Hey, folks, here is a quick recap of our most recent Snowbird trip, 2021/22. This will be the 10th time since starting our full-time RVing journey in 2011 that we have RVed south to spend the winter in the USA. We love the travel and enjoy getting away from the wet Pacific Northwest winters to enjoy the warmer temps and sunny days in the southwest desert!
We spent time in seven beautiful western states during this most recent trip, including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Idaho. We always enjoy the nature, wildlife, stunning landscapes, and economic off-grid camping opportunities of the west. I love the elbow room and wide-open wild spaces.
The springtime return trip was a little different this year. Typically we return north in April and take the coastal route on Highway 101. However, we took a more inland mountainous route through Utah and Idaho this year. Great to explore new places! Having the new Ram 3500 diesel truck makes a big difference. With the Cummins 6.7L, 930 ft/lbs of torque, and turbo exhaust brake towing steep mountain grades is a breeze.
We took I15 from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City and then I84 to Portland. Unfortunately, though, we hit cooler than usual spring weather. A few times, we had to pause our travels for a spell to let some cold and snow pass through or wait to cross a mountain pass safely. Not a big problem as we had left plenty of time. It mostly limited some of our day trip explorations and meant we had to burn more propane to keep the camper warm.
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Travel Stats and Costs
- Number of Days – 175
- Camping/Stopover Locations – 31
- Truck Miles Traveled – 8000 (12,875 km)
- Trailer Miles Traveled – 4000 (6,437 km)
- Fuel Costs Diesel + Propane + Generator Gas – $2924 (2294 USD)
- Ferry Cost – $300 each way ($235 USD)
- Camping Fees – 1952 (1531 USD)
- Days on RV Hook-Ups – 18
- Days Spent Dry Camping – 157
- Health Insurance Costs – $1600 (1257 USD) each
- Repairs required – $500 (400 USD) Slide out motor
Border Crossing Experience
We needed to have proof of Covid vaccinations and passports to enter the USA. At the Black Ball ferry terminal in Victoria, BC harbor, a USA border guard asked if we had vaccine proof but didn’t take that close of a look at it. Then they scanned our passports as usual. On the USA side, they asked to see our passports again. Then queried us about where we were traveling to and how long we’d be in the USA. Nothing else and wave through. Easy Peasy. 🙂
Coming back to Canada, we needed to complete the ArriveCAN App questions and have the resulting QR code for scanning. The Black Ball Ferry cashier did the scan. We weren’t asked for it again on the Canadian side, but they did scan our passports.
The Canadian customs border guard also asked where we had been and for how long. Then ask if we had any purchases to declare. I gave her a list of purchases, primarily RV-related products I bought during the trip and several Christmas gifts to each other totaling around $2500 USD. No duty was charged, and we were welcomed home. That’s about it, quick and easy. Neither side asked to search the truck or trailer. So time spent with the border patrol was only a minute or so.
2021-22 RV Snowbird Season Travel Recap Video
Related Links:
- LYRV Snowbird Related Posts/Videos
- 2017 – 2018 Snowbird Trip Video Playlist
- 2018 – 2019 Snowbird Trip Video Playlist
- 2019 – 2020 Snowbird Trip Video Playlist
- 2021 – 2022 Snowbird Trip Video Playlist
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