The Trials Of Personal Snow Removal.

[gravitylover]

My shovel collection hasn't even come out to play this year. I might get some snow over the next week or so but the 2" total since Thanksgiving has been a non issue. I sort of enjoy shoveling, at least until the snowbanks reach shoulder level.

[Thaleia]

Foot of snow plus a layer of freezing rain on top today. Was supposed to ski. Nope, shovelled for three plus hours instead.

My current situation. Augers not spinning. Turns out the bolt that attaches the impeller shaft to the impeller pully wheel sheered off. This thing only breaks when used lol fml.





This it's second breakdown this season, couple weeks ago it was a (65 F'ing CA$) belt.

Last season it was a bearing. Not too bad, at least that part was only 25 CA$.

Six years ago I had to put a new engine on it, but that was completely my fault. Had an oil leak that I didn't notice in time..

[JayPowHound]

My shovel collection hasn't even come out to play this year. I might get some snow over the next week or so but the 2" total since Thanksgiving has been a non issue. I sort of enjoy shoveling, at least until the snowbanks reach shoulder level.

I'm with you. Shit winter around here, haven't even moved the snowblower from the summer storage spot in the garage to the in-use spot. Guess I should start it up sometime in the next few weeks and run a little gas through it before I re-store it until we see if next winter happens or not.

[aqua toque]

ROOF RAKIN'!

woot.







House has a case of Irritable Ice Dam Syndrome.

[adrenalated]

Didn't think we were going to get nearly as much snow at the new place as we have. Thought we'd get maybe 6" at a time, and that it'd generally melt off between storms. 7100' in SWCO, right on the edge between desert and mountains, with no trees (plenty of sun). Oh boy was I wrong. I think this is a bit of an unusual year but still - pretty clear I need to invest in some machinery.

Bought a 26" 2 stage Cub Cadet blower cuz I needed something ASAP and it's.... fine? It's good for what it is. If I were clearing 6" of snow from a 50' driveway every couple of weeks it'd be sweet. For a 400' driveway that regularly drifts in 2'+ deep it's a little lacking. Gets the job done, but slowly and I'm getting beat up wrangling it. Only one shear pin casualty so far so that's nice.

Have a lot of other shit that needs doing that a tractor would be useful for so pretty sure a compact tractor with a loader is in my near future. Unfortunately the used market isn't great.

[Alpinord]

This winter in SWCO is more like the norm 20-30 years ago. The bonus is excellent skiing right out the door…..after the snow removal.

In 2019 records were broken as an outlier. 6’ plus on the roof was challenging and a bean bag attached to a cord as a homemade Rutschblock worked well for under cutting snow to get it to slide vs shoveling only and a no go with a snow rake.

Wait until your 400’ drive is entirely saturated San Juan slop for all kinds of fun.


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[liv2ski]

400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

[Alpinord]

400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

After you snow blow. With just a blade unless you overplow the width of your drive, eventually there is no where to push it. Throwing or lifting the snow is must. Some years anything works.

If you have the choice, move snow to the north side (not south) to let more sun hit the drive.

Edit:
-with an almost 30 temperature swing each day and intense sun, getting after it sooner than later is generally easier. Especially after the road gets plowed to reduce dealing with heavy consolidation.

-it's a marathon not a sprint so plan ahead on where you are going to put snow when it does come.

Try plowing this for 200':



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[detrusor]

This is my chicken coop, I can stand up in it. We’ve had 300+” of snow this year. By the honda and you won’t have all the trials.

[The Reverend Floater]

After you snow blow. With just a blade unless you overplow the width of your drive, eventually there is no where to push it. Throwing or lifting the snow is must. Some years anything works.

If you have the choice, move snow to the north side (not south) to let more sun hit the drive.


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You could find an ass old tractor with a PTO and a blower on it for around the same price as a used HD truck with V Plow. I used to have one. If you have even a few acres, it's crazy how useful a loader is.

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[neufox47]

I member the yearwe rented a Tahoe ski rental at lake level and my brother and another guy decided we should save the $500 each and clear the driveway(it was only big enough to fit two cars next to each other with little room in front or back) and walkways / decks ourselves. I was the only one who regularly went up mid week and they would all show up late night after I’d shoveled. One day my brother had the audacity to complain that I’d only shoveled one spot out in the driveway. I must have moved 2-3 semi trucks full of snow that year by hand.


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[Bunion 2020]

Snow stopped on Tuesday and the wind started. steady 30s from the east and by Wednesday well below zero and still windy. Suppose to reach the mid 20s today so I will plow. Didn't need to go anywhere anyway and most of the new snow is now in the backyard.

[jmedslc]

400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

Yeah I don’t think so. If you get any decent amount of snowfall y’aint gonna push it that far. Will need to blow it. Honda 1132 track blower will eat that up just fine, but will take some time and you’ll get your steps in.


Edit to add now I see all the other posts. What they all said! Hahahahaha

[alias_rice]

Not as much as most of you, but the snow plow did me dirty, and it was too icy and wet for the snowblower. Good workout though.

[Buzzworthy]

Yes I’m in the Wasatch. Spent some time yesterday digging out the heater vent, which is already 12’ off the ground. Great skiing to be had tho!

Attachment 448960

I know exactly where you are. Buddy of mine lived in that hood for 6 or 7 years. Sooooooo much snow to move around……

[adrenalated]

Yeah, a loader is absolutely the right tool for me. A plow would work decently well, but a loader would be waaaaaay more useful in the summer. I have just under 9 acres, pretty sure I can find plenty of redneck shit to do with it.



My drive goes almost all the way to the little building in the distance. From there it's another couple hundred feet of private road out to the highway. Right now the neighbor does a pretty good job keeping that clear with his skid steer but I don't want to be reliant on him.

Hard to find decent deals on tractors with loaders around here right now, probably because it keeps fucking snowing. Anyone know anyone holding, hit me up.

[Viva]

400 ft driveway? Time for a plow blade on the front of whatever you drive.

My driveway is four hundred feet of pure Antichrist.

Luckily, I have a few "push zones" (e.g., there's a drainage past lower driveway and before that power pole) where I'm able to over-push snow and get it far the fuck away.

If the snow's really wet, well, I'm mostly pushing down hill, otherwise, I'd be fucked.

[riser4]

You could find an ass old tractor with a PTO and a blower on it for around the same price as a used HD truck with V Plow. I used to have one. If you have even a few acres, it's crazy how useful a loader is.

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But then you have to clear your drive in reverse gear.

[liv2ski]

You win Viva, that driveway looks horrible

[ötzi]

A few years ago I rode a chair with a guy who had recently spent a week in Tahoe, it was one of the more epic weeks of snow in Tahoe history, i think he said they had 16 feet of snow while he was there. The resorts (or at least wherever he was) were closed for several days, he barely got to ski. The day before they had to leave they decided they needed to dig the rental car out, it took hours, basically all day. And when they finally exposed the car, it was the wrong car. Not sure what happened after that.

[Viva]

You win Viva, that driveway looks horrible

You're only seeing the lower 3/4. The worst isn't even in that pic.

If I miss a certain regular Tuesday posting during the winter season, check the weather for SW CO. It may be that I'm plowing and shoveling.

[Name Redacted]

Got a new belt on my Troy-Bilt yesterday. Thing is 10+ years old and I've done nothing but put gas in it. Runs like a champ. Only broke the belt because it had a big frozen chunk inside the auger that I didn't see when starting. So yeah, always make sure to run the auger for a minute to clear snow before storing the blower. Lesson learned.

[Alpinord]

Got a new belt on my Troy-Bilt yesterday. Thing is 10+ years old and I've done nothing but put gas in it. Runs like a champ. Only broke the belt because it had a big frozen chunk inside the auger that I didn't see when starting. So yeah, always make sure to run the auger for a minute to clear snow before storing the blower. Lesson learned.

And check your friction disk:

PSA Snowblower Traction Drive Fix
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...d.php?t=350694


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[Cisco Kid]

Snow Thrower Porn.

[::: :::]

We had our first (& possibly last) ever roofalanche here in Portland this week.
9:12 metal roof facing SW on a sunny cold day…maybe holding 6” [hey, it’s portland…!]
Low rumble, I look up and see the dust settling outside the window
Started like this: