# What to do w/ long driveway and hills



## josserman (Aug 23, 2010)

I have a 1200+ foot driveway which we give access rights to 3 other homes that attach to it. We've been told the snow will get up to 20' here. I've also been quoted $75 a plow and expect in a normal storm we will need someone to come several times.

That said we are interested in doing the plowing ourselves. We were told a snowblower will not be powerful enough to get up the hills and a lawn tractor with blower or plow will also have trouble on the hills w/ rwd. 

That said we are thinking about an ATV w/ a plow. I found a gently used (only 6miles 2hrs) Polaris 500 '09 that I'm thinking about getting and thowing a plow on it. I love the idea of having an ATV as it can help w/ other things around the house like pulling tree stumps, lugging stuff around the yard, and more, plus it will be a lot of fun just to play around in the woods with. (we have lots of woods behind our house). 

Is an ATV the way to go or is there something better?

Thanks!

Justin


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Is that 20 inches or 20 feet? 
Let someone else plow it. And tip him each time so this way he'll make sure to show up early!


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## josserman (Aug 23, 2010)

20 feet  

My wife wants to make the right economic decission. We plan to live here for many many yrs, so in the long run we think this would be a good investment for us.Plus I think it would be a lot of fun.


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

josserman;1062232 said:


> 20 feet
> I think it would be a lot of fun.


Be careful what you wish for.

∇
Funny Snow Shoveling Story

DIARY OF A SNOW SHOVELER

December 8 - 6:00 PM

It started snowing. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktail drinks and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. We love snow!

December 9

We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had! Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a little boy again. I cleared both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snowplough came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12Snowman Funeral

The sun has melted all our lovely snow... Such a disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry - we'll definitely have a White Christmas.

No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. However, Bob is such a nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 13Idyllic Snowman - Wish I was there

Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The temperature dropped to -20F. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplough came back this afternoon and buried everything again.. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15

20 inches forecast for today. I sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow ty res for the wife's car and 2 extra shovels. We stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's extravagant. We aren't in Alaska, after all.

December 16

Ice storm this morning. Fell on my butt on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17

Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere.

Today the electricity was off for 4 hours. We had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to her. Gee I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20

Yippee the electricity's back on, but we had another 14 inches of the damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all day. The damn snowplough came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22

Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more inches of the white stuff fell today, and it's so cold, it probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I had to go to the loo. By the time I got undressed, and dressed again, I was too tired to shovel. Tried to hire Bob who has a plough on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the ******* is lying.

December 23

Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to zero. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What is she, nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24Picture Snow Cat and Santa Claus

6 inches fell, but the snow was packed so hard by the snowplough, I broke my shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the son-of-a-***** who drives that snowplough, I'll drag him through the snow by his hair and beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the damn snowplough.
Ξ


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## josserman (Aug 23, 2010)

nice story ....doesn't sounds like too much fun to me....thats why I think having a plough on an ATV would be great no? Should easily tear up the snow, I can use it to lay down salt and no worry about waiting for the plougher to come or whatnot.


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## erkoehler (Sep 25, 2008)

I'd get at minimum a tractor with cab and heat or a plow truck.


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## ajslands (Sep 3, 2009)

Plow truck (ford) with a v plow from (boss) if you get 20' of snow, you're getting like 10" an hour. An atv wnt do anything in that! Don't wait for the snow to stop or you'll need a dozer to get out!


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## FordFisherman (Dec 5, 2007)

no place in CT gets that much snow except the ski resorts. get the ATV and have fun


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## vt properties (Jan 28, 2010)

atv wont do it with the heavy snow accumulation in a event ex 10" or more. Also you being in new england the snow will get wet and heavy and really hard and time consuming to push and thats in a full size 3/4 ton truck. A atv wont cut it especially on any type of grade. Then you have the snow followed by ice and forget the atv you now have a ice rink and only a dozer will do not plow truck can move feet of packed ice. You will be out in the elements as well on a atv and it gets brutal. I would buy a 1/2 ton and a appropiate plow or a tractor with blade if you want to do it youreself, or just do what everyone eles does and hire a proffesional , you wont regrett it when you need to get out some where. If you insist on doing it with a atv I would hire the contractor and have him come when 3" or more hits for a storm, and you do under 3" with the plow. If you just depend on the atv you will become overwhelmed.


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## josserman (Aug 23, 2010)

sorry guys I did mean 20" not 20' lol ....

I do work from home so I can go out a few times during the day as it build up, maybe even at night. I'm just thinking at $75 a plow x 10 snow storms 2-3 plows a storm 1500-2250 a yr. I can get a used atv 800cc w/ fully automated lift and angle plow, hand warmers for $6700 in 3-4yrs I can pay for this thing.

Is it really going ot be that diffficult to plow 10" at a time w/a big atv like this? Also a bonus I see is I can do my sidewalks w/ this.


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## vt properties (Jan 28, 2010)

If you only get 20" a year you could always call a contractor if youre atv is not up to the challenge in the case of a huge storm, however it will cost more for a one time push generally speaking. And an atv is good for sidewalks. A 20" avg is not a huge amount I imagine you are close to ny or stanford. I use to live in westchester.


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## josserman (Aug 23, 2010)

cool  yea I'm in Ridgefield near South Salem but at the highest peak in town. I'm going to pick this bad boy up tomorrow


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## vt properties (Jan 28, 2010)

Have fun with it.


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## woodsman (Nov 18, 2008)

I'd get the 150 with plow for sure and save the atv for summer stuff. sit inside a warm plow or a cold ass atv?? mmm.. you decide


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## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

10" is hard on a truck let alone an ATV. 
Do you have a ditch at the side of the driveway or is it flat with the driveway? If flat, you are going to run out of room real fast. The ATV and maybe a pickup truck won't be able to throw the snow over the existing snow. Your best bet is a blower on a 4x4 tractor.

We did a 1 mile drive last year. We had to bring in a loader a couple of times to cut the banks back.

Check this thread out. You will see what I mean. A lot of pages to go through but the pictures are great. http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=89122&highlight=alaskaboss&page=12


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## josserman (Aug 23, 2010)

bit this bullet this am and picked up this badboy:


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

Sweet looking ATV, wish I had one like that myself.



josserman;1062293 said:


> sorry guys I did mean 20" not 20' lol ....
> 
> I do work from home so I can go out a few times during the day as it build up, maybe even at night. I'm just thinking at $75 a plow x 10 snow storms 2-3 plows a storm 1500-2250 a yr. I can get a used atv 800cc w/ fully automated lift and angle plow, hand warmers for $6700 in 3-4yrs I can pay for this thing.
> 
> Is it really going ot be that diffficult to plow 10" at a time w/a big atv like this? Also a bonus I see is I can do my sidewalks w/ this.


Yes, its going to be really difficult to plow 10" at a time with that little plow on a light ATV. It doesn't have the power nor the traction to move that much snow. However, living in CT, you're not likle to see many 10" storms in my opinion so you mgiht be ok.

I think you're going to wind up buying a beater pickup truck before this coming winter season is through...you're not going to beleive just how big that 1200' driveway is going to get when you have to do 10-12 passes to clear it once...thats a good 3 mile ride each and every time you go out in the snow and those are going to be very hard miles on that ATV and I'm skeptical it'll last you the 3 years it'll take to pay for itself.

Not really looking to be a wet blanket, but I know its coming out that way. You really need a full sized truck or a 4x4 tractor for this situation.

If you decide to stick with the ATV, see if you can get a windshield or something for it, you're gonna get covered with either powder or slush.


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## ajslands (Sep 3, 2009)

Better keep a gas can at each end of the driveway!


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## woodsman (Nov 18, 2008)

I have a 1500 foot driveway that is gravel and has a steep incline and winds through the woods. The atv's are good in 3" of snow at most after that is becomes a nightmare to move unless you are on level ground it will be a bit better but the toll it takes on the atvs (glowing exhaust, broken frontend parts, etc..) i have a 150 beater and a 82 k5 blazer and at times it is tough with them and i have my farmer neighbor come and snow blow the entire road. Mind you i am south of buffalo ny and 10" of snow here is just a coating....


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## sday88 (Feb 20, 2007)

I live in Eastern Ohio and last winter when we got that big storm at the beginning of February I waited too long to start plowing and I got my truck stuck halfway up the hill on our private road. Then it turned out, the radiator busted. By the time I got my truck dug out by the neighbor, we had a good 18". The brother of the woman that also lives on our private road came out with his quad and had no problem at all clearing the road and both of our driveways. I was pretty impressed with what that quad could do. The point is, don't underestimate the ability of a quad when plowing snow.


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## woodsman (Nov 18, 2008)

sday88;1063613 said:


> I live in Eastern Ohio and last winter when we got that big storm at the beginning of February I waited too long to start plowing and I got my truck stuck halfway up the hill on our private road. Then it turned out, the radiator busted. By the time I got my truck dug out by the neighbor, we had a good 18". The brother of the woman that also lives on our private road came out with his quad and had no problem at all clearing the road and both of our driveways. I was pretty impressed with what that quad could do. The point is, don't underestimate the ability of a quad when plowing snow.


Well your first mistake was plowing up hill, 2nd was getting stuck!!!. I know a atv can pplow but do you want to be sitting doing so when it's freezing and snowing/blowing when you can sit in a heated truck and plow "DOWNHILL"......


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