Snow Stakes, Plow Damage & Spring Yard Repairs: Driveway Markers, Mailboxes & Fences

Home guide

Why November is stake time

Every spring, the same stories come up in Summit and Wasatch counties: a mailbox flattened by a plow, a fence section lying in a ditch, a sprinkler head sheared off, a propane lid crushed, a lawn that looks as if somebody drove across it. Almost none of it is intentional. Plow drivers work fast and often in the dark, and once the first big storms put banks along a driveway, the edges and obstacles simply vanish. The best protection is simple: mark everything while you can still see it.

Timing matters. Stakes need to go into ground that's soft enough to push them in, which means late October through mid-November for most of the Kamas Valley and Heber Valley, and earlier in higher places like Samak, Woodland and the upper cabin roads. Once the ground freezes, you're stuck with a mallet and a lot of frustration. Do it before the first real storm and again after any big melt.

What to mark

Both edges of the driveway, especially where it bends, crosses a ditch or meets the road
Culverts and drainage crossings, since a plow blade dropped into one can break it
Landscape rocks, boulders, curbs, raised beds and young trees that a plow or snow blower could hit
The propane tank fill pipe and regulator, so the delivery driver can find them
Septic lids, cleanouts, well heads and hydrants, so nobody parks or plows over them
Gas, electric and water meters and side-wall furnace vents, which drifts can bury
Sprinkler heads and valve boxes close to the road edge, which are often the most expensive casualties
The end of a gate, the corner of a fence and the base of a mailbox post
Your house number, mounted high at the road

Picking and placing stakes

Stakes should stick out well above where the snow will be. Plan for the snow depth you actually get, which means about five feet on a Samak cabin and a good deal less in Heber or Midway. Fiberglass driveway markers, tall reflective stakes and bright metal rods all work. Wood stakes snap too easily, and a piece of surveyor's tape on a short stick disappears in the first storm. A few tips:

Set stakes a foot or so outside the edge you want to protect, not on it, so a plow can swing wide and the stake doesn't take the hit
Use a different color or a tag for things you don't want driven over, like septic lids and the propane fill, so the plow driver and the propane company can tell them from the driveway edge
Pre-drill or start the hole with a bar in gravelly or rocky soil, since river cobble stops a stake cold
On a long drive, set stakes at regular intervals and double them at corners
Add reflective tape near the top so the stakes show up in headlights

Call before you dig deep. In Utah, calling 811 for a free utility line locate is the standard first step for any hole that goes beyond a shallow stake, such as setting a new post. For a shallow stake, stay clear of marked lines and meters, and when in doubt, don't drive it in.

Mailbox posts

A mailbox takes two kinds of damage: the blade or the berm shoves it, or a wave of heavy, wet snow pushed up by the plow knocks it over. A few small choices make a post last longer:

Set the post deep and straight, in compacted gravel or concrete, and check it each fall for rot and wobble
Mount the box with long screws or bolts into the post, not just short wood screws that loosen with the freeze and thaw
Consider a post design that swings or breaks away, and follow your postal service guidelines on height and setback from the road
Keep the box a little further back, if the rules and the road allow it, so berms don't build against it
Mark it with a tall stake so the driver can see it

Fences, gates and plow routes

Fences along county roads and SR-32, SR-35 and SR-150 take two kinds of winter punishment: the force of plow-thrown snow and the weight of drifts. Panels at the end of a run, posts near the road and gates beside a driveway are the first to go. In the fall, we look at posts that are already leaning, rails that are loose or split, gate hinges that sag and latches that stick. A fence with a lean in October will be on the ground in April. We brace weak posts, re-hang gates so they swing clear of drifts, and add stakes at the corners and at gate ends. If a fence sits near a ditch, check with the ditch company before moving it, since many ditches have easements, and call 811 before digging near the road.

Horse and pipe fences, vinyl panels and wire fences each fail differently. Vinyl gets brittle in the cold and cracks when hit, so stakes matter more with it. Metal pipe may bend rather than break, and bent pipe often can't be straightened well. Don't string electric fence along a plow route and expect it to survive the winter.

Spring yard repairs

When the banks shrink in April, you get your first honest look at what happened. A walk of the property right after the melt is worth the time:

Mailbox and posts: straighten, re-set or replace leaning posts and loose boxes
Fences and gates: re-tension wire, replace cracked rails and boards, and re-hang gates that dropped
Lawn and edges: a plow edge often leaves ruts, gravel and torn sod. Rake out gravel, fill low spots and re-seed bare strips once the ground warms
Sprinklers: look for broken heads and risers near the road before you turn the system on. Water spraying where it shouldn't is a sign
Culverts, drains and driveway edges: clear debris and look for crushed or shifted pipes before runoff peaks
Propane, septic and well covers: make sure each is intact, level and not cracked

Plow damage on a public road is usually the road department's issue. If a county or state plow hit your mailbox or fence, ask the road department about their claims or replacement policy, and take photos before you fix anything. A private plow contractor may carry their own coverage. We're not able to tell you whose responsibility a particular repair is, but we can make the repair.

Stakes, fences and gutters often take a hit in November wind before the snow. See the windstorm damage checklist.

When to call a pro

811 (Blue Stakes of Utah): a free utility locate before any deep digging, including new fence or mailbox posts
Road department or county: questions about plow damage from a public road plow and replacement policies
Propane supplier or gas utility: moving, repairing or marking tanks, regulators and meters
Septic or well company: damaged lids, risers, well caps and covers
Irrigation company: broken sprinkler lines and valves
Landscaper or excavator: regrading, culverts, regrading a lawn or large drainage work
Fence contractor: long runs of new fence, large gates and anything on a property line or ditch easement
Us: setting snow stakes, replacing mailbox posts and boxes, bracing and repairing fence sections, re-hanging gates, and spring repairs after the melt. We do not plow or shovel snow

Where we help

Call or text (435) 321-2591 Message us on Instagram

Snow stakes and plow damage FAQ

When should I put out snow stakes in Summit or Wasatch County?

Late October through mid-November for most valley locations, and earlier at higher elevations like Samak and Woodland. The ground needs to be unfrozen so you can push the stakes in.

How tall should snow stakes be?

Taller than the snow you expect. Plan for about five feet in the high cabin areas and less on the valley floor. Fiberglass or reflective driveway markers hold up better than wood.

What should I mark for the plow driver?

Both driveway edges, culverts, boulders, the propane fill pipe, septic lids, well heads, meters, sprinkler heads near the road, the ends of gates and your mailbox post.

My mailbox or fence was damaged by a plow. What now?

Take photos before you fix it. For public roads, ask the county or state road department about their policy. Then call us and we'll straighten, reset or rebuild the post, box, fence section or gate.

Do you plow or shovel snow?

No. We set snow stakes, brace fences and mailbox posts, re-hang gates and make spring repairs. Call or text (435) 321-2591, or message @kamasvalleyhandyman on Instagram, to book.

We focus on general handyman work and are not a licensed electrical, plumbing or general contracting company. For jobs that need a licensed trade, we'll tell you upfront and point you in the right direction.

Snow stakes, plow damage and spring yard repairs