Building a cabin road

[deezler]

Sounds like a good time to do some route finding. I find snow cover and dead foliage to be an advantage in route planning. You ignore smaller and mid-sized rocks as you should anyway. The topo relief stands out better. The number of trees to take down is more obvious. If you need snowshoes, the struggle will help you understand what the vehicles will see. Plus, I love being out in winter.

Agreed, I love doing my land reconnaissance in the winter time when there's a bit of snow on the ground. So much easier to see the lay of the land.

 

[Sodo]

Agreed, I love doing my land reconnaissance in the winter time when there's a bit of snow on the ground. So much easier to see the lay of the land.

^^^ x2 ^^^

Old roadbeds show up when the snow holds the weeds down. Every winter I think "Hey I never knew there was a roadbed there, I'm gonna see if thats worth come spring...." once springtime comes the brush comes back and I can't find it.

Thanks for posting. This winter I'm ribboning those roadbeds while they're visible.

 

[Jim Timber]

Make sure you use pink or orange marking tape or paint. I used the yellow stuff once and turned around and couldn't see any of my flags. :laughing:

 

[otlski]

Yes agreed, the snow highlights old roadbeds well. I find the snow especially useful when some of it partially melts, leaving half the ground covered and half exposed. Those old roadbeds show, moist soils show, sun exposures show, swales, etc. Pretty educational if you relax and stare at it long enough.

Don't flag in orange if you hope to see them in the New England fall. Everything seems orange, everywhere.

 

[airbiscuit]

Time for an update. You have an interesting story and we want to hear more. Have you brought materials in with your snowmobile? Any conclusions about your road location?

 

[Zerk]

Sounds like a good time to do some route finding. I find snow cover and dead foliage to be an advantage in route planning. .

I bought my tractor for making trails. But I don't find it a good time when there is 3 feet on the ground.

 

[Jim Timber]

I don't like clearing trails in frozen ground at all. I had to cut myself out of a pinch today leaving punji sticks at the snow line where if the ground was soft I would've scraped the whole tree out by the roots and been done with it.

I'm holding out for soft earth before resuming trail cutting. Just not worth the possible tire damage and headaches cutting high stumps have now.

We only have about 8-10" on the ground at present too.

 

[airbiscuit]

How did the winter supply runs go? What's the latest?

 

[gdicks]

We are very much still in the middle of winter here. I didnt get the road put through but I may not need to just yet. It has been a low snow year which means low spring run off will not raise the reservoir lake as high as normal this summer. I should have good shoreline access to get me going.

 

[airbiscuit]

If the snow's gone, how about an update? Great project, awesome property!

 

[gdicks]

Snow is gone and it's starting to Dry up. Hoping to get back up there shortly and will update. After a long winter there's always lots of chores around the house to occupy most spare time. 3 acres at home takes a lot to get ready for summer, or what passes for summer here. They say we have about 6 months of winter and 6 months of bad skiing.

 

[airbiscuit]

How about an update?

 

[gdicks]

How about an update?

Not much to update, the Lands branch seem to be dragging their feet on the paperwork and I havn't been in much of a rush to be honest.

 

[airbiscuit]

Too bad. If those of us following your thread are as excited as we are about your project, I can imagine how frustrating the delay must be for you. You have a good vision/plan, and if you can get past the paperwork log jam, the journey should be as rewarding as the destination.