# heavy snow, steep driveway snow removal



## Vasily 1945 (Jun 25, 2017)

hey guys, i know its too early to think of snow, but i may be moving soon to more northern region, and the property i am going to has a steep 200 yard gravel driveway.
for any of you with similar experience, what would be the best and most economical choice to remove snow and get in and out of driveway, or to sufficiently remove snow

a few ideas
1) have my very old jeep cherokee equipped with snow plow and snow tire or chains
2) buy a small tractor(expensive)
3) buy a snow blower with track drive
4) build a garage closer to the road to avoid parking near home and walk to home (expensive)
5) atv with plow (expensive)
6) put a Tent style garage up and put near road
7) pay a local to remove snow for us - no idea how much that would be

thank you all for your help and input


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## White Shadow (Jun 26, 2017)

Flamethrower!!!!!


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## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Saw the headline and got all excited, that someone somewhere is right now enjoying beautiful snow lol


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

98 and air you can drink here in Houston. No snow in my future. :vs_sob:


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I have owned Jeep Cherokees for decades, my road is also 200 yards long with 75 feet of driveway.

No plow on either jeep, that is what 4WD is for, I do have a snow blower that I use to clear the yard.

Town will eventually plow out the road, until then, I either use the 4WD or hunker down until road is passable.

I have a tractor, but I will be damned if I will plow with it.

I have not been stuck on the road with any 4WD that I have owned, rule of thumb for me, 

if I can't get out of the driveway I stay, and enjoy the quiet.

What I do is move the jeeps on to the road to clean the yard, if I can't do that I go to bed.

Will not put a plow on my Jeep or the Liberty I just bought my kid, they destroy the front ends.

There has been no need for me to leave here, I have worked for myself here since 1982, 

I just need to get into the shop which is 10 feet from the kitchen door.

Power is not a problem, 3 1/2 gensets for different options.

Generally I use a power outage to take a needed break.

We had one last week for four hours, I just laid on my bed and listened to Rush Linberger and another talk show after him. 

The break was good. the radio will run on its automotive battery for two months of usage.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

small dump truck with a plow or an old bronco, blazer or suburban with a plow. Get one old enough that there is no computer or electronics to fry with an emp.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Camel923 said:


> small dump truck with a plow or an old bronco, blazer or suburban with a plow. Get one old enough that there is no computer or electronics to fry with an emp.


Yup, good idea, there are always used plow trucks that won't pass state inspection anymore that go for cheap.

A dump would be ideal, SHTF and you need to BO haul your stuff in it.


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## Vasily 1945 (Jun 25, 2017)

yeah should of also mentioned that the driveway is narrow and not sure if a dump truck is passable, i have a grand cherokee its a 97, would you guys say this has potential?


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Having spent many years plowing snow for the neighborhood I'll give my thoughts based on experience.

1. Old vehicle, Is it reliable enough to justify the expense of installing a plow? Can you find a plow that will even fit on the ole girl??

2. I have a 40hp New Holland 4x4 tractor. It' works but it sucks running it in the cold. Starting is another issue. DON'T start the new little tractor without heating it up. Ice cold hydraulics and cold weather equals very expensive repair bills. Must have a plow blade, the bucket will fill and freeze with snow. Then your just pushing around a big frozen block and not really moving snow. 

3. Have a 17.5 horse Simplicity blower 38 inch width. Works great in lite fluffy snow. Heavy wet snow it doesn't work, PERIOD. 

4. That's the best and in the long run easiest and cheapest, long term.

5. Not a bad idea, BUT. When the snow gets deep it won't cut it. To lite weight and the blade is to small. 

6. Heavy wet snow will destroy the tent. Yes I've tried one for storage. Lasted 2 weeks.

7. That's most likely the best way to go. IF you can find someone reliable and with the equipment to get the job done. One snow storm I doubled my accounts cause the normal guy couldn't push the snow and wrecked his transmission. 

This is what I came up with. Cost over 10K and I've lost money every year. At least I'm self reliant.


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

Here in Michigan I have a snow blower and on occasion with deep snow I have to call the plow guy. 4X4 F-150 for the other days.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

) have my very old jeep cherokee equipped with snow plow and snow tire or chains
2) buy a small tractor(expensive)
3) buy a snow blower with track drive
4) build a garage closer to the road to avoid parking near home and walk to home (expensive)
5) atv with plow (expensive)
6) put a Tent style garage up and put near road
7) pay a local to remove snow for us - no idea how much that would be

4. IMO out of the question in a snow storm 200 yards may as well be 10 miles you would never make in to the house.
5. ATV. not as expensive as you think but not as effective either
6. waste of time.
7. when snow hits it gets everyone, you will likely be waiting
3. Snow blow is slow and dam cold work, really suck in the wind
2. Small tractor unless it is 4 wheel drive with chain no.
1. Not a Jeep but other 4 wheel drive medium duty truck with a plow not as expensive as you think, you get a truck in the deal . If you take care of it and don't go trying to plow everyone it will last you many years. ( if you already own the Jeep it would do)

My drive way is about 125 yards not to steep . There are times I pay someone to do it and sit inside with coffee. many times you don't just plow once but several times before it is over. I have a ATV with plow , a Blower and a tractor. Only nice thing about winter is watching from a warm house knowing it is keep other people in FL and CA.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

depends on your location in the "north" - you might be jumping to conclusions .... before spending the kind of $$$$$ you are talking about - get a better feel about the local situation .... most definitely wouldn't be parking near the road and walking back & forth ....


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Vasily 1945 said:


> hey guys, i know its too early to think of snow, but i may be moving soon to more northern region, and the property i am going to has a steep 200 yard gravel driveway.
> for any of you with similar experience, what would be the best and most economical choice to remove snow and get in and out of driveway, or to sufficiently remove snow
> 
> a few ideas
> ...


Jeep JK Rubicon
View attachment 50225


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## Vasily 1945 (Jun 25, 2017)

Slippy said:


> Jeep JK Rubicon
> View attachment 50225


beauty


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

I live in NE Texas ... what the hell do I know about snow plowing?


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I live in the Northeast, well above 42 degrees North Latitude.

We get the famous Nor'easter, and they can be a problem.

The worst I have ever seen and the start of my prepping was the blizzard of 1978.

The house was buried under 15 feet of snow drifting off the lake and three feet everywhere else.

The town came down the main road with a D-8 to clear it.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)




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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

If I read correctly you have a 4x4 vehicle with a plow I would try the first year with it hire it done if it is real bad 

If I had to buy something it depends. Do you need/ want a tractor for other things - mowing, front end loader - digging, moving hay bales or bailing hay perhaps other farming chores. 

Price out a used tractor with 4x4 , wide front, with a cab. If you have no need for a tractor then look for an older 4x4 2500 or 3500 pickup and have a blade put on.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

Depending on which way I go, it's either 12 miles or seven miles to pavement, with 4x4 stretches, especially in winter. Those miles never get plowed. The last 300 yards or so is steep, and slopes off downhill, too. I've taken a number of barely-in-control rides down the sage and rock hillside back onto the lower road when it's icy. I've been known to just leave the truck down in the draw, use the ATV to get back and forth up the hill (which has also slid sideways off the road and gotten stuck in drifts), or just walk. Lots of times I just stay home. Not worth it to go out and get stuck maybe miles from home with no help anywhere. (Just last week in nice weather, I came across a guy high-centered on a hummock. He'd been there since the day before, I was the only person to drive by in days, probably. Pulled him out with a chain). Last year I was feeling flush, and paid $150 for a local guy to run his backhoe out here through several feet of snow. He couldn't get up the icy grade, either, slid off twice and looked to capsize, but righted OK. Still couldn't get my truck off the snowdrift at the top of the hill, but it was nice to have something solid to walk on that didn't grab your knees and thighs. A few days later a chinook came through, snow melted fast, and then I was trapped by mud. Dams gave out upstream, and I could hear running water in the desert for weeks, a sound you never hear out here. Town flooded, state highway was cut north of town (just re-opened a couple weeks ago), the US post office was a taco stand in the parking lot for months until two weeks ago. I didn't need it, but when the NG helicopter flew over and started throwing out MREs, I did not refuse them.
I sure did fantasize about flame throwers last winter.


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## maine_rm (Jun 24, 2017)

Sometimes it doesn't matter what you have for equipment. You just got to deal with it. This was from a big storm last January dump 3 feet in about seven hours. Just as I was leaving work I heard over the scanner that they were calling in all town and state plow trucks it was too dangerous. Unfortunately I didn't have the option for hunkering down and had to make a run for the homestead. Made it all the way to the end of the road with The wife's car. Before I had to call the tractor for help. I ended up being towed home the last 2 1/2 miles leading a trail of five vehicles in our wake!

Just my two cents but if you're talking serious snow removal you want to wheel horse with chains a weight box wheel weights and a cab with a nice big snowblower on the front. I blowout most of my Woods Road with it the first couple of storms before I start packing everything down with the tractor. Need to get to the woods roads all winter vital source of heat.

If your not handsome , best be handy!


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## Vasily 1945 (Jun 25, 2017)

many thanks to all of you, the atv with chains and plow, or rigging my existing cherokee and getting some help if required sound like it may be the best , the atv will be useful for many other chores, and fun too.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Vasily 1945 said:


> many thanks to all of you, the atv with chains and plow, or rigging my existing cherokee and getting some help if required sound like it may be the best , the atv will be useful for many other chores, and fun too.


 Do not buy a Polaris ATV.


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## Vasily 1945 (Jun 25, 2017)

Smitty901 said:


> Do not buy a Polaris ATV.


which one do you recommend?


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Vasily 1945 said:


> which one do you recommend?


 Honda or Can Am.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

CanAm but you will pay for it. Avoid the hot rod type stick with the utility work type. Must be 4 wheel drive or they are worthless. Also if you own land that has income it is easier to deduct part of the cost with a utility type.
Honda shaft drives do well. Polaris just plain sucks all hype. No warranty , and they do not hold up well.


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## Vasily 1945 (Jun 25, 2017)

when it comes to ATV, fir better snow removal capabilty , is the ATV better than the side by side type, example honda 500


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

The right side by side come in handy as utility vehicles. If the bank account agrees get a V plow that pivots to a straight blade .


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## Brettny (Apr 26, 2017)

I wouldnt mess with anything smaller than your cherokee. An atv is a joke plowing compaired to a vehicle. Get V bar chains for a 4 tires on your cherokee and put weight in the back. Around 500lbs should be good to start. Also lowering your air pressure can help.
I live in NY state and run a plow route. I use a small mason dump but any vehicle with chains and the correct amount of weight should work ok. You can always call someone if your going to get 2ft of snow while your at work...i would set someone up before winter so you know he will come.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Brettny said:


> I wouldnt mess with anything smaller than your cherokee. An atv is a joke plowing compaired to a vehicle. Get V bar chains for a 4 tires on your cherokee and put weight in the back. Around 500lbs should be good to start. Also lowering your air pressure can help.
> I live in NY state and run a plow route. I use a small mason dump but any vehicle with chains and the correct amount of weight should work ok. You can always call someone if your going to get 2ft of snow while your at work...i would set someone up before winter so you know he will come.


 I some what agree if you plowing a lot of snow ATV's may not be a good option. One drive way with it set up right you will get by. I use my ATV most of the time with the blade. If I get my but out and do it before it gets to bad never an issue. Get tired on manually swing the blade sometimes. If the ice is under the snow the chains are a must or going no where.
Biggest problem with a paid service is most everyone needs them at once, where will you fall on the list. 
There is a independent guy that plows in this area. Always had an agreement with him when I was not around if he came by and it was snowed in plow it send me a bill. Worked out well. Now that I am not gone any more I will still keep the agreement with him if he beats me to plow send a bill.


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## Brettny (Apr 26, 2017)

The only problem with "staying on top of it" snow plowing is things happen and when they do its bad. Lol. At work when it snow. Stuck on the road when it snows. Need to sleep when it snows. Go on vacation when it snows. Anything can happen becids equipment failure. Also hills always need more attention.

Had one new customer that was an on call customer call me after 1ft of snow with ice under it. Normally not to much of a problem but this driveway was streight up from a curve so i had to start plowing up hill from a stop. Couldnt go 8ft, couldnt backup the driveway. Had to call the lady and tell her she would have to find someone else.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Brettny said:


> The only problem with "staying on top of it" snow plowing is things happen and when they do its bad. Lol. At work when it snow. Stuck on the road when it snows. Need to sleep when it snows. Go on vacation when it snows. Anything can happen becids equipment failure. Also hills always need more attention.
> 
> Had one new customer that was an on call customer call me after 1ft of snow with ice under it. Normally not to much of a problem but this driveway was streight up from a curve so i had to start plowing up hill from a stop. Couldnt go 8ft, couldnt backup the driveway. Had to call the lady and tell her she would have to find someone else.


 This is why it may be a good idea to be self reliant. I may pay to have it done some times. But Many years of living out of town have taught me when it gets bad we are on our own.


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## bigdogmom (Aug 28, 2015)

We live in a pretty snowy area, long driveway (not steep) and live off a road that never gets plowed by the County.

Vehicles or ATV's with plows are great, until the third or fourth round of snow. You run out of places to put it and then it gets to big to move. We found this out the hard way and had to hire a grader to come in and move the snow. We have an Artic Cat ATV with a plow. 

The second year here we bought a snow blower. This works well, but still leaves some bumps in the driveway if you only do one pass. The nice thing is the snow gets blown far away and we are not dealing with large mounds of snow until June.

What we do now is tag team it. I snow blow and then my husband takes the quad with the plow and levels everything out. We do a full circle around the house (the road in front, the road on the side and our circular driveway. The snow blower also works well for cutting down the plow piles at the end of the driveway from the neighbor plowing the main road.

Droid did it!


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