Good questions. The snow was not an issue in this situation as the home owners do not clear these paths in winter. If you were to shovel crushed stone a walk, it could become a bit messy. Snow blowing at a higher setting might be better. The home owner did have issues with the stone getting tracked into the house despite the concrete patio that separates the paths from the house. Since this photo was taken we've switched out the crushed stone for flagstone with gator dust in the joints in order to avoid that problem. Crushed stone for a path on a hillside may not be the best option depending on how much water flows down the slope in rainstorms. Erosion may be an issue. Good luck! :)