago. The last week of June. It was cold and wet most of the time, even got snow on one day, but that is the season when all the animals migrate over to the summer grazing grounds. I'm sure we will need heat. I was planning to take the buddy heater for back-up.


Burrrr.....that would require you to charge the batteries about every 4th day...which is no problem.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

I'd make sure you have a way to charge those batteries. I don't like Generators and therefore have solar. However, when we were at Yellowstone 2 years ago, we had snow on the ground at the next campsite in June.








We did run the furnace at night, and with 2 6V's and 45W of solar, we did just fine being very careful on power useage for 4 nights, but we were losing ground. I now have 60W of solar and last summer seemed to be able to keep up, again being very careful (heat on a low setting at night).


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## Ridgway-Rangers (Apr 18, 2008)

We were at the Fishng Bridge last year mid June. Snowed every night!







We were glad to have the hookups. The days were cloudy and cool but not too cold. I have a feeling you will be using the heater at night. you might want to think about a 2000 watt generator just to keep the batteries up.
After Yellowstone, we drove to Devils Tower and stayed at the KOA there. That was fun but one night was enough, There is really nothing else there. We then went to Rushmore. We stayed at the Rafter J in Hill City. LOVED IT!
Have fun planning the trip,
Brian


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## jasonrebecca (Oct 30, 2007)

We went the first two weeks of June in 2008 and had 8 inches of snow fall in a couple hours while at Madison. Had the same Coleman that OC has and we had to charge every day with the stock 12v running the furnace all the time we were in the TT. We splurged and got hook ups at Colter Bay and it snowed there to. On our departure from Yellowstone to Tetons Rockefeller Parkway was closed due to the snow, so we had to drive 8 hours around and get to Tetons from the south entrance. Those were the only two days of snow we had though. The rest of the time was clear blue skys. Might be going back next year!


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## Juan (Mar 31, 2009)

We went to YNP last July. It was rainy and cold. No snow. We stayed at Fishing Bridge with hook ups. The furnace ran every night. We have younger kids so we liked being able to keep them warm without too many blankets. I didn't really like being packed in like sardines at Fishing Bridge, but having full hook up was nice.

As for the generator, I have the Champion 3500 with RV hook up. I got it for $300 at Checker Auto Parts in June. They wanted $399.99, but they price matched an ad from Tractor Supply Company that I found online. The gen is a little quieter than my lawn mower and runs almost everything in the trailer fine. I can't run my hot water heater, coffee maker and other electronics all at the same time. The coffee maker and WH need to be ran separetely, no big deal. It runs my A/C no prob. I ran the gen last year at 8500 ft off and on for 2 days and didn't need much gas either. Don't remember exactly how much I ran it or how much gas was needed. The furnace also ran throughout the night and I just charged the bat in the early evening. We didn't have any neighbors close by so I just put the gen on the street side of the trailer and forgot about it.

So for $150 I think it's a great deal. I would definitely buy it. It's also nice to have if your power goes out at home.


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## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

Last time I did a YNP trip was in late June and we got all kinds of snow. However, the snow capped mountains were much prettier than the non-capped August mountains.

Here was our campsite one night:










Here I am at Shoshone Lake:










If I can manage in a tent then you can definitely manage in a TT, just use warm sleepin bags.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

We went to Yellowstone this past year and stayed at Madison and Grant. It was a trip to remember. You are going to have a blast.

I will take a different perspective on this whole thing. You say you cannot afford a Honda or Yamaha generator, yet you are considering upgrading to 6V batteries? Wise Sales has Honda EU2000 generators for $899, no shipping, no tax. I am not sure what a 6 Volt battery costs, but it would seem the cost for two 6 Volt batteries would get you close to a nice, quite Honda generator. Then you will have no worries about power on your trip.

I only point this out since we sometimes get caught up in the cost of the generator, and forget the differential is really what you should be looking at. I would suck it up and buy the Honda or Yamaha generator.

DAN


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I have really wondered about trying something like this for charging batteries.


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## The Teke's (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks for all the help everyone.
We ended up ordering the Champion generator. With points and free shipping I got it delivered for $149.00. Figured I couldn't go wrong even if I just use it at the house and hunting camp. If it ends up being to noisy, I have a friend from work who said I could use his 1800 watt for the trip. I will also be purchasing two 6 volt batts. I saw some T105's for around $100.00. Is that a good price? Should I look at something different like Interstate?

For those that have stayed at Madison, Is there a place to fill the fresh water tank? I read that they do have a dump station and pay showers, but no mention of water.

Dub= I've spent enough snowy nights in tents, during elk hunts, too know how to stay warm. I couldn't get the wife and little one to see it my way so I had to get the OB.

Dan


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

The Teke said:


> For those that have stayed at Madison, Is there a place to fill the fresh water tank? I read that they do have a dump station and pay showers, but no mention of water.
> Dan


Yes they do have fresh water at Madison.

DAN


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## Dub (Dec 8, 2008)

The Teke said:


> Dub= I've spent enough snowy nights in tents, during elk hunts, too know how to stay warm. I couldn't get the wife and little one to see it my way so I had to get the OB.
> 
> Dan


Tell me about it. That is the same exact reason I own an outback as well. RV's couldn't get anywhere close to where I spent a week in Alaska this summer. But the RV definitely makes it easier having kids.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

TwoElkhounds said:


> For those that have stayed at Madison, Is there a place to fill the fresh water tank? I read that they do have a dump station and pay showers, but no mention of water.
> Dan


Yes they do have fresh water at Madison.

DAN
[/quote]
x2. Fresh water at the dump station just like most campgrounds have. Yellowstone did have decently long lines at the dump station around checkout time. I found I would fill up/dump either coming or going depending on the line situation when changine campgrounds. Of course that means you have extra wieght for the passes, but I'd rather wait in just 1 line.


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