trail clearing technique and tools

ArlyA · Jun 27, 2022

Isn't anyone else working on there trails??

ultrarunner · Jun 27, 2022

I was until a knee injury...

Hope to be back to it in a couple weeks.

jjeff · Jun 27, 2022

My main tool for new Xmas tree rows/ trails. Yooper engineered $100 35 yr old MTD had for 10 yrs now, no safety features or brakes anymore have to bypass the solenoid to start and ground the coil to shut off, only ever had to replace the mandrels. Plastics mounted on deck to prevent tree trunk damage, because I mow very close on new small trees. Definitely not high tech, cutting edge, or sophisticated like most but it works great for my small operation. I also use a 5' Bush hog and L4150 for the bigger trees and trails. Try and cut once a month or so on new trees few times a year on older tree trails.

airbiscuit · Jun 27, 2022

We have an 80 acre parcel that recently had about 15 acres logged (NW corner). I had a lot of trails before, but had them make one new trail. Right when they were finishing we got a strong thunder storm and the ground was too soft to back blade, and they left some serious ruts. I was able to straighten that out pretty well with the 5 1/2' pull type tandem disc that I pickedup for $80. I had a couple places where a stump was pulled up that left a hole I will have to fill in with a shovel. They did a pretty good job of keeping slash off my existing trails, but I had to remove it in a couple of spots.

I planted oats in some trails that were disturbed, and an oats/clover/brassica mix in others. Both are coming up well. In the wooded area, I am blazing a new North/South line in the middle of the West 40. It's amazing how hard it is to walk in a straight line in the woods. Huntstand's GPS helps, but it bounces around too much. I used a 330' tape measure to try to make a straight line, but my orientation was slightly off. Time for a few more tweaks.

airbiscuit · Jun 27, 2022

jjeff said:
My main tool for new Xmas tree rows/ trails. Yooper engineered $100 35 yr old MTD had for 10 yrs now, no safety features or brakes anymore have to bypass the solenoid to start and ground the coil to shut off, only ever had to replace the mandrels. Plastics mounted on deck to prevent tree trunk damage, because I mow very close on new small trees. Definitely not high tech, cutting edge, or sophisticated like most but it works great for my small operation. I also use a 5' Bush hog and L4150 for the bigger trees and trails. Try and cut once a month or so on new trees few times a year on older tree trails.

I used to have a 15hp MTD much like that. My friend caught trail fever for his Gator, but didn't really know what to do about it. So we cut some trails through his woods and cut the stumps "flush" with the ground. I followed up with my MTD rider and cut all the brush. He couldn't believe how well it worked. I said, "you'd be amazed what you can do when you abuse the heck out of equipment".

I always wanted to make a Rough Cut Rider, by giving it a 3" lift. Front axel lift is easy - rear axel lift is harder. Never found one that would be easy to do.

JamesHW · Jun 28, 2022

ArlyA said:
Isn't anyone else working on there trails??

We had to focus on the house and getting our field mostly cleared having been neglected last year, so here is a sped up 3x vid of mowing saplings taller than me w/ the Del Morino brush mower on my BCS. Planning to grapple w/ the trails next trip in August when the shade will be appreciated. Left a bunch of patches of wild flowers for the butterflys

dodge man · Jul 3, 2022

Arly, do you get poison ivy at all? I see your pictures and that’s the first thing I think of.

ArlyA · Jul 3, 2022

Not much of that, but we do have poison nettles here.

We were on the trails today doing bridge work and will post pics when they get processed.

ArlyA · Jul 4, 2022

Out working on trails over the weekend raising this bridge, and adding dirt ramps. I little saw work as well.

Here is 4" raisers placed under both ends, bridge 6x6's were toe screw to them, then rocks added to keep dirt in.

Filled with creek gravel, then dirt on top.

ArlyA · Jul 4, 2022

There was several trees that had fallen across the trail, in the logging road portion. We got them off but the heat was getting to much to get the last one.

ArlyA · Jul 7, 2022

I've had some people comment "a tractor could be used to clear dead-falls" and this is not the case. When trails are being cleared of anything, you don't want the slash at the edge of the trail for cosmetic reasons and the fact new growth will come up among it and make clearing it again, pure hell to re-clear.. We've had people doing that and we followed them X years later clearing them again.

You need to somewhat disperse the slash into the woods and make trail users not even notice that limbs and whole trees were remove there.. Does that make sense?

ultrarunner · Jul 7, 2022

Trail clearing in the Santa Cruz CA fire zone is proving to be very dangerous… so much so the original contractor is pulling out due to repeated serious injury.

The standing fire damaged trees are just waiting to drop massive limbs when disturbed.

The new plan is a giant excavator with grapple and saw blade in the interest of safety…

ArlyA · Jul 9, 2022

Out on our trails today and here is a snippet of what was done. New map holder was put up, bridge approaches cleared and a dead-fall removed. Will post more later.

ArlyA · Jul 11, 2022

In my day job, I've been clearing out brush in the yard of a closed for a few years business and having qeif getting to all the 1 to 3" new growth. I just got a battery mini saw to assist.

Makita XCU06Z 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 10" Top Handle Chain Saw, Tool Only

two_bit_score · Jul 12, 2022

ArlyA said:
In my day job, I've been clearing out brush in the yard of a closed for a few years business and having qeif getting to all the 1 to 3" new growth. I just got a battery mini saw to assist.

Makita XCU06Z 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 10" Top Handle Chain Saw, Tool Only

Why do they make you use that Makita?
Stihl has a battery powered top handle saw: STIHL MSA 161 T 12 Battery-Powered Top Handle Chainsaw w/ 12" Bar (Battery & Charger Not Included)

ArlyA · Jul 13, 2022

two_bit_score said:
Why do they make you use that Makita?
Stihl has a battery powered top handle saw: STIHL MSA 161 T 12 Battery-Powered Top Handle Chainsaw w/ 12" Bar (Battery & Charger Not Included)

I bought it, not my employer. I wanted it small and not use a special chain sold by the manufacturer. The smallest Stihl had there special chain on it. I didn't look at MSA 161 because I didn't consider that large of bar saw.

I have a pole saw by stihl which I do love but I don't like its micro sized chain on it that only they sale and I'm working to have it switched out..

2manyrocks · Jul 13, 2022

You'd think someone would make a conversion kit, but I haven't found one. The micro chain is pushing me towards buying an Echo pole saw.

ArlyA · Jul 13, 2022

The chain size thing might not be a issue for the vast majority of polesaw user's. It is for us who sharpen them in the field and use many chains per season. We are using this setup after two years as is.

ArlyA · Jul 15, 2022

ArlyA said:
In my day job, I've been clearing out brush in the yard of a closed for a few years business and having qeif getting to all the 1 to 3" new growth. I just got a battery mini saw to assist.

Makita XCU06Z 18V LXT® Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 10" Top Handle Chain Saw, Tool Only View attachment 753776

I will of course do a review of this mini-saw after i can put it through some paces. Its not suppose to show up until mid next week. My extra chains for it have arrived.

RobertEH · Jul 15, 2022

I did a trail maintenance day in the Washington Cascades a few years back. The location was in a wilderness area and you are not allowed to bring in anything with a motor, or wheels. We hiked in a few miles with misery whips, wedges and axes and cleared some large windfall. It was very interesting work. One trick they used was to wrap large logs with webbing multiple times, and then pull the webbing to roll very large logs off the trail.

One tip I learned was, to keep your saw sharp, remove the bark in the area you plan to cut. Over the years dirt and sand embed in the bark which will dull your saw very quickly. There was also a lot of time spent sitting and observing before taking action. Basically look at the lay of the land, the weight of the trees, and predict what will roll, twist or fall (and in which direction). Once these things start to move, things can go pear shaped quickly. Lots of latent energy waiting to be released!