Pulling logs/concrete uphill

[BushWhack]

Hi all - not sure this is in the right place, but here goes.

I'm building a cabin at the top of a hill on our property and need to find a way to get all the logs (mix of dimensional lumber and cut/dried poles) and some concrete blocks up there, short of building a road.

I have a very rough ATV trail but it would require a LOT of work to be able to pull anything on a trailer along it.

I have an ATV with a Warn winch (2500#) and was wondering if anyone has come up with some kind of makeshift rail setup that would enable them to pull stuff up-hill. (ie. put logs/lumber on a skid, pull up and along the rails). I'm thinking maybe some debarked smaller spruce saplings, wet them down, 2 parallel rails. and pull the skid up.

The hill is quite steep, ~45 degrees and I need to go about ~150 feet but if I can somehow winch this stuff up there, I think it would save me a lot of $$ not having to build a .5km trail w/gravel etc.

any thoughts?

thx,
Steve

 

[lone wolf]

Well you need a block in a tree to lift the stuff coming up the hill so it dont dig in .Then you need a winch I dont think an atv winch is fast and strong enough to do much work it will overheat.

You can build a really strong winch by putting a vehicle up on blocks and taking the wheel off the drive side and wrap a rope around a wheel with no tire on it but dont let it pull itself off the blocks anchor it.

 

[supersammy]

Not sure if this will help, but I used a scrap car hood to move huge boulders from a creek bed up a hill to the house. The hood slides over rough terrain very well and can be pulled with an ATV/winch. Basically use the hood as a sled!

 

[NCPABill]

I did just what you have in mind. I bought an old - very used snowmobile trailer and took small loads in low range. Not fast, but I didn't break anything and it got the job done.

 

[woodfarmer]

look for someone in your area with a draft horse or mule

 

[Frank Boyer]

I lived in an uphill house for 10 years and hand carried way to much stuff up the hill. Finally put in a trail a couple of years before moving out. The trail should have been done way before that. Look at coming in from the top or doing the trail. You'll spend way more dollars/time moving materials, beer kegs, and other things than the tractor work will cost.

 

[taylor6400]

I cant imagine any reason you wouldnt want some what of a drive/road to your cabin...even if it isnt enough of a road for a 4x4 truck...you can then at least get an ATV/UTV or tractor up to it.

Short of that...I'd look into the draft horse option if you really dont want to build an access drive. ATV winch wont cut it...i can guarantee you that...your better off with come-a-longs than an ATV winch.

Build the access road...while you have the dozer there cut some other trails if you think you MAY EVER need/want trails to other areas. Save yourself the headache of rigging up a pull system...

 

[2dogs]

Not sure if this will help, but I used a scrap car hood to move huge boulders from a creek bed up a hill to the house. The hood slides over rough terrain very well and can be pulled with an ATV/winch. Basically use the hood as a sled!

You are using what is called a stone boat. The curved hoods from pre-1960s cars work best but are hard to find I would guess.

To the OP, a 45 degree (100% slope) hill is really steep. Really really steep! You would be better off to circle the hill with a road with no more than 10% slope, at least part way up. Otherwise your skid trail may become an ugly erosion feature come next winter.

 

[parttime]

don't loggers use some sort of cable system to pull logs up to the top of the mountain? maybe you could down size that system and make it do what you need. good luck

 

[BushWhack]

thx, having thought more about it, think I'm going to work on leveling out the ATV trail somehow. As suggested, over time, I think i'll need it ....

Dont really want to hire in a tractor. Think a few loads of gravel spread with my ATV plow might do the job?? Drive over a bunch of times, pack it down. Probably need to pull some tree roots as well.

I've worked out that the trail is a little less than I thought -- about 150-200 metres through the bush? It winds around the side of the hill instead of going straight up. There are a few sections that are a bit steep though, 20-25% for 20-30 feet. Think these would seriously impact what I could pull. I've got low gears, 4x4, etc.

thx guys,
Steve

 

[Frank Boyer]

I used to pull an excavator up a 25% paved driveway with a 2 axel Pete. I was grossing around 65K lbs. Cut the trail and use pipes driven into the ground and boards/logs for short walls. You do'nt want to carry a house on your back up a hill!
I did hillside tractor work for 25 years and roads or trails are the way to go.