Snowmobile Wood Gathering

[blakey]

I actually brought home some dead elm this weekend via my Yamaha 340 snowmobile and a 3x5 trailer on skis. The first trip wasn't a huge success, got stuck trying to get moving with a small load on. Today was much better, my trail had frozen and no getting stuck. Made some more trails to other dead trees for next weekend. The snow was almost up to my knees when I got off the sled. Hoping to limp through this way until the snow goes down and I can get a tractor out there. Anybody else try this or am I the only desperate soul?

 

[gink595]

Sounds like your the deperate soul I try to cut at least a year out so I don't have to worry about it.

 

[blakey]

I am actually not out of wood but I don't have enough to finish the winter. Just thought I would give it a try, better than sitting on the couch. We got snow the second week of November and it never went away so I haven't been able to cut since then.

 

[beerman6]

There was another poster here,from Alaska I think that used a sno-machine.I remember seeing pictures here.I use my golf cart when the snow isnt to deep,the pick-up when it is.My snowmobile sits in the yard,I've hardly ridden it this season.

 

[Rookie1]

Id like to see pics of trailer. I have an old ArcticCat Cheetah and would like to pull a trailer with it. Ive got a bunch of wood I could get if I had a setup like that.

 

[blakey]

It's actually my brother's, he built it to carry trail stakes for setting up snowmobile trails. The hitch swivels and the bottom is made from the metal frame of a GM truck seat.

 

[olyman]

i scrounged clear thru the first winter i had my woodstove--you do what you got to do--the fuel oil bill was killing me--that and a ex that could spend like water--

 

[beerman6]

That sled/trailer is pretty cool.

 

[brnchbrkr]

busted

You guys are scaring me. I am beginning to feel right at home...

0 deg F this morning. Bright Sun outside. Sled started, got son dressed to run out back to check over wood stash. Found a few rounds, loaded and hauled by sled. 91 Polaris 500cc.

Found sled at Farm and Fleet. They only carry them in the winter for deer hunters, trappers, ice fishermen, woodaddicts...
:camera:

 

[beerman6]

That looks big enough to hold my fat butt.

 

[willsaw4beer]

That's exactly what I've been looking for only bigger. I've been using an old sled and bungie cords for hauling standing deads out of the woods.

 

[bama]

I actually brought home some dead elm this weekend via my Yamaha 340 snowmobile and a 3x5 trailer on skis. The first trip wasn't a huge success, got stuck trying to get moving with a small load on. Today was much better, my trail had frozen and no getting stuck. Made some more trails to other dead trees for next weekend. The snow was almost up to my knees when I got off the sled. Hoping to limp through this way until the snow goes down and I can get a tractor out there. Anybody else try this or am I the only desperate soul?

Gotta love the 340. I have a '79 Enticer. I use the kid's sled to bring wood to the garage. Stupid thing tips if I go too high, but I can bring in a day's worth every trip.

 

[clutch25]

I spent 2 hours getting my old truck started today to drive down the road a mile and then get stuck, walk 200 yards to take some pictures of a oak that I will be going after right away in the spring.

If I had a sled or quad that would haul wood, I would have been cutting this weekend.

 

[blakey]

The Ski-Doo Alpine would be ideal for wood gathering duties. They have 2 tracks and 1 ski, they used to use them for grooming trails so they must pull pretty hard. Not sure when they quit making them but I think this one is an 85.

 

[371groundie]

a forester i know was painting wood ahead of several crews one of which was two old timers with a skidder that spent more time getting wrenched on than pulling wood. they did it more for fun than anything else. well they got a big snow year and he figured those old timers would call it quits and stick to trapping so he didnt bother to go back and paint anymore.

well her was driving by and though he would swing in just to check on things. gets nervous when he found the road plowed out and a landing full of wood!


those two old timers had a snow machine and a home made trailer pulling 20 foot low grade harwood stems for firewood (20ft was the length of the body on the pulp truck that was trucking the wood.)

the trailer looked like a sled for pulling logs like one that goes behind a team of horses.

that forester hasnt underestimated old timers since, especially now that he is one.....

 

[blakey]

I bet they used an Alpine, a normal sled wouldn't pull 20 footers.

 

[brnchbrkr]

starting a new saving's fund for one of these.

darn You Tube and Jack and Ginger.

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[blakey]

Actually found a video of some guys logging with an Alpine. Tough machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=varyj07di9o

 

[woodlotguy]

Hello everyone I am new to the site and this is my first post.I use a snowmobile to access woodlots most of the winter.I also groom 12km of cross country ski trails on my own property.I use a homemade "groomer" to pack my trails down once they harden after a couple of nights it is a lot easier to pull anything with a snowmobile.Usually after grooming i am able to use my ATV as the trails are frozen and it is easier to pull with .my "groomer' is made from two 15inch tirestied together with webbing,a 14inch tire is then connected to both 15 inch tires.For dee unbroken trails you pull from the 14inch tire it creates a wedge and acts like a plow,if the snow is not that deep you can pull with a rope connected on the bottom of the webbing,this lifts the 15 inch tiresa bit.If you want to groom and flatten things out i pull from the top of the webbing this pulls down on the tires and flattens out my trail.Beauty of this set-up is that used tires are free and it does not do any damage if you do bounce into a tree.My advice is to spend a bit of time on your trails and pulling wood out will be a lot easier.Hope this is helpful.

 

[Zodiac45]

The Ski-Doo Alpine would be ideal for wood gathering duties. They have 2 tracks and 1 ski, they used to use them for grooming trails so they must pull pretty hard. Not sure when they quit making them but I think this one is an 85.

Well they stopped due too expense. They are a great old workhorse though if your lucky enough too find one. They are still made but very pricey. An Italian company called Alpina makes them. They are deep snow, trail groomers, haulers etc....
http://www.trailgroom.com/