Cutting ATV trails into cross slopes

[nyone]

A good backhoe operator should be able to cut a decently flat trail into a hill just the same as renting a mini ex.

Use the backhoe bucket to push and level the dirt as you back up. Not the front bucket, then you dont need to turn around.

 

[AnotherBueller]

I did about a 50 ft section of hillside by using my walk-behind tiller for a couple of pass on what would by the uphill wheeltrack. Them moved the loose dirt to the low side. This made a slight terrace that reduced the risk for the tractor.

Bruce

My lord using a rototiller on a forest side hill is WORK.

 

[bcp]

My lord using a rototiller on a forest side hill is WORK.

I used the rototiller after the tractor spun tires and slid sideways a couple of feet with the center against a tree. Couldn't move forwards or backwards. Got out the 4-ton come-along and pulled the tractor sideways uphill a couple of feet. That was work that would have been avoided by using the rototiller first.

One box blade scarifier had hooked a root, tires spun, and sideways it went. Only took a couple of seconds.



Bruce

 

[idiggplants]

Improved many trails using a back blade on a small tractor on our hillside farm. Going from a standard back blade to one that offsets made a big difference. Weight, quality and adjustability all improved with a premium blade. Gear leveling box on a 3pt hitch saves considerable time. TopNtilt would be sweet. Time of year makes a different too. Spring is a good time to break ground. I have to deal with a lot of trees. Some paths took many years effort to get established. Backhoe helps with tough spots. With 60” rain per year always have to consider where water is going to run.

Hmm... Its not a gear leveling box. But actually now that I look at the topntilt, it looks similar. One (or both, i cant remember) lift arm has a bar that assists in spinning the turnbuckle to level the attatchment. I assumed that was for fine tuning and not enough to make a difference in cutting side slopes with a 2 way blade, or am I wrong? Honestly this doesn't have to be perfect. Once we get it so its not a dangerous cross slope, we can easily put in a ditch on the uphill side, but we shouldn't even have to do that. We get rain, but not so much that we need to have positive grade in each direction. Puddles arent the end of the world. The only real concern will be erosion, but we can deal with that with a ditch on the uphill side if it comes to that.

I just did that last fall using my 33 hp tractor, fel, and box blade.
It was about a 400 ft section that gave me the Willie’s when crossing the hill side to side.

It takes more effort than you might think, you can’t do it all from the seat of your tractor, but I had the time and tools and it cost me nothing. Set belt and low center of gravity on implements an absolute must.

after finishing the cut, I spread some old hay on top for winter erosion, and reseeding.
I am happy with results.

I hear ya. We have done quite a few trails without a blade and just with the backhoe and FEL. My dad on the machine and me on the ground. So I'm prepared for the labor, although I'm getting older and less durable. Lol. So do you think an box blade, or 2 way back blade, or 4 way back blade would have served you best?

A compact track loader would be the right size and have the manuverability you want. Cheaper than renting a dozer, too.

That's a more reasonable rental for us, but unfortunately the rentals available in the job area are limited. I could get a tracked skid steer, but not with an articulating dozer blade. I know a skid steer would be more maneuverable than the tractor w/ FEL, but i don't know that it would be more effective.

 

[idiggplants]

Wow. Missed the entire page 2 of comments here. Thanks all. The soil is indeed pretty rocky. So it looks like a back blade is not going to be feasible, and a mini excavator would be our best bet. Aka, we should probably just stick with the slow going of the backhoe.
So ill just pick up a 2 way blade for our driveway and not worry about spending extra on a 4 way which probably won't help with this job.

 

[idiggplants]

A good backhoe operator should be able to cut a decently flat trail into a hill just the same as renting a mini ex.

Use the backhoe bucket to push and level the dirt as you back up. Not the front bucket, then you dont need to turn around.

That's what we have been doing. My dad has what he calls "precision teeth"(i do not). But with a significant cross slope, you end up with a lot of uncompacted fill on the downhill side. And a ton of on and off the tractor backing down the trail.

 

[CobyRupert]

“A road is only as good as its ditches.” - people in places where it rains.

 

[leonz]

Call United Rentals and ask about one of the smaller machine with the cabin tilt feature to do your earthwork it will be faster and the switchbacks will be excavated the right way as the excavator can do it in a wide linear swath in one position operating from one location only leaving the length of the tracks on the hill side to be excavated when you move up the slope to the next leg.

 

[idiggplants]

“A road is only as good as its ditches.” - people in places where it rains.

Luckily it's not a road and doesn't have to be good!

 

[rkoykka]

Would the rental of a mini excavator work for you? It has a blade on it to level off as you go