Ariel Conquers Wyoming Winters in her Off-Grid Tiny Home

Ariel’s Off-Grid Tiny House RV in Wyoming

Wouldn’t it be nice to travel anywhere with your Tiny House RV without worrying about “plugging-in?” Ariel McGlothin purchased a Tumbleweed 24 Cypress, and she customized her Tiny House RV to be completely off-grid, even in the cold winter climate of mountainous Wyoming.

A tiny wooden cabin stands illuminated at night in a snowy forest, surrounded by towering, snow-covered trees. Snow tumbles steadily from the sky, blanketing the ground and tree branches.

“The propane heater built into my RV does an excellent job of providing steady, even and comfortable heat,” Ariel explains. “The only thing I would prefer comfort wise is a heated floor as my feet have always tended to be cold, but I chose not to go with that due the the power use and knowing that (my Tiny House RV) would be off-grid.”

Ariel chose the 24 foot Cypress model, and her layout was customized to have a large kitchen for cooking meals from scratch. Some other customizations include: converting her closet into a pantry and adding a double sink and extending her kitchen counter.

“I use my oven and all four burners,” Ariel explains. “So it (the full range appliance) is absolutely worth the space for me.” 

A cozy Tumbleweed tiny house interior with wooden walls, a dining table set for two, a brown armchair, a loft with a ladder, and a wreath hanging on the wall. The kitchen is visible in the background.
A small kitchen in a cozy tiny house with wooden cabinets and drawers open, a gas stove, utensils on the wall, various kitchenware, and a plant in the corner next to a small window.
A cozy loft bed with blue pillows and a brown comforter, illuminated by a small light above. The tiny house boasts potted plants and books on a wooden shelf beside the bed, creating an inviting atmosphere.
A compact kitchen in a Tiny House featuring a refrigerator, sink, countertop with dishes, jars of food, glasses on shelves, and cooking utensils. The area is well-organized and brightly lit.
A kitchen sink with clean dishes in a drying rack beside the faucet. There is a glass of water and a small bottle on the counter. The background features wooden cabinets and a window, typical of the cozy charm found in a tiny house, where even tumbleweeds might occasionally roll by outside.

Functioning Off-Grid

1). Solar & Generator

Two solar panels mounted on wooden frames stand in a snowy forested area, surrounded by trees, like a quiet retreat for a tumbleweed or tiny house.

When it’s sunny out, Ariel is able to provide the electricity for her Tiny Home RV with solar panels. On a cloudy day, she switches on the generator to recharge her batteries. “I take an extra minute in the morning to run up the bank behind my RV to dust the snow off the solar panels,” Ariel explains. “I recharge camera batteries and my laptop, while the generator is running.”

2). Propane Appliances

Ariel’s heater, water heater, stove and oven are all powered by propane rather than electricity. “I need to monitor my propane tanks and fill them as each one gets empty so I’m not suddenly without heat,” Ariel comments.

Her refrigerator is Energy Star rated, meaning it uses less electricity than most models.

3). Water Tanks

A person wearing winter boots is pouring liquid from a blue container into a small container connected to a hose outside their tiny house. Snow-covered ground and trees are visible in the background, creating a serene winter scene.

Ariel’s Tiny House RV has a 26 gallon water tank hidden under the kitchen sink. She fills this weekly by hauling jugs of fresh water to her RV and pouring them into the exterior water inlet. The tank could also be filled using a garden hose, if she had one nearby, and if it wasn’t frozen.

Consumption wise, Ariel uses about 140 gallons of water a month not including her showers that are usually taken at the gym. “It’s been fun to measure my use of things.” Ariel tells us. Because of this, she has become very conscious of her usage.

4). Composting Toilet

A small bathroom in a Tiny House features a toilet, a toilet paper holder, a trash bin, a bath mat, and a weighing scale on the floor.

Ariel has a Nature’s Head composting toilet, the fan favorite for manufactured composting toilets in the Tiny House RV world. She dumps her urine container about once a week. The “solids” compartment is rated for 90 uses before dumping.

“None of this is hard, it’s just a commitment to extra regular chores that people typically do not have any experience with these days.”

Ariel McGlothin, Tumbleweed Owner

For more details on Ariel’s tiny house or off-grid living tips, check out her informative website here.

All photos provided by Ariel (who is an excellent photographer)! More of her work on her website.

By |2024-08-13T16:30:30-06:00April 13th, 2015|Categories: Tiny House Lifestyle, Tumbleweed Owners|Tags: |0 Comments

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About the Author:

Jenna Spesard built a Tumbleweed in 2014 and traveled with it for one year. She clocked over 25,000 miles, and now parks in a Tiny House Village. She writes about the Tiny House Movement on her blog Tiny House Giant Journey.

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