Normally try to put our driest corn in ours.  If not we have a stirator bin with a dryer and just cool it out in there and transfer it if we have down time and have to get the dryer empty.  What helps when the trucks are gone, but I'm sure your probably driving one, is I push a lot of it up with the skid steer towards the auger while their gone and again at night.  Also get some of the corners cleaned out when they are gone.  Can get a good 1/2-3/4's load around it and still push through it to get it to the auger.  I like your pit idea, could really pile up a load there not having to work around the end of an auger and tractor on one side to run it.  Mice though, there will be mice.