trail clearing technique and tools

[ultrarunner]

Poison Oak is my arch nemesis...

It is so prolific and being so susceptible my go to is spot spray emerging new growth and loppers for the vines choking the oaks.

Also with ban on gas trimmers fewer options exist.

The city is pushing goats but not year round... only to come though and move on.

Spent most of the day on the 350c dozer grooming trails...

The side cuts often need cleanup but back dragging does a lot too.

 

[ArlyA]

Sure glad everyone is keeping this to trail clearing. Seems like most threads wonder off subject,,, lots. We are still skiing ehre but maybe in a few weeks, we'll be thinking more about actually doing it.

 

[kenmbz]

I have been actively clearing new trails since the snow got thinner. Trying to get in before the new growth makes it too painful. My trails are tiny compared to your ArlyA, but they are new and keep me busy.
Some are just maintenance trails to get a path to Dead Ash. A few to make up a short mountain bike/walking trail on my property.
Having only 6 acres, trying to get a full mile trail without overlap is not easy, and making sure I don't clear out too much as I want the wildlife to stay.
Right now with the last 4+ inches or rain, that work is on hold. But there is always something to do outside.

 

[ArlyA]

You guys might get a kick out these these dated photos. Sure I might be a promoter of pole-saws, but this was a rather large for ours. We only have so much space to being junk along so when we found this guy across the trail, the pole-saw went to work on it. Everything we bring along must fit into the bosses box.

No problem!

 

[kenmbz]

That must have taken a while. I gave up using the pols saw on > 6" sticks, but I don't have to travel more than 600' to get tools.

 

[deezler]

Spent most of the day on the 350c dozer grooming trails...

The side cuts often need cleanup but back dragging does a lot too.

Can you share a couple pics? Curious what type of topography and foliage you are working with. The idea of dozing trails for fun on your private property anywhere near the bay area sounds like a total fantasy in my head. Do you have to be grandfathered in, so to speak?

 

[ultrarunner]

After the 1991 Firestorm where 3000+ homes burned due to a transient campfire the city insisted large property owners put in fire trails conforming to state specifications…

Dad tried to hire it out but either no interest or the cost would have covered a tractor and then some so I bought the D3

It was difficult… having people calling police at times and city intervention…

I kept the letter from the fire inspector with me at all times and it came in handy.

Ultimately it was determined Fire trumps all.

Now all I do is do an annual cleanup of existing but still get folks taking phone videos…

 

[deezler]

Thats what I'm saying, in my head it just seems like greenpeace would assemble a troop of volunteers to chain themselves to your dozer.

So are you on a sliver of acreage tucked orphaned between developments, or what? I know the bay area does have a lot of communities bisected by natural mountain ridges and canyons, but I presumed all of that was public land.

 

[ArlyA]

Up here, we are still a ways away from tick season but many of you people might already be there. We spray all our trail work clothing with Sawyer brand Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent for clothing that we get for about $17 a bottle. This stuff does work and bugs get ill and fall off before they get to our skin. We treat and couple sets of shirts and pants, then wash them less often. The manufacturer claims it doesn't launder off but we don't believe it. I should add, we've used this stuff for years and since we started, not had a tick attached to us.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

Two words: electric chainsaw.
No gasoline so it can be carried in the “trunk” of my UTV. Got tired of finding the path blocked and having to go back to the barn. I can cut up a pretty large tree on one charge and I carry a spare battery, but I’ve never needed it.