Finally found time to mow pond dam

[Gary Fowler]

I don't think the camera was tilted. Look at the tree directly in front of the mower. It appears to be completely vertical and parallel to the sides of the photo, so the camera is level to the horizon. The tree line looks to be running at an angle so the left side it further away than the right therefore it has to be lower in the photo.

Where the OP is mowing now is not bad, but look at the top of the dam. There the angle gets really steep for a few feet before topping out. That could be a little hairy.

 

[FTG-05]

Gary, are you looking at pic#1 in post#1 or the recropped pic in post#10?

Post #10 pic has been corrected to make the trees vertical and now shows the true steepness of the hill the OP is talking about.

 

[FTG-05]

HA...your right. I'm old, give me a break.

Always!

 

[oosik]

After looking at post #10 I can see that it is pretty darn steep. The neighbor down the road almost lost his Z-turn mower trying to mow a road side easement. It slid into softer ground and almost turned over into the water filled road side ditch. Fortunately - he recognized this situation - quit trying to "drive it out" and pulled it to safety with his tractor.

He came and got me to help him - - ha,ha - I got to sit on the Z-turn and bite my nails as he pulled it out. We ended up both in agreement - let the grass grow tall - its a benefit to the wildlife in the area.

 

[FTG-05]

After looking at post #10 I can see that it is pretty darn steep. The neighbor down the road almost lost his Z-turn mower trying to mow a road side easement. It slid into softer ground and almost turned over into the water filled road side ditch. Fortunately - he recognized this situation - quit trying to "drive it out" and pulled it to safety with his tractor.

He came and got me to help him - - ha,ha - I got to sit on the Z-turn and bite my nails as he pulled it out. We ended up both in agreement - let the grass grow tall - its a benefit to the wildlife in the area.

Agree.

 

[big bubba]

well you all could be right on the steep grade, didn't seem like it at 1st glance. sure do like my commercial hyd zero turn walk behind on pond dams & sure don't like to push the limits with a rider. i see younger guys in town doing slopes i wouldn't dream of mowing on a zero turn rider...good luck to the OP
btw if the dam was hayed earlier, does that mean it's safer for conventional hay harvest equip vs mowing w/riders?

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I can and some time do mow my steep part in front of my house going across the hill and also go up and down some times but cutting diagional seems less stressful than going across the hill. I'm a psychofrenic, related to the schizophrenic, mower often times. I get confused with doing patterns or bored. I often times start circling trees until I get dizzy or reach another tree and then circle it in an ever widening circle and eventually most of my yard is mowed, except for the sections I miss but my wife and grandkids always point them out to me.
Anyway, try from lower left to upper right or vice versa or any other combination of diagonal patterns.
It also drive my Brother next door crazy since he has to do exact patterns determined the day before of which row will be mowed in which direction according to his charts from the last 9 years,:laughing:

 

[jcummins]

I can and some time do mow my steep part in front of my house going across the hill and also go up and down some times but cutting diagional seems less stressful than going across the hill. I'm a psychofrenic mower often times. I get confused with doing patterns or bored. I often times start circling trees until I get dizzy or reach another tree and then circle it in an ever widening circle and eventually most of my yard is mowed, except for the sections I miss but my wife and grandkids always point them out to me.
Anyway, try from lower left to upper right or vice versa or any other combination of diagonal patterns.

Arggggg big words, I had to look it up. Diagonal...then I gotta turn at the top (steepest) or bottom (wettest)....soooo....dunno. Actually except for that 'spot' with the tuft of grass, it did slide around, but not so scary.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Gary, are you looking at pic#1 in post#1 or the recropped pic in post#10?

Post #10 pic has been corrected to make the trees vertical and now shows the true steepness of the hill the OP is talking about.

I was looking at post #10 and it doesn't look that steep on anything other than the top 6 feet or so where it drops at a pretty steep angle but not too steep that I couldn't mow it with my ZTR on the horizontal. Speed and wet grass would be the limiting conditions to mowing on any side hill. None of that looks as steep as I see the highway boys mowing around overpasses.

 

[jcummins]

I was looking at post #10 and it doesn't look that steep on anything other than the top 6 feet or so where it drops at a pretty steep angle but not too steep that I couldn't mow it with my ZTR on the horizontal. Speed and wet grass would be the limiting conditions to mowing on any side hill. None of that looks as steep as I see the highway boys mowing around overpasses.

Had a ZD326 before this F3680. The ZD couldn't sidehill this dam, tried it couple of times, ended up at the bottom, no saving it. Stopped trying to mow this area with the ZD. Yes...the top 6 feet is the problem. Rest not so bad.