As far as it not being frozen down - that all the more reason to use shoes. It may dig at the shoe points, but not the whole width of the blade.
I try to "lower" my shoes, meaning raise the plow/ leave more snow, when the base isn't frozen. Otherwise, you will plow all your gravel off. You want to leave some snow, so once frozen with a good snow base...no issue.
Ed has a great idea.
I offered to do a driveway at a friends house last year with their BX and FEL plow. Husband was in hospital, and wife doesn't know how to start tractor.
Had never been there or used a similar implement.
Their stone driveway is hilly with very tight turns.
Took a little time to figure it out, but worked great after a couple passes!
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