trail clearing technique and tools

[ArlyA]

Here is another trail we do, I forgot to mention. Its hot here so we did a little hike around its 3.25 miles today. 1/3 of it is single track and the remaining is logging roads. They need to be mowed! Thus the tow behind flail I posted about earlier. The single track runs along the Pilgram river which I got NO photos of.

 

[airbiscuit]

It is satisfying when you revitalize it.

 

[ArlyA]

Here is some trail clearing shots which might help to show why pole-saws have become our primary saws on the trail.

 

[ArlyA]

We returned to the Circle of Life trail at Courtney Lake in the Ottawa NF today to hike around and check things out. What you see below was harvested out a few years ago, so the maple shoots grow like weeds. These need to be knocked down with 155 strings. .170 would be better for this job.

Later we found this guy across the trail. Yes a pole-saw will be used.

Looks like someone had recently a John boat in here.

Shorty later, we seen this fellow fly off a branch right in front of us.

The same spot.

See the leaning tree on the right? Its coming down right on this floating dock.

Not the end o the hike, but all the photos I took today.

 

[airbiscuit]

Different strokes. I'd still use a more powerful conventional chainsaw on some of that.

 

[ArlyA]

We returned to the Circle of Life trail at Courtney Lake in the Ottawa NF today to hike around and check things out. What you see below was harvested out a few years ago, so the maple shoots grow like weeds. These need to be knocked down with 155 strings. .170 would be better for this job.View attachment 706284

Later we found this guy across the trail. Yes a pole-saw will be used.View attachment 706285

Looks like someone had recently a John boat in here.View attachment 706286

Shorty later, we seen this fellow fly off a branch right in front of us.View attachment 706287

The same spot. View attachment 706288

See the leaning tree on the right? Its coming down right on this floating dock.View attachment 706289

Not the end o the hike, but all the photos I took today. View attachment 706290

This trail sorta starts and ends at the NFS campground Courtney Lake. When we passed through it this day, there was a MI highway patrol, MI DNR enforcement officer and a NFS employee we happened to know there and all near a camp site. At the start of the hike around this trail, we seen a couple of ambulances leaving the area. We later found out a fellow had committed suicide at that site by shooting himself. This would have happened just a few hours before these photos were taken. Sad day at Courtney Lake campground.

 

[MoKelly]

45000 folks committed suicide last year in the US. That’s about 125 per day every day.

It is very very sad.

MoKelly

 

[ArlyA]

On a lighter note, we were out whacking down shoots and weeds on a nearby trail today.

Yes, Wally was told to go out there and do that.

Here is maple shoots coming out of a stump from an earlier cut.

All better.

 

[airbiscuit]

Who enjoys your work more - You, or your dogs?

 

[ArlyA]

Has anyone else been out clearing trails???