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Two sections: For Homeowners (including Mountain driving & traction) and For Contractors & Landscapers. Each button opens Amazon in a new tab, so you can keep this page open. Rather have a crew do it? Get a free quote.
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Run gas snow blowers and generators outdoors only, never in a closed garage. Keep roof rakes away from power lines.
Gear to fight snow and ice in Truckee, Tahoe Donner, Glenshire, Kings Beach, Tahoe City and Incline Village, in two parts: tools for homeowners and second-home owners, led by roof rakes, pushers and mountain driving and traction gear, and the machines contractors and landscapers run on driveways, berms and commercial lots. Every pick opens on Amazon in a new tab.
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Clear the driveway, the walk and the roof edge yourself between crew visits, and keep the lights on when a blizzard takes the power down. In Truckee the berm the Town plow leaves at your driveway is yours to clear, and your snow can’t go in the Town right-of-way.
Blizzards and ice can take the power down. A portable inverter generator keeps a fridge, sump pump, furnace blower or phones going, run outdoors and away from snow drifts.
#1Storm backup power
4,200 peak and 3,300 running watts with inverter power for electronics. The listing says up to 16 hours at 25% load on its 2.6-gallon tank, with an RV outlet, two household outlets and two USB ports.
Gas generators run outdoors only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and garages. Keep snow away from the exhaust.
View on AmazonFor I-80 over Donner Summit and every chain control in between. Caltrans says to always carry chains and make sure they are the proper size for your tires, and 4WD and AWD drivers must still carry chains for one drive axle to enter a chain control area. Check QuickMap before you leave.
#2Cable tire chains
Low-clearance cable chains for SUVs and pickups. The listing says they need only about a quarter inch (6.33 mm) of sidewall clearance, go on without moving the vehicle, and use built-in rubber tensioners so there is no stopping to retighten. Alloy steel traction coils. The maker’s size chart lists 265/70R17 for the SZ447.
Check the size on your tire sidewall and your owner’s manual for clearance before you buy. Caltrans says cable chains are usually permitted for passenger cars and light trucks, but are not as effective as link-type chain under severe conditions at higher elevations.
View on Amazon#3Cable tire chains
The same low-clearance Super Z6 design in another size: alloy steel coils, built-in rubber tensioners and about a quarter inch of sidewall clearance needed. The maker’s size chart lists 245/65R17 for the SZ435.
Check the size on your tire sidewall and your owner’s manual for clearance before you buy. Caltrans says cable chains are usually permitted for passenger cars and light trucks, but are not as effective as link-type chain under severe conditions at higher elevations.
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#4Tire snow socks
A textile tire cover that slides over the drive tires in minutes: self-centering, reusable and machine-washable, with no metal to clank. The maker rates it for passenger cars, SUVs and pickups at up to 30 mph, and the maker states it is approved throughout the U.S. where there are chain laws. Two socks, gloves and instructions included.
Check the size on your tire sidewall and your owner’s manual for clearance before you buy. That approval is the maker’s statement; Caltrans’ own chain-control pages are the final word in California.
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#5Snow brush & scraper
A 22-inch brush-and-scraper combo with a wide 4-inch bear-claw blade, ice chippers to score and loosen thick ice, a heavy-duty brush and a soft grip. Small enough to live behind the seat.
The listing calls it ideal for small to medium passenger vehicles; on a full-size pickup you may want a longer brush.
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#6Winter road kit
66 pieces in one nylon bag about 12.25 × 9 × 3.25 inches (3.4 lb): a 45-piece first-aid kit, folding shovel with sheath, survival blanket, two hand warmers, three emergency candles, a fire starter, an aluminum flashlight with batteries, an LED safety strobe, a 3-piece fleece set, an ice scraper and an emergency whistle. Endorsed by AAA, with a 1-year limited warranty.
Caltrans says to stay with your vehicle if you get stalled; add water, food and a charged phone to the bag.
View on AmazonTwo-stage machines for long driveways and sidewalks. Heavy, wet snow is where two-stage pays off.
#72-stage snow blower
A 212cc engine with electronic fuel injection, push-button electric start, power steering and an LED headlight, clearing a 24-inch path.
Check the clearing height and tire type against the driveways you clear.
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#8Battery 2-stage blower
Cordless and self-propelled, with heated grips and a 24-inch clearing width. EGO says it throws snow up to 50 feet and clears up to a 24-car driveway of 8 inches on two 10.0Ah batteries.
Batteries and charger are sold separately.
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#92-stage snow blower
A 212cc engine, 120V electric start with recoil backup, 6 forward and 2 reverse speeds, hand warmers, LED lights and 13-inch snow tires.
The listing gives the weight as 187 lb. Plan where it will be stored.
View on AmazonPet-safe pellets for the front step, a bag for the driveway and a heated mat that keeps one path clear.
#10Pet-safe ice melt
Salt- and chloride-free green pellets. The listing says it melts ice down to -2°F, lasts up to 3 days and is made to be gentle on paws, concrete and plants.
Follow the label for how much to use.
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#11Ice melt
A 50 lb bag with CMA (calcium magnesium acetate), which the listing says is less corrosive on concrete, metal and plants. Green coating shows where you spread it.
Concrete under one year old can still be damaged by deicers. Check the label.
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#12Heated mat
An electric mat that stays out all season. HeatTrak says it melts snow at 2 inches an hour and works down to -8°F.
The power unit is sold separately.
View on AmazonBack-saving hand tools, and roof rakes that pull snow off the roof edge from the ground before ice dams form.
#13Ergonomic shovel
A D-ring grip plus a second spring-assisted handle that acts as a fulcrum, so you bend less and lift with more leverage.
Push snow when you can and lift small loads. Take breaks in the cold.
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#14Snow pusher
A 30-inch pusher with a UHMW polyethylene blade that snow slides off, and a reinforced metal handle. Made in the USA.
Best for pushing, not lifting.
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#15Roof rake
A telescoping 30 ft handle and an aluminum blade with a 10 ft slide that peels snow off the roof while you stay on the ground.
Stay clear of power lines and never use it from a ladder.
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#16Roof rake
A 24-inch plastic rake head with wheels that protect the shingles, on five snap-together aluminum sections reaching 20 ft. Made to keep snow off roof edges where ice dams form.
Stay clear of power lines.
View on AmazonThe machines behind seasonal routes, HOA streets and big commercial lots. Most of it works year-round on landscape jobs too. Driveways, berms, roofs and commercial lots across Truckee and North Lake Tahoe run on this kind of iron.
Pusher boxes and a blower for skid steers and loaders, the typical machines on big retail and warehouse lots, plus plows for pickups and ATVs.
#17Skid steer pusher box
A 102-inch containment pusher for skid steers and compact track loaders on a quick-attach mount, with a pullback bar for edges, reversible rubber cutting edges, 5/8-inch replaceable skids and 1/4-inch sidewalls.
About 692 lb. Ships by freight; check your machine's quick-attach and lift capacity.
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#18Skid steer pusher
An 84-inch pusher with 36-inch side panels on a universal quick attach. One side of the blade is rubber and the other steel, and the listing says it also handles other loose material off-season.
Freight delivery. Confirm the quick-attach fits your machine.
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#19Skid steer snow blower
A 70-inch hydraulic snow blower for universal skid steer quick-attach loaders, with a direct-drive fan and auger, enclosed chain drive, a 360-degree hand-crank chute and adjustable skid shoes. Hoses and couplers included.
About 1,135 lb. Check your loader's hydraulic flow and quick-attach.
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#20Truck plow
An 84-inch steel plow for light trucks and SUVs with a 2-inch Class III front receiver. A 3,000 lb wireless winch lifts the blade, it angles to three positions, and it comes with a deflector, skid shoes and blade markers.
Needs a front receiver hitch, sold separately. Non-returnable freight item.
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#21ATV plow
A 50-inch steel blade with a universal mount for most ATVs and five angle positions.
The winch is not included.
View on AmazonTailgate spreaders for 3/4- and 1-ton trucks, a hitch spreader for SUVs, a receiver spreader for ATVs and UTVs, and a walk-behind for storefront sidewalks.
#22Pro tailgate spreader
Hitch-mounted for 3/4- and 1-ton trucks. An 11 cubic foot poly hopper takes bulk salt or a 50/50 salt-sand mix, with in-cab variable speed and a spinner that broadcasts up to 30 feet.
Commercial gear for 3/4- and 1-ton trucks.
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#23Pro tailgate spreader
For 3/4- and 1-ton trucks. A 10 cubic foot poly hopper for bagged #1 rock salt, a 12V electric drive and in-cab variable speed control, broadcasting up to 30 feet.
Commercial gear. Check your truck and hitch rating.
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#24Hitch spreader
Fits SUVs and 1/2- to 1-ton trucks on a 1-1/4 or 2-inch hitch. A 4.4 cubic foot hopper, gravity feed with a manual gate, and a spinner that broadcasts up to 14 feet.
Made for free-flowing rock salt.
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#25ATV/UTV spreader
A 15-gallon (150 lb) poly hopper on a 2-inch receiver, 12V motor, adjustable gate and spread up to 30 feet. Spreads salt in winter and seed or fertilizer the rest of the year.
Check that your machine has a 2-inch receiver.
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#26Walk-behind spreader
A 100 lb walk-behind broadcast spreader for rock salt and ice melt, with a spiked auger against clumps, adjustable baffles, stainless steel frame and wide pneumatic tires.
Chapin lists a 2-year limited warranty.
View on AmazonBuy by the pallet for commercial lots and HOA routes.
#27Bulk ice melt
A full pallet of commercial ice melt. The listing describes a blend of sodium, calcium and magnesium chloride with a corrosion inhibitor that works down to -15°F.
Freight item. Check delivery terms on the listing before ordering.
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