300 pounds of play sand later

[square1]

I'm back on high ground Ice under snow on hills presents quite the challenge sometimes!

 

[Looking4new]

Tire chains would help to eliminate that challenge.

 

[varmint]

CHAINS=GO

 

[GPintheMitten]

It's one thing to chain up your tractor, quite another ti chain up your passenger vehicles. Then there are visitors and first responders.

 

[john_bud]

Sand is nice, but it is heavy. (or didn't you notice ? ) It also is still there in the spring and it builds up over the years. I found that fire place ash works better. I've sprinkled a bucket of ash lightly on slick ice and went from near impossible to stand on to easy to walk on with no feeling of impending doom. Plus, the as washes off in the spring with melt or rain AND it is a good source of nutrients for the lawn and increases pH. (it's like lime)

But if you don't have a fire place, you may not have much available.

 

[tcreeley]

Ice sprinkled over with ashes works great. When the sun is out, the darker color helps the ice to melt sooner, getting down to the gravel. Only drawback I've seen is the need to be careful not to track it inside. I only use ashes 1-2x per winter on the drive when it is shear ice and I can't walk to the car, and the car spins its wheels trying to move.

 

[motownbrowne]

Ash works pretty nice in some situations. My tip is to put it in an onion bag (the fine mesh variety) the ash is sticky enough it doesn't just flow out, but dispenses nicely when you shake the bag.

 

[Opti-Mist]

Salt mixed with the sand also helps when the odd sleet, ice, etc, at higher sub-freezing temps.

 

[square1]

Sand is nice, but it is heavy. (or didn't you notice ? )

That's why I stopped at 300 pounds

 

[tcreeley]

My woodstove ash is like a fine powder - a puff of air will catch it. I use the ash bucket and a tin can to scoop and shake it out over ice.