This ridge is loaded with downed wood from last years wind storms, the big Cherry is up further but I'll start on this Maple (Sugar I hope) once the snow melts a bit more. I would like to be done with it by the end of June if not before, it's a chit load of wood so I'm not sure if it's doable.
Will do, it will be a nice trail once I get it cleaned up. Most of the trees down are Cherry but we have some Maples down too, since there down I'm hoping for Sugar.
Love that cherry! Each time I go to my uncle's cabin in ny and I'm amazed by the size of the cherry trees on his property. They're not that common in my area
Fan of Cherry as well !! Wish I had some slopes on my property like that ! I guess they are good to look at..but make it more challenging to get work done
Hey Zap how do you deal with moving all the material? Cut into pieces that the winch can pull out to a roadway or do you block in place and hoof it? Do you then make special trips to pick it up or just always cruise around with the trailer behind the Rhino and pick it up when convenient? Very little of our property is accessible by truck nor will it ever be and I'm trying to figure out if I'm better off skidding with a small tractor or blocking in the woods like you do.
Nice its all in one area to work at a time. Hoping for more snowmelt here soon so I can finish 15/16, & get started on 16/17
Gotcha, so work a spot until its cleaned out and make as many runs back and forth to get the wood out to your stacks? With your Rhino/trailer setup are you backing right up through the woods to the blocks or do you hoof them out? How much per trip? Half a face?
I can get to the ridge two different ways, through a small meadow on the south side, or on the north side. I'll split most of the wood at the base of the ridge in the meadow. This year I might haul more of the split wood out by the Ford 250, some I'll use my regular setup. I'll end up rolling the splits down the hill into the meadow then split. Most of the hills on our property have trails/roads running to or on them.
I'm not sure on the total but my guess would be 4 cord down on this ridge, hope it's more. I'll fill the new stacking area real quick this year.
You sure are right Wood… that's a chit load of trees! Have fun opening up your trail there. And, look out for those widow makers.
Yes, this area I'll be able to drive to the rounds with the splitter, then haul it out with the small trailer or truck. Most of the hills have a trail that runs at the base of it, I just need to roll the rounds down. I think two loads in the small trailer is just over half a face cord. I have a few small dead trees that I need to cut on the trail around the house that will allow me to drive the big truck to the stacks by the house, save some time and money. I just have some downed basswood in the meadow that I'll need to clean up so I can get in, about a one hour job.
Only one problem, I hate working just one area. I was surprised when I went out on the sled today on the county trails, they were great, I was thinking we (my nephew was with me) would see more bad spots from the sun melting the snow. According to AccuWeather we have a night coming up (Wednesday or Thursday) with a realfeel of -22, I think it's March 12. We'll get through this last bit of winter Mother Nature throws at us.
Don't know if you read a post a while back about the 24" wet snow storm on March 31st 2001. Doozy. Winter does happen in March and April doesn't it?
Keep hearing weathercasts about this "endless winter". Huh? When has winter ever been over in the middle of February? I've been around a couple years, and I don't remember one. Baffles and confuzzles me.
