Mini-ex in steep terrain?

[Cataclysm]

Moved to some new property in GA and about 10 acres of the property is choked up with what we call around here "wait a minute vines" which is basically a nice way to say you ain't getting through there. I was thinking about getting a little tiny mini excavator and clearing some of the vines and doing some selected removal of a lot of the small pine trees that appear to be working on growing among the more desirable species. Only problem is the terrain is steep drainage and I know I can't get some of it but a lot of what I'm thinking about attacking is 10-15% grade. Could a mini-ex safely operate in there without having to tear up the ground too much building working pads etc? Specifically I'm looking at renting a Kubota k-008 or kx-18 size mini-ex.

I have put about 1000 hrs on a k-008. They are tipsey side to side but pretty stable forward/backward if you keep the counter weight up hill. You can actually side hill pretty well if you swing the turrent to where the counter weight is uphill.

I made a shoe for my bucket with a 2 1/2 foot long piece of road grader blade for backfilling and cleaning up. It will cut vines/small brush/weeds surprisingly well. Backfilling is at least 2 or 3 times as fast with the add on blade plus you can leave the rake in the truck.

The tracks are small and the will tear up yards pretty fast if you have to turn much.

 

[lennyzx11]

If I am working on a steep slope, I build a level pad up under the excavator. Get to where you want to work, work bottom up, and then dig a hole next to the machine and make a pad. Then drive over onto the pad. It will take a zig saw pattern to get to the top of the hill, but it's definitely doable.

Snobdds,
Can you describe this method a little more for me?
I've got a 30 degree slope that I want to build into about 4 level tiers.
Park at the bottom. Dig a hole next to me and fill above me on the slope to make a pad? Then drive up onto that pad?

 

[Rustyiron]

Snobdds,
Can you describe this method a little more for me?
I've got a 30 degree slope that I want to build into about 4 level tiers.
Park at the bottom. Dig a hole next to me and fill above me on the slope to make a pad? Then drive up onto that pad?

I believe he's describing basic "cut & fill". You don't actually dig a hole, just cut down the high side enough so that what you remove (and placed on the low side) creates a level "pad" similar to how you'd cut in a road or trail across a slope. For example cut 10" up hill and fill 10" down hill.

 

[sea2summit]

I believe he's describing basic "cut & fill". You don't actually dig a hole, just cut down the high side enough so that what you remove (and placed on the low side) creates a level "pad" similar to how you'd cut in a road or trail across a slope. For example cut 10" up hill and fill 10" down hill.

That's what I'm understanding. I don't want to do that if I can avoid it for erosion issues and trying to save as much habitat as possible for this deer season.