Plowing Snow With Your ATV: A Quick Guide

It’s that time of year that seems to last forever: all the fields and trails are frozen over, and everyone is tired of trying to keep up with the bothersome frozen stuff that keeps falling from the sky.

Fortunately for you, keeping up with that ever-accumulating snow can be fun if you hop onto your ATV to plow it.

Plowing snow with an ATV? You might be wondering. Yes, it can be done!

Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Before the snow falls, you may want to utilize driveway marker stakes to help you avoid obstacles that will be hidden. The ROP Shop can help you out.

Equipment Capacity

Don’t assume that your ATV is automatically well-suited to plowing snow. Check your owner’s manual or your equipment’s manufacturer specs to make sure that you’ll be able to use your model to clear snow.^{1, 3}

Keep in mind, too, that the specific weather conditions may limit you. It’s best to use your ATV to handle lighter snowfalls.²

If you ultimately decide that plowing snow might be a bit too much to ask of your ATV, you can follow our guide to store your ATV properly for the winter.

How to plow snow with your ATV

Now that you know your four-wheeled friend will be able to handle the job, you can start plowing using the following tips.

Assess the situation

Next, take a good, long look at the area you’ll be plowing. You’ll make things a lot easier for yourself if you plan your ATV’s path ahead of time. Make sure that when you’re plowing, you’re doing so strategically.

Check out these specific tips: plow with the contours of the surface you’re clearing and put cleared snow in the lowest spot that you can (if it’s somewhere high up, it can melt and refreeze down below, creating ice sheets).⁴

Prepare your blade

Your goal with your blade is to clear the snow without overloading your ATV or hurting the ground beneath it. You’ll need to be flexible; expect to make adjustments to your blade's depth as you go along.¹

However, since you took a minute to plan your plow’s movements before you started, you should have a good idea of the angle at which to set the blade. Getting the angle right will make your ATV’s job a lot easier.

Keep it clean

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Once you’re done clearing away the snow (and your winter blues), don’t put your hardworking ATV away without a much-deserved cleaning. If your machine has snow, ice, salt, or dirt stuck to it, you can experience problems later on. Brush all that gunk away and help your machine stay rugged.

Conclusion

Now you're ready to make snowplowing a little more fun (and get more use out of your ATV).

Be warned: if your neighbors see you plowing snow with an ATV, they might ask you for a helping hand. Help them stay rugged and share your knowledge! And don’t forget, we’re standing by to help. If you need any replacement parts for your ATV or would like to purchase some snow stakes, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be happy to help.

Read more about snowplowing in our snowplow 101 blog.

WRITTEN BY: KATE HUFFMAN [REVISED 11/2023]