Tundra Towing at 12,000 feet above sea level

[RockyMtnRay]

I've started processing my summer's photos and thought I'd share some I took of a crossing of Colorado's Loveland Pass (11,991) with my TrailManor 2720SL in tow. At that altitude the engine is only developing 60% of the rated power.

My rig at the top of the pass.

The mountains are snow covered because the day before (ironically the first day of summer) a fierce summer blizzard had pounded the higher elevations (snow level was down to about 10,000 feet).

This is the OMG descent from the pass down to Interstate 70...be sure to read the comments below the picture

Don't be deceived the apparent small size of my trailer...it's 20 feet long and 5 feet high in travel configuration, then telescopes out to be the equivalent of a 27 foot long standard travel trailer. Inside is a living room at the front, full kitchen and full bath in the middle, and a queen sized bed in the back. All the amenities! Weight is about 3800 lbs so it's a pretty good load for the truck at high altitudes. Here's what it looks like when opened out for camping.
Tundra with TrailManor at the Brainard Lake Campground

For those who are curious about the details, here's the factory page for the 2720SL Model (with interior photo)

[tuesdayd]

Pretty sweet, Ray . Now I see why you take so many road trips! This is my first truck, and it really opens up a lot of new opportunities (boat, trailer, dirt, whatever). Take care, Ray. Happy towing .

Nick

[george60]

Thanks for the pics and info on the trailer. I'm intigued. We have held off considering an RV because of cost, size, license, insurance and storage space needed.
This one has a shower and an oversized bed ... my basic requirements.

Thanks again.
George60

[TundraTRX]

The last trailer trip I went on with my parents, was in their F-150 (tried to get my Dad to get a Tundra) in a trailer we affectionally nicknamed the Minnow. The thing leaked, well, after getting in a hailstorm that ended up totalling it. The same hail storm caused a lot of damage to my parent's brand new truck. First five months of ownership, it spent two of them in the shop.

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by george60

Thanks for the pics and info on the trailer. I'm intigued. We have held off considering an RV because of cost, size, license, insurance and storage space needed.
This one has a shower and an oversized bed ... my basic requirements.

Thanks again.
George60

Most welcome and glad you enjoyed the pictures.

I live in what's often described as "hail alley". Plus being at high altitude, UV radiation is so intense it kills the finish and tires on an RV in just a couple of years. So for me, the ability to store a trailer in my garage was an absolute must. For this, the TrailManor units are not only compact in height but they have an optional fold-away tongue that reduces the stored length by another two feet. Bottom line is I have a 27 foot (equivalent) length trailer that easily fits into a 19 foot long garage!

But like you, I wanted a lot more amenities and comfort than you can get in any popup...especially a true bathroom and no canvas walls. That basically left just TrailManor and HiLo. By comparison to TrailManors, HiLo trailers are much, much heavier for the same interior space.

With the ultralight construction and low profile, my TrailManor is an excellent match for the Tundra...the TrailManor dealer reports that a lot of his customers are towing TMs with Tundras. I can even get around 14 mpg at 65-70 mph while towing and I'd never achieve that with a standard travel trailer.

There's only 2 real negatives to this trailer. One is its cost...because of all the additional parts & pieces to enable folding, it's quite a bit costlier than a standard "box" travel trailer. Though, over time, a lot of that will be recouped by better towing gas mileage and not having to pay storage charges. The other slight negative is it does take a few minutes (around 10) to completely setup the trailer after arrival...and its not as convenient as a standard trailer to access the interior during an enroute stop.

But, all in all, I feel buying this trailer was one of the best decisions I ever made. There's also a very active TrailManor Owners website (which I'm also a moderator on)...feel to browse around the site and ask any questions.