Good observation - we do have a small tractor, but we had to hire a guy (at $85/hr!) with a big loader in order to get all that pushed back. Fortunately, it didn’t take him long to get the job done. Our little 27hp Kubota couldn’t even make a dent in that.
But there was noting for it but to get up on that stable roof and carve out big blocks and shove ‘em over thh side. Plus, i had to leave at least 8” to 12” on the roof in order to provide a decent footing. If I had gone down to the metal, I’d have slid off into the pile below and they wouldn’t have found me ‘till the Spring thaw!
It’s a good thing I did that, too. One of our friends lost their 100’ x 200’ indoor horse training arena last week. Said it took less than 4 seconds to utterly collapse. They had economized by spacing their trusses 4’ apart instead of 2’. No problem for the winters of the last few years, but inadequate for this year. Plus, they didn’t take the prudent path of going up there and removing what they could.
Most of the long-timers around here are comparing this winter with the winter of ‘68/’69. Some of my customers have 5’-6’ of snow on the ground. for us, it’s around 3.5’ - 4’.
I know up around Spokane and Coeur d'Alene that they have had in excess of 120" total already this year.
Problem is, down in this area, of the last 10-12 years, nine of them have been drought years and there has been a huge influx of newcomers and new building in that time. Now, things seem to be turning back to normal and they are not prepared for it.
A couple of more good winters and it will equalize and level out though. FOlks will respond to the conditions. Some will leave, most others will adapt.
I still do a lot of work on the top of steel buildings. Dust is just about as slippery as snow. About ten years ago I bought a pair of slip on rubber overshoes and they stick like...well rubber.
I still don’t push it, like working on top in the snow, but they really help even when the roof is wet. Might work so you don’t have to leave a top coat which is probably a lot harder than just shoving the load over the side.