The first real snowstorm in Anchorage can make a normal driveway difficult fast. One night of snow can leave vehicles blocked in, walkways slick, garage doors packed in, and a heavy berm at the end of the driveway.
For homeowners in South Anchorage, a little prep before the first storm makes the whole winter easier.
At GEM, we keep our residential snow removal routes tight so crews spend less time driving and more time clearing. Before winter weather hits, use this checklist to get your driveway and property ready.
- Mark Your Driveway Edges
Once snow covers the ground, it can be hard to see where the driveway ends and the lawn, gravel, landscaping, or drop-off begins. Before the first storm, place reflective snow stakes along both sides of your driveway.
This is especially helpful for curved driveways, narrow entrances, sloped driveways, shared driveways, and homes with landscaping near the pavement. Clear markers help snow removal crews work faster and reduce the chance of damaging areas that should not be scraped.
- Move Vehicles, Trailers, and Loose Items
Before snow arrives, walk your driveway and move anything that could get buried. This includes extra vehicles, boats, trailers, trash cans, garden hoses, extension cords, kids’ toys, planters, tools, and lawn equipment.
If it is near the driveway, assume it may disappear under snow. A clear driveway helps crews complete the job more efficiently and safely.
- Choose Where Snow Should Be Piled
Snow has to go somewhere. Before the first storm, decide where snow can safely be stored on your property.
Avoid piling snow where it will block street visibility, sidewalks, mailboxes, garage access, walkways, trash pickup areas, drainage paths, or neighboring driveways. In Anchorage, homeowners should not push driveway snow into the street or sidewalk area, so it is important to plan snow storage ahead of time.
This matters even more in tighter South Anchorage neighborhoods like Bayshore, Oceanview, Kempton, Abbott/Lake Otis, and Sand Lake, where space can fill up quickly as the season goes on.
- Keep Walkways and Doors Accessible
Snow removal is not just about the driveway. Think about how your family, guests, delivery drivers, and service providers access your home.
Before winter, make sure you have a plan for front steps, garage doors, side doors, walkways, mailboxes, trash bins, fuel or utility access, and emergency exits. Shaded areas near the house can become icy quickly, so keep sand or ice melt available near main entrances.
- Check Drainage and Ice-Prone Areas
Before snow covers everything, look for low spots, roof drip lines, clogged drainage areas, and places where water tends to run across your driveway or walkway.
Anchorage freeze-thaw cycles can turn small drainage problems into dangerous ice patches. Clearing leaves, debris, and blocked drainage paths before winter can help reduce ice buildup later.
- Protect Landscaping and Driveway Edges
Early-season snow can arrive before the ground is fully frozen. That makes lawns, gravel transitions, decorative rocks, sprinkler heads, and landscape lighting easier to damage.
Mark anything close to the driveway that could be hidden under snow. This is especially useful for homes in Huffman, Oceanview, Bayshore, Abbott/Lake Otis, and Sand Lake where driveways may border lawns, fences, retaining walls, or landscaped areas.
- Plan for Driveway Berms
City plows can leave a heavy ridge of snow at the end of your driveway. That berm can freeze quickly and become difficult to remove by hand.
Before the season starts, decide how you will handle berms after storms. If you use a snow removal service, make sure you understand how driveway entrances are handled during active snow events. You can learn more about storm response in our post on how GEM prioritizes routes during Anchorage snowstorms.
- Confirm Your Home Is in GEM’s Service Area
GEM focuses on specific Anchorage neighborhoods so we can provide more reliable residential snow removal. Our current service areas include parts of 99515, 99507, 99516, 99502, and 99517, including Bayshore, Oceanview, Kempton, Lower Huffman, Upper Huffman, Abbott/Lake Otis, and Sand Lake.
Check the Snow Service Map to see whether your home is in our current route area. For service details, visit our Anchorage snow removal page or review common questions on our FAQ page.
Anchorage Residential Snow Removal Checklist
Before the first storm, make sure you have:
- Marked driveway edges
- Moved vehicles and loose items
- Picked safe snow pile locations
- Cleared access to doors and walkways
- Checked drainage and icy areas
- Marked landscaping and gravel edges
- Planned for driveway berms
- Confirmed your address is in GEM’s service area
- Requested snow removal before routes fill up
Get Ready Before the First Storm
Anchorage winters are easier when your driveway is ready early. Mark your property, move obstacles, plan snow storage, and get on a reliable snow removal route before the first major snowfall.
If you live in Bayshore, Oceanview, Kempton, Lower Huffman, Upper Huffman, Abbott/Lake Otis, or Sand Lake, check the Snow Service Map or request residential snow removal from GEM today.
