To clear snow or not to clear snow, that is the question....

[phylodog]

I spent the better part of yesterday at the ATA show downtown. My buddy picked me up shortly after the freezing rain stopped yesterday morning and I got home shortly after dark when there was a couple inches of snow on top of the ice. Today I decided not to do anything productive other than a Zwift ride but tomorrow I'm going to have to get out and run an errand or two. So here's the dilemma....

I have two snow blowers, a single stage Toro and a monster two stage Ariens. I'm thinking the Toro is easily capable of clearing what's out there currently but I don't have any salt. Will I be making the situation worse by removing the only thing allowing any traction out there since I have no salt? If I do remove the snow, what are the odds I'll find salt at Home Depot or Lowes while I'm out running errands? I don't want to turn the driveway into a skating rink.

Making the decision even more complicated is the significant possibility of more snow Monday. Why waste time moving the stuff when more is likely to pollute my property less than 24 hours later?!?! My Ariens will easily take care of a foot of the stuff so a few more inches on top of what's out there now doesn't really make a difference.

I'm so conflicted....

 

[Woobie]

If the snow is dense, I don't shovel. If the snow is powder and on top of dry pavement, I don't shovel. If the snow is powder and on top of ice I shovel whether I have salt or not. That light stuff just makes ice worse. The kind of snow we've got on the ground now makes it easier to get traction, so I left it.

 

[KJQ6945]

We have a little bit different situations. My drive is blacktop, and I believe yours is concrete. I plowed mine yesterday, and even at 20 degrees today, the residual all melted with the sunshine. I plow anything that is gonna stick around longer than a few days. Depending on how wet the snow is, if you drive on it and pack it down, it's there until it melts.

 

[chocktaw2]

He just wants to play with his tractor. He got to use it, no matter what. Hell he's probably doing every drive within a 1/4 mi.

 

[snapping turtle]

Snow blowers in Indiana. My early childhood in the finger lakes region of New York makes me laugh at the idea. I can see the northern part of the state that gets lake effect. Here in central we get what a foot a year normally. What makes me laugh more is snow machines (what we used to call skidoo’s ) in Indiana. What they can run a week a year of late?

Most of which a nice strong leaf blower would handle. Where I grew up 20 inches in a night was normal. There you had two snow blowers. Here just drive over it a few times back and forth. Makes a nice little path to get in and out. Guess my standards are lower than most. I have two shovels and while it takes longer to shovel out it is not all that bad even if the drive is not perfect one does not get stuck in it often.

Go go ahead and buy those machines. Makes the weather turn to the north or south.

 

[eldirector]

We had and inch or two of snow on top of an inch or two of ice and packed snow. The blower skimmed the top, and left the dense stuff.

I tend to keep things clean, just because. No point having a mess if I can avoid it. Besides, if it piles up more than a few inches outside the garage, I have a hard time getting the truck in/out without hitting the overhead door.

So, I ran the blower today, and cleaned the walk down to the concrete. Spread some snow-melt around on the walk, near the doors, and in front of the over-head. If we get more on Monday, I'll do it again.

 

[bacon#1]

We have a little bit different situations. My drive is blacktop, and I believe yours is concrete. I plowed mine yesterday, and even at 20 degrees today, the residual all melted with the sunshine. I plow anything that is gonna stick around longer than a few days. Depending on how wet the snow is, if you drive on it and pack it down, it's there until it melts.

“I plow anything that is gonna stick around for a few days”. Just where to begin with this.

 

[KJQ6945]

“I plow anything that is gonna stick around for a few days”. Just where to begin with this.

And I proofread it?

 

[phylodog]

Snow blowers in Indiana. My early childhood in the finger lakes region of New York makes me laugh at the idea. I can see the northern part of the state that gets lake effect. Here in central we get what a foot a year normally. What makes me laugh more is snow machines (what we used to call skidoo’s ) in Indiana. What they can run a week a year of late?

Most of which a nice strong leaf blower would handle. Where I grew up 20 inches in a night was normal. There you had two snow blowers. Here just drive over it a few times back and forth. Makes a nice little path to get in and out. Guess my standards are lower than most. I have two shovels and while it takes longer to shovel out it is not all that bad even if the drive is not perfect one does not get stuck in it often.

Go go ahead and buy those machines. Makes the weather turn to the north or south.

I bought my first snow blower two years ago, shoveled before that (I'm 45). I generally didn't have a problem clearing my three car wide, two car long driveway and sidewalk, it was the 7 ton pile of crap the plow truck stacked up at the end of my drive that pushed me to buy the Ariens. I don't mind avoiding the whole heart attack issue either.

 

[KJQ6945]

He just wants to play with his tractor. He got to use it, no matter what. Hell he's probably doing every drive within a 1/4 mi.

I only do the neighbors drives if the snow is deep. Their drives are gravel, and I don't like to have to go back in the spring and fix them.

 

[phylodog]

Since I've got the blowers I do my neighbor's (single female doctor) and an elderly gentlemen's drive two doors down if he hasn't done his already. He used to do mine on occasion before I bought a blower.

 

[snapping turtle]

If I have to go to work in the am and it is going to snow we just park at the end of the driveway. If the plow or the neighbor with the tractor goes down the street then you have to use the shovel to get out to the road. You have to shovel the mail box if you want mail. Who wants mail anymore. The wind drifts the little amounts of snow on the driveway near the house.

Now that I have called out the light winters in Indiana we will have a horrid snow fall this week and I will have a heart attack shoveling snow. Darn you all.

 

[KittySlayer]

I generally didn't have a problem clearing my three car wide, two car long driveway and sidewalk...

So do an experiment. Snowblow half and leave half. Then you will know next time.

If if it were me and the drive catches the sun I would clear the snow and let nature work its magic.

You know those nowhere Zwift miles don't really count.

 

[chocktaw2]

I only do the neighbors drives if the snow is deep. Their drives are gravel, and I don't like to have to go back in the spring and fix them.

Wise choice!

 

[KittySlayer]

“I plow anything that is gonna stick around for a few days”. Just where to begin with this.

Since the thread is already headed downhill...

Since I've got the blowers I do my neighbor's (single female doctor) and an elderly gentlemen's drive two doors down if he hasn't done his already. He used to do mine on occasion before I bought a blower.

Will plow for a.., grass or gas.

The Booty... single female doctor (I have this swelling, can you check it out?)

and

The Looty... elderly gentlemen (getting your name in his will?)

 

[EyeCarry]

With my long country driveway and no kids left to help, I bought a s.blower a year or two ago. Decided to use it today (first time THIS year). It sure does make it easy to clear the whole drive, not just shoveling enough to get into the car and bust my way out. I figure I am avoiding a heart attack from shoveling at this point in life. I enjoyed the time outdoors today running it! Gotta remember to put on some rain pants when/if the snow amounts get really serious. Jeans just soak up the blowback if your not watching which way you are shooting the snow.

 

[phylodog]

You know those nowhere Zwift miles don't really count.

Oh but my thighs, knees and sit bones disagree strongly. I'm just getting back on the bike after an 18 month hiatus. I'm finding the smart trainer tougher than the road.

 

[phylodog]

Will plow for a.., grass or gas.

The Booty... single female doctor (I have this swelling, can you check it out?)

and

The Looty... elderly gentlemen (getting your name in his will?)

Karma is good enough for me.

 

[churchmouse]

When I had my blower (10 HP 2 stage multi speed) I did 4 or 5 on my side of the street and usually 4 across the street. Older lady with medical issues, single mom, single female and a stroke survivor. We had good snow the 2 years I owned it.
I sold it to a friend and the next winter was the -20 crap with 4' of snow.

 

[snapping turtle]

We will get the massive snow. I will pick up the shovel have the heart attack and the only way to the hospital will be a snow mobile. Darn you all.

Had to go for the trifecta instead of a double.