Backhoe Small Backhoe vs Mini Trackhoe

[sherpa]

I own a Kubota B20 TLB. I have been using my TLB for a little over a year and I am still learning. I live in the mountains and I want to get on this hill behind my cabin and build some small ATV roads so I can have better access to my hilly property. I have one deep gully (you could hide 25 cars in) that I have to cross on the side of one hill. I dont want to turn my little narrow B20 tractor over doing this work.
(I have a similar post in another forum) I have several questions:

Would I be better off with a mini trackhoe on this hill?
Are there training videos available for operating a small backhoe or mini trackhoe?
Are the training videos expensive or worth buying?
Would the mini trackhoe be safer than my B20 TLB?

Other notes:
I have some timber cutters coming to cut some trees; I could hire them to do the roads.
I already own the B20; I don’t own a mini trackhoe. I would have to buy or rent a mini trackhoe.
I would enjoy doing this project myself.
Sherpa

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Other notes:
I have some timber cutters coming to cut some trees; I could hire them to do the roads.

I would enjoy doing this project myself.
Sherpa )</font>

Sherpa

Personally, I'd probably look hard at having the loggers do it.
Not sure at your location but around here (hilly W. PA), it's considered normal for them to bring in a dozer and cut trails to traverse hills. Their dozer can do it safer and significantly faster. The trails it took me 3 months to make with my CUT, a dozer could do in about a day.
In talking with whomever's going to do your logging, discuss what their plans are for getting the timber out. With the possible exception of horses, you're going to end up with logging trails. You should be able to come to some compromises whereby you get your ATV trails somewhat where you want them and they cut/use those roads to get the timber out.

As for doing it yourself, you can also work that out with the loggers. Once the logging is done, they normally return with a dozer to clean up the trails and messes they've made. If you do that, you should be able to get a better price.
Will the loggers need to get across this gully?

 

[_RaT_]

I have watched a track hoe do leach line work on hills so steep that they have to trailer it back to the top. A dozer in the same situation would have destroyed so much of the terrain and still would not have made it back up either. The fella was using a small Bobcat hoe. It was not the mini size folks haul behind their trucks. It's ability was nothing short of amazing. He cleared a path working in the downhill position and dug in the up hill position. That in itself would have eliminated any backhoe. The hill was steep enough that as you climbed up it, you were often times reaching for brush to hang onto. We thought the only way to do the line was by manually digging it. A fella came along and said he could winch his trackhoe down the entire 1000' feet. Another fella said naw, I can do it and trailer it back to the top after the line is in and cover it back up. I was very impressed with his ability. Rat...

 

[Moon]

I would also recomend working out something with the loggers. Thats how I got my ATV trails started, I traded some wood for dozer work. I didn't have a tractor then and had no other option. I've since got a Kubota L3010 (no backhoe) and thought I could do my own trails. Lots of hills and ravines on my propety too. After trying it I ended up hiring in some dozer work. He very easily creates the start of the trails. Plenty of work left for me to do after he leaves. So I still get enough seat time for me. The dozer normally only spends up to 16 hours dozing on my place. I just have him rough cut the trails, if I had them finish them like they do a normal driveway it would cost allot more.

Moon of Ohio

 

[sherpa]

Thanks for the the info! That makes sense to me. I would love to do it myself but I dont want to tear up my equipment and I dont want to get hurt.
Floyd

 

[sherpa]

bczoom,
I have read your reply about 6 times and decided to talk with the loggers again. I think they do have a dozer. I will see what they have to say. I had no ideal a dozer could do it that fast. Thanks for the input.
Sherpa

 

[bczoom]

Let us know what they say!!