Being "hard to split" has elm written all over it. But I've had some ash that tough as nails too. Yardbird trees.
I love getting a load of ash looks like it will be easy splitting and ends up being as stringy as spaghetti...
I cut those at 46" lengths. My stove is 17" wide and so when I buck them up I shoot for a length of 15" and can get three rounds out of each log that way.
Thanks Farmboy707 ! That is my fil trailer. He photo bombed the first pic above. He no longer has a truck so it has been staying with me. That load went to his house as our load last week went to mine. It's a very solid trailer. 1/4" steel decking and a nice double axel. I am not sure about weight because it has not been on a scale. That load was a half cord of green black locust so around a ton. The trailer can hold more but I worry about the truck so I do not max it out.