900 ft driveway, incline, Novice, Need help/recomendations

[LouNY]

Also at 75 it's about time to consider emergency squad access at the worst possible time.

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

Like the OP, I'm officially an old geezer. Our driveway is roughly the same size with 2 LARGE turn-around/parking areas. Trees and some embankments lie on both sides of the driveway for 600+ feet. There are 2 hills, somewhat steep, but short in length. Crushed stone.

Contracting the work out is indeed easiest and cheapest. Getting quality work in a timely manner can be challenging. Once found, hang on to that contractor! Waiting for a plow contractor to show up so an ambulance can access your home is not a viable option. Have a back up plan.

To me, I use the snow and leaf removal as a good excuse to buy "toys". For snow removal I use a cabbed tractor with (with heat!) and a 6' wide FRONT mount blower. My back and neck would never tolerate a rear mount. I did the open station gig for 15+ years. Cabs rule! Until the driveway freezes up and has a bit of a snow base, I leave some snow to pack down.

I just changed our leaf removal approach. For 20ish years will used a contractor. He did good work, and was priced fairly, When he showed up! A replacement contractor asked for crazy money so...more toys! We have a loader mounted, 40 HP (yes, 40!) blower. It will blow 90% plus of our leaves well into the woods. The remaining we used a lawn mower with bags.

If having a tractor and the associated equipment will be a fun hobby for you, go for it! I love it. If it is a necessary evil/work for you, contract it out.

 

[nyone]

Hello. I never owned a snowblower and know less than nothing about them. However, my new house has a 900 ft driveway, about 10 ft wide, with a fair incline, some parts heavily lined with trees on both sides leaving much leaves on the road and little room to accommodate blown snow.. I need a snow blower and a tractor with a cab. My wife is paraplegic and I cannot afford to get stuck in the SUV with her as a passenger. Can you recommend a combo tractor with cab and snowblower attachment. Besides knowing nothing about snow blowers, I have 10 thumbs and no mechanical ability. However, I am only 75 years old and can still learn.
We are in Central Ontario, Canada and are prone to some heavy snowfalls.

Many thanks in advance. Tom

Pay someone and someone good...that's what your going to do when its snowing and the tractor has issues anyway. No point in buying a $40k machine just to do snow.

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

Pay someone and someone good...that's what your going to do when its snowing and the tractor has issues anyway. No point in buying a $40k machine just to do snow.

Paying someone when equipment/owner is out of commission? Been there, done that!

For backup snow removal, I keep a contractor on "standby" (for the lack of a better word). I very promptly pay what he asks, use the blower to make areas a plow can push snow into, and otherwise kiss the guy's, err, feet! All I ask him to do is plow enough that an emergency vehicle can get to my walkway to the house.

 

[civilian]

Paying someone when equipment/owner is out of commission? Been there, done that!

For backup snow removal, I keep a contractor on "standby" (for the lack of a better word). I very promptly pay what he asks, use the blower to make areas a plow can push snow into, and otherwise kiss the guy's, err, feet! All I ask him to do is plow enough that an emergency vehicle can get to my walkway to the house.

And think about clearing that walkway with your truck, tractor, so Emergency vehicle can get right up to the door. Moving a loaded gurney on person wide snowy path is tough.

Dad started to learn about tractors and rear snowblowers in his early 70's. Did it last year at 93. This year will test his neck looking backwards. Jon

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

And think about clearing that walkway with your truck, tractor, so Emergency vehicle can get right up to the door.

Agreed. Or in our case we have heated mats for the sidewalk/steps to the house. They seem to do a good job.

 

[mikester]

60HP cabbed tractor, 4WD, studded euro style chains on all four wheels, front snowblower, rear sand spreader.

If I was 75 in your situation I would sell and move to a retirement community that takes care of those details for you.

I know there will be a point I won't be able to manage these things anymore. We all dream about passing away quietly in our sleep but the reality is the majority of people decline and have a sh*tty last 5 years of life. Those days are coming sooner rather than later.

 

[LouNY]

60HP cabbed tractor, 4WD, studded euro style chains on all four wheels, front snowblower, rear sand spreader.

If I was 75 in your situation I would sell and move to a retirement community that takes care of those details for you.

I know there will be a point I won't be able to manage these things anymore. We all dream about passing away quietly in our sleep but the reality is the majority of people decline and have a sh*tty last 5 years of life. Those days are coming sooner rather than later.

I sincerely hope that my last trip down my driveway is at the end of a long life.
I have absolutely no desire to live in town and especially a "retirement" home.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I sincerely hope that my last trip down my driveway is at the end of a long life.
I have absolutely no desire to live in town and especially a "retirement" home.

I agree.

I tell Mrs Slim all the time that "they'll never take me alive".

To the OP,

I'm using a cabbed 37 hp tractor with a rear mount 6' snow blower myself. It's not "fast", (I've never understood the fascination with "fast") but it's "permanent" (much more important to me) . Meaning I only ever have to move the snow one time. No "pushing banks or piles back" later in the season after we've had a bunch of snow accumulated. Once our winters take hold, the snow never melts, not 'till spring. So it's very easy to run out of places to "push" snow with a plow or blade. A blower removes that issue entirely.

But my driveway is much shorter than yours. I think in your case, I would advise a front mounted snow blower and a rear blade on a 50-60 hp cabbed tractor. But now we're talking "real money", as these are not cheap by any means. Rear mounted blowers mean turning and looking backwards over your shoulder a lot of the time. That can be hard on your neck and back (I'm close to 60 myself, and it's already an issue). I would also recommend chains (I still don't have a set, but they're on my Christmas list). But in your case, I think you'll have a rough time getting the chains on?

In your position, you are really going to be reliant on a good dealer. Not sure you have one, but time to start shopping for that dealer. Find one with excellent customer service, regardless of who's brand it is, you want to buy the dealer, not the brand. You're likely going to need help with things like mounting/dismounting the blower in fall/spring, same with snow chains.

And cabbed tractors rule. When you HAVE to get the driveway cleared, and it's -40 F/C degrees (no "windchill" B.S., but actual ambient temperature) along with a 40-50 mph wind, sitting in that heated cab while blowing snow is heavenly. You can just watch the snow fly by through the glass.