# New Here and New to Plowing



## Danielle (Feb 14, 2014)

Hi! I am new here and this is my first post. Please be kind to me, because I have come here sincerely seeking help.

We have a cabin we are very interested in; it is in Argyle Ridge, Duchesne County, Utah, and is at about 9,000 feet. Now, they listed it as seasonal because they say the dirt roads there are not maintained. It's a 15 mile jaunt to the cared-for roads. 

What would I need to buy to plow a road like that? Would a Bronco with a snowplow work, or would we need to buy a full-blown dump truck with a snowplow on it? Any ideas? We would really like to live there year-round if possible.

Also, what would someone typically charge me to plow that length of road and lay down magnesium chloride?

Thank you so much for your help!
~Danielle


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## JTVLandscaping (Jan 1, 2010)

Welcome to the asylum. I'm not really familiar with the area, are they harsh winters with a lot of snow?


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

I think you might need a helicopter instead.


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## nepatsfan (Sep 16, 2004)

I wouldn't feel comfortable without a backhoe or a loader along with a 1 ton pickup or something similar


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## nepatsfan (Sep 16, 2004)

grandview;1758593 said:


> I think you might need a helicopter instead.


or this^^^:laughing:


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

15 miles to a paved road from your front door?


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

15 miles is a LOT of road to clear. 3-4" no biggie. Get a whopper of 12" with drifting and you're talking "The Shining" type lockdown. 

Honestly, if you can't have "real" equipment there, I'd look into snowmobiles and a place to park your regular vehicle where the roads are maintained at.


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## maxwellp (Feb 16, 2013)

Tucker Snow Cat. 
You also with just a truck may get in and not get back out.
What is the snow fall per year for the area?


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## rrider12 (Feb 8, 2014)

I am new here also but no stranger to snow. I checked out the area on Wikipedia, says about 21 inches a year but I suppose at 9000ft it may be 3 or 4 times that ? Is the road maintained at all in the summer (IE pot holes ruts drainage, grade ect).

DJ


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

sounds like you need a 6x6 with a plow to get in and out and leave your good vehicle at the pavement!


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## Triton2286 (Dec 29, 2011)

A machine is absolutely the best option. It would cost you a fortune to have someone plow that for you.


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## maxwellp (Feb 16, 2013)

With just 21 inches a truck will be fine and a lot of the time you could just drive on it. I would suggest you make some calls and find someone that knows. Because if it is more towards 80-100 inches you will need to rethink what you will do.


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## Big-Foot (Jun 2, 2013)

I don't know about your area but if I had to move a foot of snow over 15 miles, I would look into an old Deuce and a half with a serious plow on it - or - a large skid-steer with an 8' hydrostatic blower on it so you can toss the snow a ways.. One trip down to the highway and then the return trip will get you the full width of the road. The bonus is that you'll have a nice skid-steer to do other work around the place like landscaping etc.

Good luck!


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

snowmobile instead.


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## ddobson (May 8, 2010)

15 miles of dirt road is a lot to be responsible for in order to reach your cabin. Have you seen the condition of the road without any snow on it? The road could have minimal snow when you initially leave the pavement as compared to the trip upwards. +1 on the snow machine recommendation and you can get a small sled to tow behind it for supplies.


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## jasonv (Nov 2, 2012)

I'll speak from experience; my place is at the other end of a gravel road also. Not 15 miles, mind you. Only 2 miles. 2 miles is already a big job. I was initially doing it with a pickup, with a backhoe/loader as backup. Get a nice section of drifting, and even that little road can turn into an all-weekend job to clear with that kind of equipment. I have since added a 5-foot blower to my arsenal, which does a way better job of clearing drifts than the loader, as well as a v-plow for the backhoe.

Let me explain to you; in addition to a pickup, you want a minimum 7 foot blower for that 15 miles. Not a backwards blower. You want the blower mounted on the FRONT of a tractor, pointing FORWARD.

And forget about magnesium chloride, or any other kind of spreadable crap for the road. Do not waste time or money on that, it will do you absolutely no good on top of gravel. All you will accomplish is making a slushy mess that is easy to get stuck in. There is absolutely nothing wrong with driving on scraped ice/snow, as long as you don't pretend that its summer.


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## ddobson (May 8, 2010)

jasonv;1763646 said:


> I'll speak from experience; my place is at the other end of a gravel road also. Not 15 miles, mind you. Only 2 miles. 2 miles is already a big job. I was initially doing it with a pickup, with a backhoe/loader as backup. Get a nice section of drifting, and even that little road can turn into an all-weekend job to clear with that kind of equipment. I have since added a 5-foot blower to my arsenal, which does a way better job of clearing drifts than the loader, as well as a v-plow for the backhoe.
> 
> Let me explain to you; in addition to a pickup, you want a minimum 7 foot blower for that 15 miles. Not a backwards blower. You want the blower mounted on the FRONT of a tractor, pointing FORWARD.
> 
> And forget about magnesium chloride, or any other kind of spreadable crap for the road. Do not waste time or money on that, it will do you absolutely no good on top of gravel. All you will accomplish is making a slushy mess that is easy to get stuck in. There is absolutely nothing wrong with driving on scraped ice/snow, as long as you don't pretend that its summer.


Somewhat on topic, but how long does it take to clear that 2 miles with varying amounts of snow...4" 6" etc.?


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

I'm curious as to why you would consider buying a cabin that you'd have to plow 15 miles of road. That is a ridiculous amount of road for a homeowner to have to maintain. If you are set on taking on this task look for an old municipal or DOT tandem dump to plow the road. The downside of this is you or someone you know is going to have to have a cdl to drive it. Might want to look into a different piece of property.


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## leolkfrm (Mar 11, 2010)

think she got scared away......wonder if it comes with a couple thousand acres


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## Big-Foot (Jun 2, 2013)

Not so sure of the CDL requirement there Pete.. The C is Commercial. If she and hubby are plowing their own road and the vehicle is at or below the maximum weight for a standard driver's license for their state, they should be fine. Example - Minnesota Class D license has the maximum weight of 26,000# GVWR.. I think that would cover just aout anything they'd want to plow with.. Of course each state has their own regulations and as they say - your mileage may vary..


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## fhafer (Jan 31, 2014)

It comes down to time...you can keep a 15 mile camp road clear with a Bronco during a 15" snow storm if you are willing to plow around the clock. Wait until the end of the storm and you are in trouble. Buy a deuce and a half with a plow and you can wait out the storm; same-same with a 5' forward facing blower.

So it's really a question of time vs. money. Spending lots of ching on professional equipment will save you a ton of time behind the wheel. Do your opportunity cost calculation to see which option fits your situation the best.


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## peteo1 (Jul 4, 2011)

Big-Foot;1764318 said:


> Not so sure of the CDL requirement there Pete.. The C is Commercial. If she and hubby are plowing their own road and the vehicle is at or below the maximum weight for a standardized driver's license for their state, they should be fine. Example - Minnesota Class D license has the maximum weight of 26,000# GVWR.. I think that would cover just aout anything they'd want to plow with.. Of course each state has their own regulations and as they say - your mileage may vary..


I was reading it as it's county roads with no winter maintenance but if it is indeed a private road then yeah, no cdl required.


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## nepatsfan (Sep 16, 2004)

fhafer;1764423 said:


> It comes down to time...you can keep a 15 mile camp road clear with a Bronco during a 15" snow storm if you are willing to plow around the clock. Wait until the end of the storm and you are in trouble. Buy a deuce and a half with a plow and you can wait out the storm; same-same with a 5' forward facing blower.
> 
> So it's really a question of time vs. money. Spending lots of ching on professional equipment will save you a ton of time behind the wheel. Do your opportunity cost calculation to see which option fits your situation the best.


Impossible. You will absolutely lose that road in 15" of snow even if you plow around the clock. You also need to be able to push back the banks so you have more room too. Unless that 15" fell over like 40 hours you would lose it. It would take 1 hour at 15mph in a bronco to make 1 pass. If that was 2-3 inches an hour you're done. 15mph is pretty fast on a dirt road unless it's after a couple storms and you have a nice layer of ice pack. After that it's just like plowing a road but you would have to go pretty slow if it's not otherwise you'll be twisting up that plow, truck etc.

Kind of a mute point because the OP isn't coming back. Probably just a pipe dream. She was probably like "honey we can plow that, we'll just get a bronco" yaaa ok. good luck with that. D8 and a 980 maybe


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