How To Remove Snow From 400 ft Gravel Driveway?

[Dynasty]

400 ft is not that much. What machines do you have available to you now?

Right now, ATV with 4 ft blade

 

[Dynasty]

A lot depends on if you live in an area that stays frozen all winter or an area that has freeze thaw all winter. If itç—´ frozen all winter the goal is to establish a thin frozen layer over the road and maintain that all winter. If itç—´ a freeze thaw situation you would get the road close to clean and let the warmer temps do the rest.

If you have freeze thaw you need to keep as much weight off the blade as you can. This keeps the blade from digging into the driveway. If itç—´ frozen all winter a blade with some shoes will glide along the frozen ground.

A blower is needed for areas that don稚 have places to push snow. Instead it痴 blown out of the way.

My place stays mostly frozen. My FEL blade works great. If itç—´ early or late season and things aren稚 frozen I back drag with the front blade or use my box blade with hydraulic top and tilt. I feel I have an ideal setup for my location. I have plenty of places to push snow though. I have about 1000 of å*µravel driveway.

The area experiences freezing and thawing. An experienced plow operator advised exactly as you described about getting close and the sun to do the rest.

 

[RNeumann]

A light blade (no added weight of the FEL) would be best. I wouldn’t blow if you don’t need to.

Go for the pickup truck or UTV and plow- based on the choices you gave in your first post.

 

[Thomas]

1 thur 3 choices plan on keeping snow banks push way back even more so for drifting snow.... Pickup truck and plow. :thumbsup:

 

[mcfarmall]

Tractor with FEL and chains, and a back blade.

 

[the old grind]

Tractor with FEL and chains, and a back blade.

Buy three of these, too. Put one also in the middle of the bucket edge, and worry less how close the outer two are to corners. (I don't use chains) I use Box Blade to pull snow from buildings or doors to where it can be scooped and deposited. (I don't have a cab or wear coveralls for a barely 1 hr job)



Plows/blades are for pavement unless you are grading. They will generate 'curbs' over years of piling gravel along sides with snow. They will also scalp your crown.

Think ahead and plan to move snow like the bulky commodity is sometimes is. Pile it where Spring melt won't go to the wrong place, like down the driveway you plowed & banked into a river channel by using a pavement plow.

It's not that it snows much in MI, or that my own gravel driveway is 550' long, but I've been clearing it for 18 years. Much easier once I removed the 'curbs' and crowned it, and started using Edge Tamers. Edge Tamer - Move Snow With Your Tractor Loader Bucket – R2 Manufacturing

 

[LD48750]

Buy three of these, too. Put one also in the middle of the bucket edge, and worry less how close the outer two are to corners. (I don't use chains) I use Box Blade to pull snow from buildings or doors to where it can be scooped and deposited. (I don't have a cab or wear coveralls for a barely 1 hr job)

View attachment 622354

Plows/blades are for pavement unless you are grading. They will generate 'curbs' over years of piling gravel along sides with snow. They will also scalp your crown.

Think ahead and plan to move snow like the bulky commodity is sometimes is. Pile it where Spring melt won't go to the wrong place, like down the driveway you plowed & banked into a river channel by using a pavement plow.

It's not that it snows much in MI, or that my own gravel driveway is 550' long, but I've been clearing it for 18 years. Much easier once I removed the 'curbs' and crowned it, and started using Edge Tamers. Edge Tamer - Move Snow With Your Tractor Loader Bucket – R2 Manufacturing

How do those work in the mud?

 

[the old grind]

How do those work in the mud?

About the same as a blade with 'gage buttons', though your own experience may vary. :thumbsup:

eg: Is your mud from poor grade, poor drainage, filling holes with wood chips or drywall? The OP didn't even mention his mud.

I don't cause mud by intent, and quit dealing with mud once I removed the 'curbs' and graded my drive for proper drainage.

btw, I'm not the inventor of the product, maker, or marketer just someone who actually uses it. :confused2:

(standard disclaimer: "Individual results may be all wet.")

Just buy a snowblower and it'll all be SO simple.

 

[aamyotte]

My driveway is about 200’ long wrapping around the back of the house down a hill to the basement walkout.

Last winter was the first winter at my new house and I was using an ATV with plow. By the end of winter I had between 6 and 8 inches of ice build up on the driveway. The plow just didn’t have the weight to dig on any packed snow.

This week I picked up a subcompact with FEL and box blade. I’m hoping this will be a better setup.

 

[RNeumann]

My driveway is about 200’ long wrapping around the back of the house down a hill to the basement walkout.

Last winter was the first winter at my new house and I was using an ATV with plow. By the end of winter I had between 6 and 8 inches of ice build up on the driveway. The plow just didn’t have the weight to dig on any packed snow.

This week I picked up a subcompact with FEL and box blade. I’m hoping this will be a better setup.

That’s a sweet setup. Set the shoes on the blade, push your FEL joystick all the way forward to float the FEL. Then to get more or less cut with the blade just adjust the curl on the FEL.

The box works good up against the buildings etc.

I also drop my rippers and ping them along the ice to create grooves. Works awesome in spring to get back down to driveway surface. Also good to get more traction.