Hi! I recently purchased my first home and it has a massively sloped yard. There are parts of the yard where I have no choice but to mow up and down instead of across. I always have to wait until the grass is good and dry because I have almost slipped a few times and let go of the mower. Seriously thinking about getting some football cleats to mow!

Right now I have an old hand-me-down Toro 22 in Recycler with rear wheel drive. It's on its last leg. This Summer will probably be the last for it. I think it's 7 years old now. It's a Personal Pace model and even though the drive works as it should, going uphill is still quite a workout.

Anyway, I want to get something that will last, and make mowing on these slopes a little easier. When I was a kid my parents Ariens lawnmower which was great. I was thinking of getting a new one, but my parents yard was flat, and I'm not sure how they do on slopes. What I liked about it though was the adjustable drive speed and it seemed to have a lot of drive power.

So, anyone here, currently mowing on the side of a small mountain? Would love to get some suggestions for a new mower. Ideally, I wouldn't be buying until next summer, unless a good deal comes up on a mower recommended here. In that case I may just treat myself early.

Also, do any mowers still have adjustable engine speed. I sure miss that from the old Ariens. I have a few spots where the grass is longer and fuller, and when I hit it with the Toro, while the grass is damp, it kills the engine. In the old days, I would just increase the engine speed to go though it, then bring it back down.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions! Also, I would be happy to take some pix of the hills if it would help in making a suggestion.