Propane at high altitude and low temps

[Joey1919]

I will be truck camping for 3rd rigle in Colorado around 8500ft. Coming from the south we use LP/propane commonly.

This may be a dummy question but am I going to have any trouble with propane cylinders or propane appliances at that altitude/temp? Plan to use a buddy heater, lantern, Coleman stove.

Thanks

 

[Theringworm]

I use them at 10,000 ft. Zero issues.

 

[gearguywb]

No issues. You use vapor propane to run lights, grills, heaters, etc. Liquid propane boils, and equalizes to convert to vapor at -44 degrees. The only issue you may have at cold temps is that you may not get vapor fast enough on appliances that have a high BTU load. Typically for small appliances this is never an issue.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Propane's boiling point is -44°F at sea level (even lower at high altitude), so you won't have any issues with the fuel failing to vaporize (which can be an issue with butane-blend fuels at low ambient temperatures). The cylinders themselves and lantern/stove shouldn't give any trouble. I've used propane lanterns and cook stoves as high as 9800' with no issues. I've heard of guys having trouble with the low oxygen sensor on a Buddy heater tripping frequently due to the lower atmospheric oxygen at high altitude, but I personally haven't attempted to run a Buddy heater at high altitude.

 

[Joey1919]

Thanks guys, didnt want to put all my eggs in one basket, drive 21 hrs and have problems.

Thanks again

 

[Backyard]

If you're using 1 lb cylinders at 10k in lower temps, then yes you will have some problems. I use a buddy heater w/1 lb cylinders and it's difficult at that alt & lower temps.
My experience.

 

[ColeyG]

I used propane appliances and 20-100lb cylinders at 14,200' (16,000 pressure attitude) and temps to -35F on Denali for many years. We ran Empire heaters and Camp Chef stoves. No issues with any appliances except the Buddy heaters. Those don't like the extreme cold or lower oxygen environments.

 

[CO-AJ]

Concur with everything above. Have used propane in the little green cylinders for years in CO everywhere from 6500-10000'. Obviously at 10k it takes a bit longer to boil, but my stove is a 3 burner with 1 that is 15k BTU. Our other setup is to run a large worthington tank (like the ones you trade at HD or Lowes) with a distro post, and we have run a stove, lantern, and propane fire ring off the cylinder.

 

[17Hunter]

Same experience here as everyone else, I was in CO last weekend at 10,200 and used a small grill with 1 lb propane take for 3 days, not a single issue.

 

[GotDraw?]

Propane is the best of all bottled "Gas" fuels at low temps. Unless you want to start looking at white gas, etc.

JL

 

[NMframed]

You won’t have any issues with propane at that elevation.

 

[5MilesBack]

The only problem I've experienced is my two-burner tank top heater doesn't flow as well in the really cold temps. And that's unfortunate because that's when I need or want it most. And it's very obvious that it's not flowing on high like it would when it is warmer. I actually broke the regulator on one of them a few years ago because I knew it just couldn't be on high the way it was flowing and tried to force it to go higher. Other than that, the stove and lanterns seem to run fine.

 

[Clrems77]

Just returned from Colorado a few weeks ago where I was between 10500-11000 Ft. Used my Jet boil and little buddy heater without an issue.