I think I'm going to need snow removal equipment

[oldnslo]

What type of snow do you get in that part of Oregon? Dry and fluffy or wet heavy Sierra concrete. That will make a significant difference on how much snow you can move with a given piece of equipment. Like others have said look at what your neighbors have or if possible talk to them about what works in that area.

 

[airbiscuit]

The place we bought in Oregon got about 10-12" of snow last week. We were up there and were able to drive up the driveway when there was about 8" but then it snowed more over night. A contractor in a 4wd truck got stuck after we left and then the GC brought a skid steer in to clear it. No one mentioned snow when we were buying but now everyone we talk to who lives there says oh yea this used to be rare but it happens every year now. I don't mind too much.

The driveway to the house is about 800' and the road to the shop is another 450'. I don't think I'm up for shoveling that much. To make things worse, the garage and shop both have driveways and doors on the sides of the building where the snow slides off the roof and makes a pile. The piles in front of the shop doors were nearly waist high.

I don't have much experience with snow and none with removing it. It looks like my options are use the tractor with a bucket, buy a plow for the the tractor, or buy a snow blower for the tractor. I think a walk behind blower would be ok to move the pile in front of the shop or garage but maybe would take a long time to get from the shop to the house, or to clear off the driveway.

Right now most of the roads are gravel. Does that make snow removal harder? Do R4 tires work in snow? On hills?

I made my (snowblower) recommendation based on the amount of snow, hills, R4s, and the plow truck getting stuck. Around here, you can buy a used 3pt snowblower for $2,000 or less. That won't seem extravagant when you're digging out a stuck tractor. If it is super light fluffy snow, or my assumptions are off, then other options might be worth considering.

 

[leonz]

With your heavy wet coastal snow you need
snow chains and loaded rear tires.

Even the largest residential 2 stage snow blowers
which are 32 inches wide would require you to spend
12+ hours clearing snow in two passes.

With heavy wet snow a snow blower with a rotating
impeller drum like the smallest Pronovost TRC models
would quickly cast it left or right bypassing the chute
and spout and avoid plugging.

 

[fishhead]

I like the suggestions of a back blade, they work well with slop and wet snow and have other uses for the 99% of the time it's not snowing- skids or a jockey wheel will keep from digging up much gravel. R4's can be deadly on packed wet snow so kee[ that in mind- a cheap set of rear ladder chains will help enormously

 

[Carl_NH]

Here's a cheap set of front chains I have used for 7 years only in winter and on snow. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N1A38R8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Probably will get another three-four years out of them and for the price and ease of installation it works for me.

 

[CalG]

Around the yard, I use the front mount blower on the B7200. Turf tires with close spaced ladder chains.

On the road/drive, The rear blade on the 435 Prince is the ticket.

Over the past week, I've cleared snow three times. Today it was three inches of snow after 5 hours of misting rain. That stuff sucks up horse power. But it's gone now! Blown well off to the side. Waiting for spring.

 

[Carl_NH]

Cal - First I have heard of the Prince 435 - or SAME Solaris 35 after I googled it. Looks like a nice szed machine with 35 HP and 4WD - would be a great snow machine.

Yes- its been 5 small nuisance storms -3-8" every few days here in NH too for the last two weeks - but if you dont get it cleared its an icy mess when the temp dips into the teens or zero.

 

[Kioti Sal]

I would second or third a back blade.
I'd suggest one with adjustable feet, then you can raise the blade up an inch or two to avoid messing up the driveway, if you want to use it in the normal position. I do this in my driveway when I don't have much snow. Angle it to one side and it acts like the blade on a pickup truck, curling the snow off to one side. If its really soft ground it might give you two 'track's that dig your gravel up a little. But alot of guys run them backwards, so it doesn't mess up the gravel.

If its only once or twice a year, you might even be ok plowing with the bucket. I got caught in November before I had my blower attached. I did have the back blade, but cleaned up the ends with the bucket. It would take longer to do the whole driveway, especially yours, but if its a rare occurrence...

My FIL plowed what is now my house for a decade or more with a 2wd Ford 3400 with chains and a big ole bucket that didn't have a float position.
I used it a few times before I wanted a cab. But we get ALOT more snow than you do.

Another option would be to add a front blade to an ATV or side by side if you already have one.

 

[airbiscuit]

It would be important to know
How wet is the snow?
How steep are the hills?

 

[ZoaBrown]

I totally understand you, I went through something similar last winter. At first, I tried to handle it on my own, but the accumulation became too much. I ended up hiring a snow removal service after a big snowfall, and honestly, it was a relief. It turned out to be very cost-effective—I saved myself a lot of effort, and it wasn’t even expensive. Just in case you're interested:Home