That was a job to do about 2 times a week at my old place
I'd leave for 3 weeks during December to visit family, and always upon returning the snow was so thick and deep it would choke the snow blower (to be honest one night's snowfall would do that usually). I could only move forward an inch at a time in lowest gear, stop and wait for the machine to catch up. And the berm at the end of the driveway oh man.
Not to mention the second pass because during the first pass the blower was digging a cave into the driveway which would collapse as you moved through it. (because the snow was deeper than the snow blower's input)
Yeah, BP2008, that sounds like my Brothers driveway in Reno.....He bought a new snowblower this year. He's at the feet of the Sierra's just down from Mt. Rose.
The Old machine that came with the house was a big dude, but like you say....deep enough to choke the snowblower unless you creep along