Get Ready!

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by jeffk

I was reminded yesterday that when snow amounts reach a certain level, the normal things you do to clear it don't always work. We have 600' of DIRT driveway and ups and downs along the length of it. We have a good plow company take care of it but the amount of snow, the dirt base, and the uphill portion overwhelmed their plow truck. They ended up leaving a 6 foot pile of VERY heavy snow about 50 feet from the house. When I saw it, I suspected that they were out of the fight and they called to confirm that they had no way to deal with it.

Luckily, I have a small Ford tractor (4WD) with a bucket. "Plowing" with the tractor is not "elegant" but after 7 hours, it got the job done, albeit a very rough job. I only got stuck twice where I had to dig around the wheels and dump sand to give me traction. Unfortunately, I also dug up some dirt with my efforts and will probably have to do some minor repairs once this all melts and we finish up Mud Season II. Thank God for the tractor. Hand shoveling would have been impossible. I would have had to seek out a company with a bucket loader. As it was, clearing around the entryways and cars was a lot of work for my wife and I.

Also luckily, we have replaced all our vehicles in the last few years and they are all AWD or 4WD so they handled the remaining sloppiness without a problem.

It was a beautiful snow event but coming at the end of the season it was a waste. My wife said although she loved watching the snow coming down and piling up, but in the end the cleanup was a major PITA and not worth it (she didn't exactly say THAT because she is too polite. but I take editorial license).

Our situation here has evolved over the years. We have a 550’ driveway that has an 80’ vertical rise from the road, a dogleg turn 200’ from the top and an 11 degree pitch for the final section.

When we moved here in ’98 the drive was gravel. We hired a plow guy who got stuck on the top section in heavy wet snow after a March storm. He quit and left me to shovel out. So, I had a Fisher plow installed on my Dodge 2500 and plowed from the top down with chains on 4 wheels. It did work but not ideal.

In 2005 we bought the Deere 3320 with FEL, landscape rake and rear blade for gravel drive maintenance and help with snow removal. In 2015 we added the 64” rear mount snowblower and sold the plow truck. Then in 2019 we had the drive paved, sold the landscape rake but kept the rear blade. The blade can be angled to plow light snow of a few inches.

Now with the 64” blower and a paved drive, heavy snow falls can be delt with. This recent storm was the most difficult we have ever had. We had 19” here with alternating layers of snow, sleet and freezing rain. So, it was slow going.

Alan

[tis]

Do you have to drive backward to snowplow?

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by tis

Do you have to drive backward to snowplow?

For light snow using the angled rear blade, I drive forward. Using the rear mount snowblower, I have to drive backward.

The tradeoff: With a front mount snowblower I would have to remove the front bucket. However I use the 6' wide bucket for some snow removal tasks as well as when sanding the steep section. I do have a large rear-view mirror on each side. My setup is more functional at the expense of driving the snowblower in reverse.

Alan

[Descant]

Great chronology as the equipment improves. Next chapter:

In 2024 we added a cab with heat and A/C. Next step is stereo and front/rear/side cameras so we can sit on the beach and watch our (new) plow guy on our iPhones.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

For light snow using the angled rear blade, I drive forward. Using the rear mount snowblower, I have to drive backward.

The tradeoff: With a front mount snowblower I would have to remove the front bucket. However I use the 6' wide bucket for some snow removal tasks as well as when sanding the steep section. I do have a large rear-view mirror on each side. My setup is more functional at the expense of driving the snowblower in reverse.

Alan

Have you looked into the rear inverted snow-blowers? Its a rear mount/pto driven, but it faces forward. It would be a lot faster (and more comfortable) than snow-blowing backwards.

We have a front mount snow blower and power broom on our Kubota LX3310CAB. If under 6" I use the broom for everything. Over that I must use the snow blower, but still put the broom on afterwards and sweep it down to bare pavement. I have thought about going with a rear inverted blower on the rear and keeping the broom on the front. That would be an incredible setup, but my tractor is almost too small for an inverted.

[camp guy]

What about heated driveways? Is it too expensive to heat a driveway to keep it clear of snow and ice? I don't know much about the logistics of creating a heated driveway, and I am sure the associated fuel cost would be rather high, but it sure would be nice to wake up after a night of snowing to see a clear driveway. Just dreaming!

[Descant]

Originally Posted by camp guy

What about heated driveways? Is it too expensive to heat a driveway to keep it clear of snow and ice? I don't know much about the logistics of creating a heated driveway, and I am sure the associated fuel cost would be rather high, but it sure would be nice to wake up after a night of snowing to see a clear driveway. Just dreaming!

Downtown Concord has snow melt sidewalks, heated by tubing that runs under the pavers. Very expensive (?), but I believe there was a federal grant of some sort, so, as some say, "it was free". I have Heat Trak electric mats on my front walk, at least on the part that gets no sun. A 4' on the landing, two on steps and a 10' (commercial grade) extending to where the sun hits. Cost about $1000. (July sale). They only heat to about 33-34F, and low amperage, so I don't notice anything different in my electric bill. I just flip a dedicated switch in the house when it starts snowing and they can keep up. Waiting until a storm is over and then activating, is like waiting for April and Mother Nature to do the job.
I would guess, in Concord, it is cheaper to heat the sidewalks than it is to pay staff to shovel.

[John Mercier]

Originally Posted by camp guy

What about heated driveways? Is it too expensive to heat a driveway to keep it clear of snow and ice? I don't know much about the logistics of creating a heated driveway, and I am sure the associated fuel cost would be rather high, but it sure would be nice to wake up after a night of snowing to see a clear driveway. Just dreaming!

I couldn't tell you what the cost is...
We have homeowners with asphalt roofs and gutters that use the cable system, some with a switch and temperature monitor. And I know of two homes that have them built in... one into a raised cement patio so that their dog could go out without dealing with the snow; and the other beneath a cobblestone driveway that would be very hard to plow to the point of scraping.

The heated raised patio is on Waukewan built by Northstar, and the heated cobblestone driveway is on Long Island built by Hayward.

[C-Bass]

Get ready again! 12-18" on the way!

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by C-Bass

Get ready again! 12-18" on the way!

I pulled my boat out of the water this time!

Now go away please!!

Dan

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

I pulled my boat out of the water this time!

Now go away please!!

Dan

So the last storm was your fault?
This one should miss us now.

[codeman671]

Mine are staying in, not worth pulling them and they won't fit in my garage. It is what it is...2 out of the 3 in are hard tops anyhow.

The last storm snapped 3 of my aluminum prop rods for the pontoon cover. That must have been some weight! I'll be swinging through a few times over the next few days to clean it off.

The tractor is ready to go. Staying home tomorrow so I don't get caught at the bottom of the hill.

[Descant]

Good plan, Codeman. If there is damage to your canvas, it will be a long time before somebody local can fit you in for repairs.

[jeffk]

Well, so far not as much depth as last time but it is nasty. Wet and heavy, it is sticking to the trees. With the winds, it is going to be breaking branches. Our power had gone out briefly and now is continually flickering. NHEC has 34,000 outages. I got a notice from Breezeline that there are outages near me but so far I still have internet. There is supposed to be a heavy burst (2.5") between 11 and 2 and then it winds down. Winds remain high until around suppertime and then start dying down.

[ishoot308]

Power went out here in Gilford about an hour ago. Running on generator power now. I expect power to be out for a while as the storm is really just starting and winds are crazy! Can’t expect power crews to attempt fixing anything in this!

Dan

[Slickcraft]

Lost power in West Alton about 5:30 am. Alton is 100% out, input lost from transmission provider.

Alan

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by codeman671

Have you looked into the rear inverted snow-blowers? Its a rear mount/pto driven, but it faces forward. It would be a lot faster (and more comfortable) than snow-blowing backwards.

I am aware of that design. Over the years we have had several storms over 20" with one of 28". Maintaining traction driving forward through deep snow pulling the snow blower behind on a steep hill could be a problem. I can't say for sure that it would be a problem but I went with more of a sure thing. As for speed, I am limited only by the blower's snow processing speed.

Alan

[tis]

Originally Posted by Slickcraft

For light snow using the angled rear blade, I drive forward. Using the rear mount snowblower, I have to drive backward.

The tradeoff: With a front mount snowblower I would have to remove the front bucket. However I use the 6' wide bucket for some snow removal tasks as well as when sanding the steep section. I do have a large rear-view mirror on each side. My setup is more functional at the expense of driving the snowblower in reverse.

Alan

Backing up can't be fun but changing equipment isn't fun either.