Setting up sideways/angled on site

[Mtlangst]

We are going to be camping tomorrow for a week and the picture of the site is there is a nice paved site but a steep drop off where half the rug would be covering this “drop off” we have camped at sites like this before and with kids they are always tripping etc… has anyone jackknifed there trailer so they were angled and almost sideways on the site so you are mostly on the paved area outside your door under the awning? Maybe so you are facing out back towards the trees?

 

[NLB]

Sounds like a plan! Ya sure don’t want a tripping hazard for the kiddos that would ruin their camping experience.

 

[LilRed]

While I have not done this in my highwall, I have done similar in rental pups that I could move by hand with a tongue wheel. Made sure to have a log/wheel chock to ensure it didn’t run away. When breaking down and time to leave, I was able to hook up almost jackknifed and just pull away.

 

[kitphantom]

When we had the tiny, 6' popup, we did rotate it 90° a couple of times. We never tried it with the 8' popup, nor our current 17' TT. We have set up with the camper close to one edge of the site, if necessary, to give a little more room in front.
If I can picture the site you will have, my option would probably be to place it as close to the left edge as possible, and only put the rug on the higher level, so it isn't masking the drop-off. We do watch for trip hazards, although we don't have kids with us. I have a couple of "jars" with a solar string of lights in each, just bright enough to use to mark hazards at night.

 

[PopUpSteve]

I've gotten my E2 into some interesting positions. From your description you could get it across the pad but you need to consider your stabilizers and tongue jack. If the pad drops off as you described, will you be able to put the stabilizers down enough? And I wouldn't make a stack to rest them on.

As far as getting it into position, does your tongue jack have a wheel or flat? If a wheel, you may be able to rotate the camper using that. But be careful! You could end up rolling the camper off the pad and into the woods, like the meatball in that song.

I would get the camper as far to the street side as you safely can so you'll have more room on the curb side.

 

[vagov]

Make sure you chock the wheels real well

 

[jmkay1]

At one time I had a 10’ popup that I was able to rotate by hand. That made things so convenient when I had an interesting site to work around. As PopupSteve mentioned do keep in mind the tongue and stabilizers that could get hung up on things or the camper rolling where you don’t want it. More often needing additional blocks to account for the different ground levels. No way I would want to try it with my current camper. Way too heavy to move by hand and it’s already difficult enough to get the camper in a site thanks to the larger size. Purposely jackknifing the camper with your car to get the rotation you need is just asking for trouble not to mention even bigger pain to hook back up.

 

[Mtlangst]

I do have a wheel and it appears to be level so I should be good with blocks. I think I will try to position the camper with the van and not by hand. It is a 14’ box. See how it goes.

 

[Mtlangst]

I've gotten my E2 into some interesting positions. From your description you could get it across the pad but you need to consider your stabilizers and tongue jack. If the pad drops off as you described, will you be able to put the stabilizers down enough? And I wouldn't make a stack to rest them on.

As far as getting it into position, does your tongue jack have a wheel or flat? If a wheel, you may be able to rotate the camper using that. But be careful! You could end up rolling the camper off the pad and into the woods, like the meatball in that song.

I would get the camper as far to the street side as you safely can so you'll have more room on the curb side.

My plan is to keep it on the pad but at an angle.

 

[SHFL]

The other option is to use a narrower rug, or not unfold the rig completely. Tell the kids they can only walk off the ends of the rug.

Maybe this could work for you.

 

[Dingit]

I used to angle my 12' Apache popup every time. So much nicer to open into the campsite! (We're usually at campsites designed for tents, so being stuck in the parking spot is not as nice as looking off it.)

The 14' highwall? Nope. Can't push that thing around.

 

[PopUpSteve]

Well, good luck. We'll need pictures!