The forest here is gnarly compared to clearing trails back in Pa. It took me an hour+ just to clear around 125' and it will need to go wider yet! I'm even looking ahead for the path with least resistance, but not really finding it. The pictures aren't the best showing what I'm seeing. Directly from the side yard...... About 20' in...... Another 20' in...... A right hand turn as it descends, about 75 ' in now...... Down to the point where I left off, thick! As i progress, their will be a small stream i will probably build a small bridge over unless their is enough rock their to cross.
Just wearing a sweaty hat at the moment I went probably another 30' when my chain popped off, aka done for the day. Good point thewoodlands...... I'll Keep on clearing and evaluate another time. The turns need widening for sure, and I typically like bringing the splitter in, and that's at least a foot wider than the Grizzly. I'm spotting some downed stuff, and I dropped about a 12" maple, so that will get processed, along with finding a good area to stack, which will go here near the driveway when I want to unload any scores via the F- 250......(The area in the background is our turn around) In about another 20'.... After a turn on the trail, where my chain popped, the boulders are becoming more of a headache. To the right, there is a spring somewhere, which creates a small stream further down.
Yes, it goes down at a slight grade, and then flattens out nicely, just south of the field, which is about a 50 yrd x 50 yard area. I mowed this area carefully last weekend, this is when I spotted another well in last week's post. Next year, I hope to till the field and maybe do some planting. Below that, there is a good drop off, that we are yet to venture down. I'm hoping the grade is better from the south where I'm putting in the trail so we can get down there. There is a good stream at the bottom. I'm starting to cut along a game trail, bear and moose no doubt, so am I inviting them into the side yard now?
I'll also need to fill in the grade a little bit. When we enter from the yard, there are many holes, maybe root systems, or covered up boulders with moss. thewoodlands ..... do you suggest pine needles for this too?
When I keep my trails open, I see deer tracks quite often. Wouldn't surprise me if you're creating a nice little system of highways for the critters as well as yourself.
Yea, as thick as it is, this will be a nice relief. There is a clear one on up the back continuing up the mountain. We've had a cute little fawn hanging around. It got trapped in our rear fence a few weeks ago, and we've since removed the fence. We're free roam around here.
Same here trails the kids snowmobile and run 4 wheelers on are game high ways! but I like seeing wild life outback!
WS, do you plan on using the trails in winter? Will you be plowing any snow? If so, the trails may have to be wider. And for sure it will be an annual (at least) task trimming to keep the trails open. Will that invite critters? Most likely it will but you'll enjoy that. Shoot, hardly a day goes by we don't have deer tracks right by the outbuildings and sometimes right up to the house. This morning there were 2 went through about 20' from the front porch. About an hour ago there were 2 I was watching while sitting here at the computer.
I am in the same boat. i have been working away for a while now. How far are you going? I have to go about a mile to get to the back of our property. I take my 170 and a backpack with extra fuel, bar oil and some other small supplies.
To answer your question regarding use in winter, I'd like to. In order to plow, yes, they would need to be widened, as well as have a decent base. But then again, winter's up here are pretty brutal, so plowing the trail may be too much on top of all the other plowing ill be doing. I'll probably see after this winter how things go. The trail along the fields below are plow friendly, and will get plowed. This will give me access to the western side of the forest (which also will get a trail put through, eventually, for easier wood gathering.) I will certainly enjoy any creature paying us a visit. Besides for the snow shovels worth of moose poo, we haven't see any yet.
A mile would be rough, but once the main trail goes completely around the lower part of the property, I suspect around a mile, maybe less. I am starting on the southern end of the property to take advantage of gravity from the northern areas, that are uphill and would be inaccessible by machine unless I did some sort of switchback trail, not interested in that at this point. My goal is to get to the lower fields and be able to get to wood to process. We have cleared small trees on about have of it, and have to get the other half done. Just waiting for cooler weather because cutting just gets to damm hot in an open area. Post some pics of your progress! Believe it or not, it creates a great motivation for me to get my azz moving!
I hear you on the heat. I had been going out every once in a while for an hour or 2 early in the morning. just too hot to do it any other time. This fall we are going to put a few good days in and hopefully make some good progress. I started just cutting a trail then went back and widened it for the tractor to get down, then widened it again after bouncing the bucket off too many trees. I don't have any pics of the walking trail but have one of my daughter in at the end of the tractor road. After I widened it I realized it was all moss and root holes so will have to fill that area in to get the tractor the last 100 feet. The little binaucular icon shows how far I have made it. About half is wide enough for the tractor with the next half just being a foot path. At least I have made it out of the wet moss covered section with the foot path and it's getting not as thick. My neighbour has been all the way to the back as he has a creek to follow and said the trees get a lot more spaced out and bigger at the back. I am shooting for the small clearing by the road at the top of the picture. I hope your progress is swift and you enjoy the ride. I know I am enjoying it but will be happy when we have a passable road to get firewood and have some fence lines cut out to move the goats out there
