What do I need to retrieve and split wood?

[peakbagger]

On steep slopes its hard to beat a highline and a griphoist. The initial investment and setup scare most folks off. The trail crews in northeast use them for moving large rocks into place on hiking trails.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

On steep slopes its hard to beat a highline and a griphoist. The initial investment and setup scare most folks off. The trail crews in northeast use them for moving large rocks into place on hiking trails.

This is a good idea, pb. I've been contemplating some sort of homemade version of this, the hardware is pricy. Would need to have lots of wood to make buying the stuff I saw online worth it.

 

[cahaak]

I would make an effort to get some trails that are ATV accessible from the base up to the ridge. Several that may be intersecting. They can go back and forth if the slope is too steep for up and down. Once you have these in place, then it is just a matter of getting your cuttings to the trails and you will likely never have more than 50-75' to do that, at most. Cut so the fall direction is in your best interest and work it down, possibly by dragging. Once you get the place cleaned up and the trails in, it will all fall into place.

 

[nrford]

Fortitude

 

[cjgoode]

There is one huge tree down where there is a nice somewhat flat area. Maybe I will get real creative with my saw and use some materials to build a wood shed to keep it off the ground and out of the rain and then I can just work up there and fill the wood shed, and once it seasons and dries and weighs less just carry it down. Actually not 100% kidding, we wanted to build a little shelter/camp on that spot to just go enjoy the quite, because you cannot see any signs of humans from that spot, yet not to far from the house.

 

[Rich L]

Have 6 acres on a steep wooded mountain. Lots of downed trees up there. Would like to start collecting it for firewood. What tools would people recommend to safely get and split it, most likely split most up on the mountain, some of its quite large.

I have
1. Good Stihl MS260 chainsaw with 18 bar chains and tools to sharpen. Been using it to just clear trees for years.
2. Chainsaw chaps, gloves and helmet with face shield.
3. Some axes.
4. Woodchuck quad to roll and lift logs (Just got it)

Plan to get
5. 3/4 ton Rope puller with 100' of rope.

Clearly I need a maul, wedges

Anything else anyone can think of within reason to make the work easier and SAFER. Any tips for working on steep hillsides. As of now I think I am only recovering downed trees, most fell naturally in various wind storms, some where the power company cut them down and left them recently. Then I will move on to felling some of the dead trees down the road.

The best wedges I've ever used are the Oregon splitting grenade wedges.You can still get them on ebay.They make splitting the toughest wood a breeze.

 

[jwfirebird]

wood doesnt really dry till its split

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

There is one huge tree down where there is a nice somewhat flat area. Maybe I will get real creative with my saw and use some materials to build a wood shed to keep it off the ground and out of the rain and then I can just work up there and fill the wood shed, and once it seasons and dries and weighs less just carry it down. Actually not 100% kidding, we wanted to build a little shelter/camp on that spot to just go enjoy the quite, because you cannot see any signs of humans from that spot, yet not to far from the house.

Not a bad idea. Cut down on the weight, cut down on the work. I have small, makeshift woodsheds all over the bottom acre. Might as well do the same up the hill.

 

[coutufr]

Dry wood is a lot easier to move around

 

[maple1]

There is one huge tree down where there is a nice somewhat flat area. Maybe I will get real creative with my saw and use some materials to build a wood shed to keep it off the ground and out of the rain and then I can just work up there and fill the wood shed, and once it seasons and dries and weighs less just carry it down. Actually not 100% kidding, we wanted to build a little shelter/camp on that spot to just go enjoy the quite, because you cannot see any signs of humans from that spot, yet not to far from the house.

Even if you don't put it in wood sheds, cutting splitting & stacking it at or close to where it is laying then letting it dry there for a couple years will cut down a lot on the weight you will ultimately need to be moving down the hill. Of course, that leads to being able to split at or close to where it lays - could be hard if that needs a splitter. I've found a couple of really old mossed over stacks of wood in the old sugar woods I scrounge in - that's how the fellow did things years ago at the time. Likely cut split & stacked first thing in the spring, then hauled to the woodshed just before it started snowing. And missed a couple stacks along the way.

About the ATV trail suggestion - from the pics posted I am not sure I would want to be heading down that hill on an ATV with much of a load behind me. Even if you can do some switch-backing. It doesn't take much to momentarily unload a wheel and lose traction, then it could be game over. That's lessened to some extent if you are dragging logs rather than pulling a trailer - but still, risky business based on the pics. Although, some times it's hard to tell from pics. Perspective & all that.

 

[cjgoode]

maple1 your are correct, I would not even attempt to come down with a load, pictures are not deceiving. My son has taken the ATV up to where there is an area I can split and stack and want to build a camp. He said it was not bad on the steep parts, but it has to be real dry. Maybe when it has been near 0 degrees and the ground is like rough concrete it would be an option for an older guy like me. So logs would have to be cut and moved to that area and split. I figure get the kids to come for Thanksgiving and not feed them until they each bring down x number of logs.

 

[AlbergSteve]

A snatch block, wire choker or short chain on the rope
to keep it from scouring the rope.

The snatch block if placed correctly will keep you safely out of the fall line.

X2. I used 200' 1/4" wire rope and the snatch up high to keep the ends of the log from burying themselves in the bank on the way up.

 

[Raithi]

Since your property is so narrow, Id lay down a couple of decent sized trees right by your flat shelf spanning the property as sort of a wall. Start throwing all of your tops and what not on to build it up. Then you can buck and roll your rounds down the hill without worry of smashing up the house. Don't need any extra equipment and your rounds would be at your level spot for easy processing.

I think if you can put up a decent sized log / brush wall you'd be alright.

 

[ben94122]

I have a tracked skid steer that works great on steep slopes: Cat 259D. With a grapple it is the ultimate. Your lot may be too steep for it, though.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Since your property is so narrow, Id lay down a couple of decent sized trees right by your flat shelf spanning the property as sort of a wall. Start throwing all of your tops and what not on to build it up. Then you can buck and roll your rounds down the hill without worry of smashing up the house. Don't need any extra equipment and your rounds would be at your level spot for easy processing.

I think if you can put up a decent sized log / brush wall you'd be alright.

I tried this. Trouble is, the rounds seem to find all the trees on the way down and damages them. Also, if there's even one way for a round to make it through/over/around the obstacles, one will find it. The risk of injury to others or property just ended up being too high. It was exciting on the way to the decision.

 

[redmanlcs]

Wow!... I would hate and try to cut, split, stack any trees up that high and that far from the house. I thought I had a hard time transporting my rounds!... if your going to haul it out, you must have a haul road. Hire bulldozer to cut a road..... drag them out you would need a very long and strong cable with pulleys etc,, that would cost probably as much as bulldozer.... I roll mine down the hill to our loading spot,,, but i know you refuse to let a round hit your house or car...(don't blame you)...so that is out...dang you have a tuff situation for sure... unless you could just drag the logs down the hill,,,, I don't think a log will slide too fast as long as you keep the end in the dirt... do you have a mule? dang i don't know what you could do..

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Wow!... I would hate and try to cut, split, stack any trees up that high and that far from the house. I thought I had a hard time transporting my rounds!... if your going to haul it out, you must have a haul road. Hire bulldozer to cut a road..... drag them out you would need a very long and strong cable with pulleys etc,, that would cost probably as much as bulldozer.... I roll mine down the hill to our loading spot,,, but i know you refuse to let a round hit your house or car...(don't blame you)...so that is out...dang you have a tuff situation for sure... unless you could just drag the logs down the hill,,,, I don't think a log will slide too fast as long as you keep the end in the dirt... do you have a mule? dang i don't know what you could do..

I'd enjoy having a mule or donkey to help out. Probably not in the cards at this property, but maybe in a future one. And sheep or goats to keep the lawn mowed!

 

[billb3]

I have a steep slope like that behind my house ( but not anywhere near as high) and found it was easier to pull whole logs down than up.
I cut a road diagonally across the face to safely get my tractor down and back up with a load of rounds in the bucket.
I live on the top of the hill.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I have a steep slope like that behind my house ( but not anywhere near as high) and found it was easier to pull whole logs down than up.
I cut a road diagonally across the face to safely get my tractor down and back up with a load of rounds in the bucket.
I live on the top of the hill.

I'd enjoy hearing more about how you cut the diagonal road into the hill.