Welcome to the swamp, Copperhead!
I'm in a similar situation as you, steep mountainside driveway and all, only mine is almost a mile long. (Great view though!
) Hoofing it in is not an option, been there done that (getting old sucks)!
I've been using an ol' Ford highboy ('72 4x4) with a straight six motor (God bless 'em!) and a cab-controlled hydraulic angling 7.5 foot plow. All blinged out with REALLY heavy-duty v-bar tire chains, and it works great going downhill. Won’t push up however, so I have to hump it back to the top and turn around for another downhill run. This translates into a lot of gas (1/4 tank per per snowfall). Last winter, I managed to grind the front differential to a pulp while trying to get back onto the road after high-centering by dropping the front end over the shoulder edge (OOPS!), so I’ve been looking at more suitable replacement options. I figure a tracked vehicle is the way to go, so here I am.
I guess the most important question you need to answer is; Do you just want a people (and personal cargo) carrier so you can get in while leaving your car at the bottom, or do you intend to try and keep your driveway actually cleared of snow?
Essentially, for simply travelling over deeper snow (ie; no intention of plowing), you just need plenty of 'flotation'... hence, the wider the track width, the better. Depending on the depth of un-compacted snow, and, the steepness of ascent you face, you
might get by with an Argo fitted with tracks… maybe - (emphasis on the word ‘
might’). You can even get them kitted with pseudo-cabs for those blizzardy days.
You can forget about plowing anything more than a mere skiff o' snow with one of these things though. They're just too light duty for deep snow on steepish hills (ie; their toy plow accessory will only work on a flat driveway, forget about pushing back snowbanks)... I don't care what any sales brochure says!
Alternately, if you do want to plow your driveway, you DON’T want flotation! You want maximum traction and lots of pushing power! A heavy machine with narrow, heavily cleated tracks is the ticket here. That way you have lots of weight on a multitude of small contact points with the ground, resulting in maximum pounds per square inch contact over a larger area.
Bombardier used to make a dedicated sidewalk plow specifically designed for clearing four foot wide city sidewalks. These things (called SW48’s) are miniature tanks and will push pretty much whatever you put in front of them. They have heated cabs, rubber tracks (so you won’t buggar-up your concrete driveway surface), and a fully hydraulically controlled angling plow blade (sweet!). Most circa 1975-2006 units even have powered sand/salt spreaders mounted on the rear. One of these little gems would be PERFECT for your application! You could even hitch a seat-equipped trailer to the rear for hauling your groceries, grandkids, and the wife up the hill. (Just don’t turn on the sander if expect to get supper that evening!) Here’s what they look like:
You’ll easily be able to buy one within the budget you’ve mentioned, but be patient. There are lots of these machines still out there, but not all have trustworthy backgrounds. Hour meter replacement is a common way for some characters to try and pass off a sow’s ear as a silk purse (believe me, I’ve seen some real doozies, with highly dubious stories that just don’t add up to what current photos show)… so beware. Caveat Emptor!
Looking for units with histories of being previously owned by municipalities with decent maintenance shops is your best bet, as proper maintenance is more likely to have been done on a regular basis, thus reasonably assuring you of a reliable machine that will, in turn, fetch a better resale when you finally decide to move on. If you shop the auctions (where municipalities typically sell their assets), keep an eye on the fine print… auction fees can kill ya! Shipping cost is another matter, too, but I won’t get into that here. PM me for suggestions on how to drive shipping costs down.
Hope at least some of this helps. Good luck
