In Moffat County, the gap between the last warm weekend on Elkhead Reservoir and the first hard freeze can be a matter of days. If your boat or camper still has water in its lines when that freeze arrives, you will find out in spring, usually as a cracked fitting and a repair bill.

Winterizing takes an afternoon. Done right, it means your rig is ready to roll on the first nice day of next season instead of sitting in a shop. Here is what to do before the snow sticks, and what to look for in a place to keep it until then.

What a Craig winter does to an unprepared rig

Craig sits above 6,000 feet. Winter here means months of snow, nights that drop below zero, and bright high-elevation sun on the days in between. Each is hard on a boat or RV in its own way.

• Freezing water. Water expands as it freezes. Anything left in plumbing lines, water heaters, pumps, engine blocks, or lower units can crack them.
• Snow load. Heavy snow piles up on roofs, slide-out toppers, and boat covers. The weight stresses seams, and the melt finds every gap in the sealant.
• Sun and wind. UV at elevation fades gel coat and decals and dries out tires, seals, and vinyl. Wind works a tarp loose until it chafes the finish.
• Rodents. Mice go looking for a quiet, sheltered spot in the fall. A parked camper with a few crumbs in it qualifies.
• Dead batteries. A discharged battery can freeze and split its case. A fully charged one handles the cold far better.

RV and camper winterizing checklist

Work through these in order. Your owner's manual has the final word, especially if you have an ice maker, a washer, or a tankless water heater.

1. Drain the water system. Empty the fresh, gray, and black tanks at a dump station. Turn off the water heater, let it cool, then pull its drain plug. Open the low-point drains and every faucet.
2. Protect the lines. Put the water heater in bypass. Then either blow the lines out with compressed air at low pressure (30 to 40 psi) or pump non-toxic RV antifreeze through each faucet, the toilet, and the outdoor shower until it runs pink. Pour a cup down each drain to protect the traps. Never use automotive antifreeze in a water system.
3. Empty the kitchen. Remove all food, including canned goods and anything scented. Defrost the fridge, wipe it dry, and prop the doors open.
4. Shut out the mice. Check underneath for gaps around plumbing and wiring and pack them with steel wool or copper mesh. Pull bedding and paper goods if you can.
5. Take care of the batteries. Charge them fully and disconnect them. Better yet, take them home and keep them on a maintainer somewhere above freezing.
6. Treat the fuel. For motorhomes and generators, fill the tank, add stabilizer, and run the engine and generator long enough to circulate it. Confirm the engine coolant is rated for subzero temperatures.
7. Button up the outside. Wash the rig, inspect the roof sealant, and touch up any cracks. Inflate tires to the recommended pressure, close the propane at the tank, and retract slides and awnings.

Boat winterizing checklist

The goal is the same as with an RV: get the water out, keep the fuel fresh, and keep the battery alive.

1. Drain every drop. Pull the drain plug. Empty the bilge, livewells, ballast tanks, and washdown pump. Trim the outboard or outdrive all the way down so water runs out of the lower unit.
2. Stabilize the fuel. Fill the tank most of the way, add a marine fuel stabilizer, and run the engine on a flush attachment for about ten minutes to pull treated fuel through the system.
3. Change the oil and gear lube. Old oil holds moisture and acids you do not want sitting in the engine all winter. Milky gear lube means water is getting into the lower unit. Have that fixed before it freezes.
4. Protect the engine. Inboards and sterndrives need the block and manifolds drained or filled with marine antifreeze. Outboards drain themselves when stored upright. Fog the cylinders if your manufacturer calls for it.
5. Pull the battery. Charge it and store it on a maintainer somewhere above freezing.
6. Clean and dry the interior. Wash the hull, then take home life jackets, electronics, and anything damp. Prop seat cushions up so air can move around them.
7. Cover it and prep the trailer. Use a fitted, vented cover with support poles so snow sheds instead of pooling. Grease the trailer bearings, check tire pressure, and block the tongue so the bow sits high and any moisture drains out the stern.

Where you park it matters as much as how you prep it

A winterized rig in the driveway still takes five months of snow, sun, and wind. When you compare storage options around Craig, check these things.

• Indoor or outdoor. Outdoor parking costs less and works for a well-covered, fully winterized rig, but you will still be clearing snow off it. Indoor storage takes snow load, UV, and wind out of the picture entirely.
• A space that actually fits. Measure total length, including the trailer tongue, outboard, ladder, and spare tire. Measure height with the air conditioner or radar arch, and width with mirrors folded.
• Security. Look for a gated property with cameras, not an open lot.
• Lease terms. A month-to-month rental lets you pay for the season you need and pull out when the ice comes off.
• Easy account management. Being able to rent and pay online saves a trip when you are busy or out of town.

Store it with Tru Craig Storage this winter

Tru Craig Storage has a 10,000-square-foot indoor warehouse at 574 Stock Drive built for boats, campers, and RVs. Spaces run about 25 by 11 feet, and everything inside stays out of the snow, sun, and wind until spring. We also have outdoor storage for rigs that are covered and ready for the weather.

Both of our Craig locations are gated and monitored by digital video surveillance. Rentals are month to month, and you can rent and pay your bill online any time of day. We serve owners from Craig, Hayden, and Steamboat Springs.

Indoor space is limited, so check availability before the first big storm. Call us at (970) 620-5641, see our indoor RV and boat storage, or rent a space online.

Tru Craig Storage 605 Industrial Avenue and 574 Stock Drive, Craig, CO 81625