Snow Drift in driveway

[meierlde]

Build a drive through structure there. Make it look like a covered bridge so it is aesthetically pleasing.

Actually on road and railroads in mountains they have these they are called
snow sheds all be it is more to avoid snow slides. (See the UPRR thru Donner Pass from I 80)

 

[LOL!]

When I was a teenager, I shoveled snow with my friends to get some money. We would just go around the neighborhood.

But then a guy said, "Sure! Can you shovel this pile of snow in front of the second car in my garage away somewhere?" It turned out that he had put all the snow from the other lane of the garage into that pile and had let the heat out of the garage melt it into a 4 foot tall by about 12 foot diameter ice cone. We thought we would make quick work of a pile of snow, but we were well underpaid to chop that iceberg up and gave up about halfway into it.

 

[Jerry1]

The setup time/effort to put the blade on and take it off is probably too much for how short my driveway is, and I'm not going to keep a blade on all the time. Before I bought this place I was looking at one with a very long driveway, ~1/8 mile, and figured that's the way I'd handle that driveway. But I think mine is less than 50', it's just the trouble spot.

I usually find going out early is counter productive. The snow just fills right back in so I didn't accomplish much at all.

Here's a picture from the worst snow we had up here. I don't know if this was the first pass or second, but I had to get out in the morning so I blasted my way through. I probably even parked in the driveway, I was smarter back then. I came home that afternoon, and the wind had filled up the void across about half the driveway, almost to the top. It was about 8' high after the second pass, and I was trying to throw it as far as I could, downwind.

Even a smaller snow thrower would help you out. Sure, it's not going to tackle that 4 foot drift in the first pass, but it will attack it and throw it. Chew away at the bottom, the top falls, rinse and repeat. At a minimum, it's doing the throwing even if you want to do the knock down by hand/shovel.

 

[marko]

We live right on the ocean. When a north-east storm comes in, the way the wind swirls around our house, we'll have bare ground on one end of the driveway and a drift up to 8 feet high on the other. Literally.

I have a 40 year old Ariens that my grandad left behind. Kicks butt. Eight foot drift? No problem; you just have to take your time and eat away at the pile.

More recently though, we spend more time in Florida during winter; we have a plow guy who does it but I still have the blower for touch up when I'm there.

 

[RunningBum]

Nobody likes my fan idea? The concept seems right to me. It drifts because there is dead air, so the blowing snow stops blowing and just falls. Put a good wind on it, and it won't stop. I'm not looking to blow a pile off the ground, I'm looking to keep the blowing snow from settling in that spot. I wouldn't expect bare ground, but not a huge drift either. Normal depth the same as the rest of the driveway would make me happy. Could a fan just not generate the wind needed, or do they just not make weatherproof ones at a good price point?

 

[Walt34]

Someone makes a weatherproof fan, I see them on some electrical equipment (transformers?) at a substation that we drive past frequently. I'd be pretty sure they ain't cheap though. An eyeball guess at size would be perhaps 3 feet in diameter.

 

[street]

That does drift in pretty good. LOL If it is rare not every other week I would find me a guy that can come and move it fast with the right equipment and pay him. It may be the cheapest way efficient way to take care of that event. I would have him on speed dial if you need him. There are guys here that do that same thing on the side for a little extra green backs.

 

[RunningBum]

OK, well, at this point, spring is almost here and I see that the forecast of 6" snow this weekend has changed to a dusting so there's no action needed now, short of taking advantage of any post-season sales.

Next year, I have to be smart enough to remember to park my car in the driveway before a snow, as that displaces a lot of the drift. (somebody bump this thread for me next December, will ya?)

If that doesn't work well enough, you've all convinced me that a good Ariens snow thrower will get rid of it easier than I can. Probably won't bite the bullet yet unless there's a really good sale.

I did get a new shovel a couple years ago that works pretty well. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A1CENK
You don't scoop and throw with it, you just push it along the ground and dump it at the end. If it gets too full I just glide it on the top of the snow and then go back over it again. With a big drift I can take some off the top and move it. It would work better on a paved driveway as it liked to find the ground and push along, but I've gotten pretty good at controlling the depth.

Still open to more suggestions, but thanks for all the responses.

 

[MRG]

Nobody likes my fan idea? The concept seems right to me. It drifts because there is dead air, so the blowing snow stops blowing and just falls. Put a good wind on it, and it won't stop. I'm not looking to blow a pile off the ground, I'm looking to keep the blowing snow from settling in that spot. I wouldn't expect bare ground, but not a huge drift either. Normal depth the same as the rest of the driveway would make me happy. Could a fan just not generate the wind needed, or do they just not make weatherproof ones at a good price point?

Interesting idea, I like it. Not sure of the expense of the proper outdoor equipment and enough power to move blowing snow.

Would your neighbors like it? I'd hate to create a snowblowing war! Perhaps I'm reminded of my last neighbors and the stupidity of some folks.

Some folks in this area have compact Kobota's(tiny with FEL) or ATV's with plows. Of course it's an expense and there is storage issues. If you invest in one, you're guaranteed at least a couple years of no snow.

 

[Walt34]

If you invest in one, you're guaranteed at least a couple years of no snow.

Yep. The first time I bought a snowthrower 30+ years ago we didn't see snowflake one for four years. The the law of averages caught up with us big time and I was sure glad I'd spent the money!

 

[RunningBum]

Interesting idea, I like it. Not sure of the expense of the proper outdoor equipment and enough power to move blowing snow.

Would your neighbors like it? I'd hate to create a snowblowing war! Perhaps I'm reminded of my last neighbors and the stupidity of some folks.

Some folks in this area have compact Kobota's(tiny with FEL) or ATV's with plows. Of course it's an expense and there is storage issues. If you invest in one, you're guaranteed at least a couple years of no snow.

I happen to have a lot of room between my driveway and my next door neighbor on the other side, and their driveway is uphill of mine, so I don't see that as a problem. Beyond them is an empty lot and lots of woods, so no other problems. Most of my neighbors just have vacation homes anyway, so they likely wouldn't be here. And they aren't here enough to share costs of any big equipment.

 

[SnowBound]

I'm not sure if I missed it, but why not go the contract plowing route. They can easily push that snow off your driveway. Most have heavy duty equipment that is very reliable. And with social media, they can't afford not to show up!

 

[RunningBum]

I made brief mention that getting someone out here in the time I'd want would be hard to do here. Between the resort roads, condo parking lots, and the retirees who really can't do their own driveways, there's no shortage of work for plow drivers. And when it does snow, I like to get out to our local ski slope, so I'm not going to wait around until noon or later for a plow to come. I'll set my alarm early and clear a path and make sure I'm out for first tracks.

Also, my neighbor says that every time she had a plow come out, they wouldn't pay attention that it's a gravel drive, and most of the rocks would wind up off the edge of the driveway in the yard.

Besides, I really don't mind the shoveling in general, but would like a better way to prevent or handle the drift. Every time it snows and blows, I go out and look at that drift and think, "there's got to be a way to prevent this." Not "I'd do anything to not have to shovel this." If that makes sense.

 

[Jerry1]

Also, my neighbor says that every time she had a plow come out, they wouldn't pay attention that it's a gravel drive, and most of the rocks would wind up off the edge of the driveway in the yard.

This is true. I lived on a gravel drive and the couple times I had someone plow me out, a lot of gravel went with it. They drop the plow and go. I ended up with a small tractor and a plow and I would set the skid plates to keep the blade off the ground. It would still dig in every now and then until a base built up.

 

[KCGeezer]

Could you trench it enough to run a water line under enough area to help? I looked at a house years ago that had a 200’ drive that was black topped. They had a dedicated 50gal water heater. A shutoff inside, a bleeder valve at the bottom and wallah!

 

[RunningBum]

Could you trench it enough to run a water line under enough area to help? I looked at a house years ago that had a 200’ drive that was black topped. They had a dedicated 50gal water heater. A shutoff inside, a bleeder valve at the bottom and wallah!

I think I'd call that "over engineered" for my needs!

 

[davebarnes]

Wait it out.
You are retired.
Flag Day is just around the corner. It will be melted by then.
Dominos delivers.

 

[Jerry1]

Could you trench it enough to run a water line under enough area to help? I looked at a house years ago that had a 200’ drive that was black topped. They had a dedicated 50gal water heater. A shutoff inside, a bleeder valve at the bottom and wallah!

In Holland Michigan, they ran heat under ground and the city streets and I think side walks don’t freeze and the snow melts. Not sure how much of the main city block is this way, but very cool in an area of Michigan that gets a lot of (lake effect) snow.

 

[RunningBum]

I've got it! I'm going to do a solar driveway! Let's get ERD50 fired up on his opinion about this again. http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/solar-pavement-72955.html

 

[l8_apex]

If you buy a standalone snow blower, you want one with tracks rather than wheels. The tracks allow you to set the blower height.

Be warned, they're in the $3k range if you want to go with the a premium unit like a Honda.

 

[Sunset]

Build a drive through structure there. Make it look like a covered bridge so it is aesthetically pleasing.

I was also thinking that.

Maybe something lightweight looking would get past the rule makers. Just picture the high end of this attached to posts in the hill and the low end on the other side of the driveway.

 

[travelover]

I'd second the snow blower idea. They made some kick butt ones with a two stage auger that will eat right through a 4 foot snow drift. You undercut the drift, back off a little and let the upper snow fall into the hole the blower made, then hit it again. Use skids to keep the blower just above the gravel.

 

[braumeister]

 

[target2019]

Virginia man uses flamethrower to clear snow off driveway | Daily Mail Online

Make sure you stay around awhile to make sure nothing reignites!

Each snowstorm, I think of this as I shovel.

 

[marko]

This is what my snowblower has to deal with. Until I finally hired a plow guy!