End of season strategy for gravel surfaces?

   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #11  
This time of the year if ground still frozen I'll scrape it down,once ground shows thawing leave it alone not unless good snow dumping.
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #12  
It has been a strange winter. Normally will plow/blow 12-15 times a year. Only used the blower once so far. Had planned to keep about 2" of hard pack but it got thicker as I was not going to waste time and fuel to take off 3" of new snow, so it built up to over 4". We drive 4 WD pickups so there is no need to get **** about removing snow.

Currently have a good layer of ice on the drive. But it is melting and that works very well. Not going to go out there and mess things up. I have ashes from the insert if I want to speed up the melt or add a bit of traction on the curves. Once it melts a bit I may run the landscape rake over the mush to get a few ridges if it looks like it will freeze again. But still learning.
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #13  
I try to use my atv plow for snow removal at this time of year, less weight. I have a piece of ABS pipe with a slit cut in it and it slides over my cutting edge. It leaves a little more snow than my blade alone but it does not chew up my gravel the way the blade alone does. I may have to make extra passes if the snow is slushy as the pipe tends to ride over the top in those conditions.
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #14  
"I have a piece of ABS pipe with a slit cut in it and it slides over my cutting edge"

Joey: did you use a saw to cut the slit in the pipe? And does it reliably stay on the blade, or do you have some way of securing it?
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #15  
So how do you approach the end of season? Hang on to your mat as long as possible? Keep is scraped down as much as you can? Something else?
We don't get enough snow/cold for a "mat". Have 900' gravel driveway and tractor with front blade. During the season most of the gravel is scraped off to the sides. At the end of season the reachable bulk is scraped back on then comes 1-2 days of manual labor (pita) with a hand rake to restore the unreachable.
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #16  
"I have a piece of ABS pipe with a slit cut in it and it slides over my cutting edge"

Joey: did you use a saw to cut the slit in the pipe? And does it reliably stay on the blade, or do you have some way of securing it?
I cut it on my table saw, cut through the center on one side. 11/2 " pipe slides right over the top edge of my cutting edge and the pipe stays put on it's own. After some use it does get loose but as you use it snow gets packed in the pipe and it holds on. By the time it doesn't hold anymore I just toss it and use a new one. I buy it in 10 ft. lengths so I get two 5's per stick. Lasts me all winter...

When I get heavier snow I will use my hydraulic front blade on the tractor, I use the atv and the abs edge to clean up the windrows. I like a clean look in front of the house.
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #17  
Thanks, I'll give it a try. Have to wait, we won't get any more snow now...
 
   / End of season strategy for gravel surfaces? #18  
Well I ride a motorcycle year round and driveway is 300 feet and my yard is big enough to do a u simple turn with with a tractor pulling a 53 foot trailer.
So yes the snow-ice build up over winter does become a problem when it starts melting, it’s very easy to get a motorcycle stuck in that crap so this Time of year I start shaving some off with the front end loader where I have to ride the motorcycle and it actually does work pretty good.
 
 
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