Tractor/Snowblower/Snow Pusher

[Sandbrew]

As a Colorado mountain dweller with 200 inches of snow a season I'd suggest a skid steer with a bucket and blower for deep snow and drifts if I can only have one. I have a multiple tool approach. ATV with a plow- never gets used. Jeep with a plow. Gets used 90% of time - Closed cab and heated. Fast and quick with 2-12 inches. Can easily handle 18-30 inches with chains. Over 30 inches the skid steer with chains takes over.

 

[FOS373]

As a Colorado mountain dweller with 200 inches of snow a season I'd suggest a skid steer with a bucket and blower for deep snow and drifts if I can only have one. I have a multiple tool approach. ATV with a plow- never gets used. Jeep with a plow. Gets used 90% of time - Closed cab and heated. Fast and quick with 2-12 inches. Can easily handle 18-30 inches with chains. Over 30 inches the skid steer with chains takes over.

I concur......

We have a property north of Steamboat and have both a Kubota M7060 tractor and SVL-75 track steer. For snow removal, and a lot of other things, the track steer is much handier; plus enclosed cab with heat. I made sure that it had highflow hydraulics to be able to do other things as well. If I only had one, this would be it.

I also have a quad with a plow blade for lighter snow falls and quick cleanup.

That being said, we also have a neighbor who runs an excavation business and brings out the big Cat front end loader when things get deep

 

[jimh406]

I use an open tractor with loader and blade when i want to move snow very far off the road. Otherwise, I use my Polaris Ranger with snow plow and soft cab. The Ranger is a lot faster. I have chains for both.

The key is to make a wide opening at the beginning then, keep up. Do look at the climate data to determine if you regularly will get a lot of snow. Its also important how often it warms up to melt.

 

[WCB]

I'd have to vote skid steer with blower and a big bucket. However, I would also look at getting a designated plow truck or jeep with a plow for quickness and being able to keep it from building up in longer snow events. You can hit the whole thing quick.


Also, word of advice. know the direction of the predominant wind and blow/ push snow that direction. We have a hunting place in ND with a 1 mile long driveway that runs east and west. 90% of our problems with drifting would be solved if all the snow got pushed to the south side of the road.

 

[ThunderJack49]

I really appreciate all of the feedback gentlemen. I have an older suburban that I plan on throwing a plow on for maintaining the road on lighter snow days. I'm also considering a V-plow for my 2500 but I'd rather not put that wear and tear on that truck just yet. It's my commuter and trailer hauler.

My wife is also familiar with tractors and has used them to plow snow before.

I'm actually surprised about all of this skid steer support so I'll have to start researching those more. I've used them at work but it's always in comparison to a telehandler and not for moving snow.

When the wind blows it tends to drift badly in a few spots that can be a couple hundred yards each but it blows off most everywhere else. That picture I posted is actually mid winter, when we get wind it blows clear out of the county sometimes. I'll certainly be wind fencing where I can.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Make sure its a tracked skid loader

 

[Sandbrew]

Here's another option

406 Unimog With Snowblower

$36,000.00 406 Unimog With Snowblower for sale in Richmond, UT on KSL Classifieds. View a wide selection of Heavy Equipment/Tractors and other great items on KSL Classifieds.

classifieds.ksl.com

 

[LostArra]

reasonably price used skid steer

I didn't know this even existed without 4000 hours. Maybe Montana is different.

 

[Wrench]

2 miles of road.....you pretty much need a d6c sized machine. You're looking at down trees, drifts, washes and ditch maintenance. Skids are great....but you better have a month to clear the road it it gets bad. A few blow downs and your blower will be so happy....lol.

An older 6c or d4d should be available and will do what you want in 3rd gear.

 

[ThunderJack49]

Here's another option

406 Unimog With Snowblower

$36,000.00 406 Unimog With Snowblower for sale in Richmond, UT on KSL Classifieds. View a wide selection of Heavy Equipment/Tractors and other great items on KSL Classifieds.

classifieds.ksl.com

That is amazing.

 

[ThunderJack49]

2 miles of road.....you pretty much need a d6c sized machine. You're looking at down trees, drifts, washes and ditch maintenance. Skids are great....but you better have a month to clear the road it it gets bad. A few blow downs and your blower will be so happy....lol.

An older 6c or d4d should be available and will do what you want in 3rd gear.

Trees aren't actually a huge concern, but my wife was a hotshot so I'll let her handle that.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I have opened up a lot of miles of BLM road with a grader. Like anything else, you have to plan ahead and keep making room for more snow. Its another option though. Old blades arent that expensive either.

 

[Weldor]

Same as above, use a case 480E LL it makes it easy to relocate snow and get ready for more. You can use the bucket or the gannon.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Same as above, use a case 480E LL it makes it easy to relocate snow and get ready for more. You can use the bucket or the gannon.

Was meaning something along these lines. A blade on the front does make them a bit handier though

14E grader - heavy equipment - by owner - sale - craigslist

14E grader manual shift call Bill 541210620six

medford.craigslist.org

 

[Weldor]

Was meaning something along these lines. A blade on the front does make them a bit handier though

14E grader - heavy equipment - by owner - sale - craigslist

14E grader manual shift call Bill 541210620six

medford.craigslist.org

No, I got it it. Motor blade is handy, but it can only push snow (very handy though) a loader can relocate or remove it plus push it out of the way. I would love to have both.

 

[loganwayne]

Find a ski area and see if they have any old snow blowers they'd sell. Guy on youtube just bought 10 for 20grandd

 

[NYyotekiller]

I'd go with a mid sized Utility Tractor (+/- 55 HP), closed cab with a snowplow attachment.

I used to have a 3/4 ton plow truck for years and would never go back to a truck for a dedicated plow rig. I have a full angle 8' blade on mine and it works great. We typically get around 72"-100" in a year at my house.

Second choice would be a skid steer with a snow plow attachment.

 

[jmez]

What Wyosteve said.

Sent from my moto g power 5G - 2023 using Tapatalk

 

[Blockcaver]

We had a place a couple miles outside Leadville, CO that had a mile of private road. I lived there a couple years….winter of 2007 and 2008 was bad with over 200” of snow. It blew hard out in the open where we lived. Had 12’ snow banks along the road, etc.

I had a JD4600 43 HP tractor with a heated Curtis cab on it. Also a 6’ wide 3-point hitch mounted blower plus the bucket on the tractor. Worked good to move banks back and blow the snow away downwind of course. The bucket was slow but useful around buildings.

Tractor and blower were non too large for that winter, although comfortable to operate in the cold at 10,000’. Plugged in, the tractor started easily but the hydraulics were slow to warm up at -20*.

Good luck!

 

[ThunderJack49]

Another update.
I have watched almost every snowblower implement on Youtube and now I am in the process of trying to justify a skid steer for my business, so that I can rent/use it during the warmer months. Tractors have more appeal to me but the utlilty of a skid steer is undeniable.