Things I’ve learned this winter:
- If it’s going to snow for most of the day, it’s better to shovel at least once while it’s snowing than to wait until it’s finished. It’s much easier to move the stuff around before it packs.
- It takes as long to scrape out the tire tracks where someone has driven on the snow as it does to shovel the entire rest of the driveway.
It’s coming down pretty good out there, so I’m off to shovel per #1. I imagine I’ll be out there again this evening.
That is great advice. It works well. I started doing that after the first storm and have done it ever since. Another thing I found is that you can generally keep walk ways done using a stiff straw broom 😉
3. Buy a snowblower.
I think I’m going to order myself a steel snow shovel. The plastic ones don’t work very well, especially at getting the tracks off the driveway. Steel blades are more for pushing the snow, which for me is ideal. I rarely pick it up and move it.
I’ve also seen suggestions of applying non-stick cooking spray to the blades of shovels, but in my experience it only makes a difference if the snow is wet.
Hi, I don’t get snow here in Australia, but I remember my mother use to put salt on the drive way and it just melts the snow away, much better than back ache,
All the Best
Sandra
You guys got a lot? We got under an inch out here in Saudi Aurora.
We probably got ~6 inches, maybe a touch more.
Hey Alex: Perhaps you should consider one of these:
http://www.v8snowblowers.com
Hi Alex,
Living in New hampshire we usually get a lot of snow every winter anywhere from Thanksgiving thru St. Patricks Day.
One of my pet peaves is that I can’t stand it when the kids pull in unexpected and makes tire tracks before I can get out there and start shoveling.
I usually go out and try and shovel 3″ at a time it only takes me about a half an hour. If we get a blizzard then I get the kids to come in and plow if I can’t keep up with it.
We have only had about 3-4 inches this season and I couldn’t be any happier.
Thanks Jay
I live in Haines Ak, and have had dreams of starting an olympic snow shoveling team based right out of Haines here. We get a lot of snow! This storm cycle is expected to dump 15 inches tonight and another 10 tomorrow. But that is normal. I use a long handled steel scoop shovel. It is not wide but with this much snow you have to pitch it and the long blade is nice on your back muscles. I do go at it during the snow with a snow blower but do clean up with that long handled shovel. Here it is key to attack the snow during the storm and it also helps to have a snow blower (minimum 7 hp would be ideal).
Enjoy the POW and come and do some heli-skiing up here.
Aaron