Steep slope skidding
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Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
They're really expensive to buy, expensive to maintain. . . But they do handle grades really well. Unless you got more coin than you know what to do with, I'd walk away.
Get a cable skidder with the small fluid filled tires, & chains along with a D5xl.
If the skidder can't cut the mustard, push some road with the 5 and call it done. . .
If the skidder can't cut the mustard, push some road with the 5 and call it done. . .
hammerlogging
Addicted to ArboristSite
badass for bunching on up to about 35%. Not a skidding machine, not over a few hundred feet.
The kmc would probably be a mud machine more than a slopes machine.
The kmc would probably be a mud machine more than a slopes machine.
forestryworks
Addicted to ArboristSite
How steep?
Metals406
Granfodder Runningsaw
Is this a sale you're going to bid on? Do you already have equipment (skidders)?
35% can be done with skidders, you just have to plan out your harvest. Example: Skid downhill, and have a go-back.
Are there rocks and shelves you would have to deal with?
Do you have any pictures of the ground you can post?
RPM
ArboristSite Operative
CAT 517 is a steep slope beast but anything tracked (esp. a CAT) is expensive and as mentioned not productive over long distance for skidding. If you've got steep ground (40-55% slope) you'd be better off hoe chucking with an excavator or larger tracked loader (Madill 1800) ... all depends on the type of wood you're in. A tracked loader gives you the option to use it for other things if its not forwarding wood, especially if the steep slope areas are small and scattered around the cut block. That machine (517) needs to be working all day and not sitting on the landing waiting for that specific need to arise.
Use the loader to forward the steep sections (adverse or favorable) to a good skid trail. A JD 748G will pull 20-25% (adverse) short trail easy so long as there is traction - 30% is starting to push it. With that combination there is not a lot of ground (<55%) that you can't log. A smart log plan like metals said and off you go.
KMC is northern machine … low ground pressure – wet ground. No one uses them in the south interior.
Use the loader to forward the steep sections (adverse or favorable) to a good skid trail. A JD 748G will pull 20-25% (adverse) short trail easy so long as there is traction - 30% is starting to push it. With that combination there is not a lot of ground (<55%) that you can't log. A smart log plan like metals said and off you go.
KMC is northern machine … low ground pressure – wet ground. No one uses them in the south interior.
redprospector
Addicted to ArboristSite
I guess I really don't know too much about skidding. I was a faller once upon a time, now I'm a thinning contractor, so I had to figure out how to clean up my own messes. 
I think the best equipment you can have for skidding steep slopes (or flat ground) is found between your ears. I've got an old JD 440b skidder and I'm skidding on 50% and better. The first thing I learned about skidding is go down hill if at all possible, but you've got to remember that with a small rubber tired skidder you can't always go down. Sometimes you've got to go up to get down.
I've gone through several skidder drivers on this project, some quit because they said I was crazy, that's cat ground. Well, they were half right. I am about halfassed crazy, but since I don't have a cat It was scratch your head, and figure out how to get it out with a skidder ground. I think that most of them just didn't want to pull cable.
Best advice I can give on steep ground is to think it out. Take the time to lay out skid trails, and mark them clearly. Put a boot in your cutter's butt if he dosen't put em where they need to go. Take your time on the steep stuff, and make up for it on better ground.
I'd love to have a cat, but there is absolutely no real market here, and in these thinnings we aren't cutting anything big enough to make any real logs, so I just have to figure out how to get it done with what I've got.
Andy
I think the best equipment you can have for skidding steep slopes (or flat ground) is found between your ears. I've got an old JD 440b skidder and I'm skidding on 50% and better. The first thing I learned about skidding is go down hill if at all possible, but you've got to remember that with a small rubber tired skidder you can't always go down. Sometimes you've got to go up to get down.
I've gone through several skidder drivers on this project, some quit because they said I was crazy, that's cat ground. Well, they were half right. I am about halfassed crazy, but since I don't have a cat It was scratch your head, and figure out how to get it out with a skidder ground. I think that most of them just didn't want to pull cable.
Best advice I can give on steep ground is to think it out. Take the time to lay out skid trails, and mark them clearly. Put a boot in your cutter's butt if he dosen't put em where they need to go. Take your time on the steep stuff, and make up for it on better ground.
I'd love to have a cat, but there is absolutely no real market here, and in these thinnings we aren't cutting anything big enough to make any real logs, so I just have to figure out how to get it done with what I've got.
Andy
I guess I really don't know too much about skidding. I was a faller once upon a time, now I'm a thinning contractor, so I had to figure out how to clean up my own messes.
I think the best equipment you can have for skidding steep slopes (or flat ground) is found between your ears. I've got an old JD 440b skidder and I'm skidding on 50% and better. The first thing I learned about skidding is go down hill if at all possible, but you've got to remember that with a small rubber tired skidder you can't always go down. Sometimes you've got to go up to get down.
I've gone through several skidder drivers on this project, some quit because they said I was crazy, that's cat ground. Well, they were half right. I am about halfassed crazy, but since I don't have a cat It was scratch your head, and figure out how to get it out with a skidder ground. I think that most of them just didn't want to pull cable.
Best advice I can give on steep ground is to think it out. Take the time to lay out skid trails, and mark them clearly. Put a boot in your cutter's butt if he dosen't put em where they need to go. Take your time on the steep stuff, and make up for it on better ground.
I'd love to have a cat, but there is absolutely no real market here, and in these thinnings we aren't cutting anything big enough to make any real logs, so I just have to figure out how to get it done with what I've got.
Andy
Well said.
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