Snow recovery and plows

Does anyone else ever wonder why people don't bring a snow plow on these sorts of recoveries? I've never driven a truck or tractor with a snow plow, so I might be naive in thinking that road could have been plowed, but I've seen plenty of steep roads and driveways that are snow free in the winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1DRxbuQHZw

 

Trucks with snow plows get stuck surprisingly easily the moment you are off the pavement.

The plow frame severely limits ground clearance and plowing on any hillside causes the plow and truck to want to follow the hill -- into the ditch...

It is also very difficult to plow an area that you haven't previously seen without the snow.

 

No doubt, but despite those challenges it's hard to find an unplowed road or driveway in Minnesota. I've long been amazed how well snow plows work. Many times I've driven on an unplowed road or parking lot where I was having serious issues getting through in 4WD or AWD and then found it plowed clean in the morning.

I also often see roads plowed across frozen lakes by ice fisherman. They don't dick around trying to drive through deep snow, get stuck, and then get out the snatch strap.

 

Agree. However roads, parking lots and driveways are typically something one plows on a regular maintaining basis and they are familiar with what lurks under the snow.

Your post specifically referred to recoveries, most folks who need recoveries are off the regularly maintained path.

 

Lotta places here in Utah during winter will get a fullsize/plow rig sunk frame deep ASAP as well. Not to mention that the narrow canyons aren't real conducive to trying to turn a big truck around in either.

The amount of people that rock snowcats around here for winter fun and work are honestly surprising, and do quite well.

 

I did a lot of work in Northern BC on high voltage transmisson lines. As the snow and ice began to melt on our little created roads near the towers, all stuck truck recoveries were done with a tracked dozer..and there were a loooot of recoveries. No way a plow truck coulda handled that.

 

You can definitely get a plow rig stuck, but that road had only maybe 1 foot of snow on it. Snow that deep gets plowed on a regular basis in mass quantities where I live. Also keep in mind that you can put a plow on any vehicle including a snow cat, tractor, grader, etc. That skid steer might have been helpful as well if they had recovered it first. Those are often used around here for snow removal. The point is that, whatever you have, it might make more sense to remove the snow rather than trying to drive all the vehicles through it.