Cutting trails on a slope

[12Bravo]

I have been trying to think of the best way (without renting an excavator with a blade) to cut a trail around to the backside of my property and up a slope.

I have a reasonable level spot to start but not sure of the best way to make a leading edge into the slope on the up hill side and then move the dirt to the down hillside and continue.

This is what I was thinking, tell me what you all think. Good, bad or indifferent.....

Back up to where I want slope to start, use backhoe to break soil up and even move what I can to the down hillside of slope. Move tractor and use a hand compactor or vibrating compactor to get down hill side firm. Then repeat the process over and over again till I need to turn, Like a switch back.......Not a clue how to do this!

Thanks!

 

[CTWright]

You might be able to do this by angling the scraper blade you have lower on the high side of the hill and make mulitlple small cut passes. I did this with a box blade. I was learning how the whole time I did it so Im no expert, but it worked.

 

[12Bravo]

That's a good idea. I was thinking about that last night but was concerned with effective it would be. Do you have any pictures of your trail?

 

[MF283]

I'm guessing it's to steep to use a turning plow towards the down hill side?

Ronnie

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

The best way to cut a side hill trail is to start from the top and work your way down. Can you get up there or do you have no choice to start from the bottom?

Working from the top, once you get your original 'flat' spot just keep digging in with the FEL and flip the dirt in front of you, the slope will help move it to the downhill side. Depending on how steep your slope is, you need to take into consideration how much 'bench' you need. It's the relationship of how much cut/fill/backslope you need relative to the original slope to create stability on the new trail.

 

[AxleHub]

Here's a dumb question? Wouldn't you first need to create a dirt or ground "catch" so that anything you move of the dirt has a place to fall and stay? Other than that every movement of dirt falls/ rolls to the bottom instead of to a stop point that you could compact.

This assumes of course that your sidehill trail is not being built at the very bottom of the hill where there is no place for the dirt to fall/roll to

 

[12Bravo]

The best way to cut a side hill trail is to start from the top and work your way down. Can you get up there or do you have no choice to start from the bottom?

Working from the top, once you get your original 'flat' spot just keep digging in with the FEL and flip the dirt in front of you, the slope will help move it to the downhill side. Depending on how steep your slope is, you need to take into consideration how much 'bench' you need. It's the relationship of how much cut/fill/backslope you need relative to the original slope to create stability on the new trail.

I "Might" be able to get to the top. But it is looking unlikely, I have an old logging road that goes all the way to the backside of the property. But it doesn't got to the top of the hill where I want to start a cabin build and garden site. Plenty of sun up there!

I do have a STEEP up slope that I have cleared for ATV fun, but I wouldn't feel safe running the tractor up that, at least not now. It's not wide enough and I don't want to widen it to that fit the tractor unless I have too.

I will take some pictures and post to this thread as see what you all think.

This tractor is a curse and a blessing, now I have not excuse "Not" to get stuff done..lol

 

[12Bravo]

Here's a dumb question? Wouldn't you first need to create a dirt or ground "catch" so that anything you move of the dirt has a place to fall and stay? Other than that every movement of dirt falls/ rolls to the bottom instead of to a stop point that you could compact.

This assumes of course that your sidehill trail is not being built at the very bottom of the hill where there is no place for the dirt to fall/roll to

No, this is what the bench is for. I plan to cut into hillside the full width that is needed for tractor to fit plus 18" on each side and 24" on each side cleared trees.

Now, for an ATV trail, I would cut a half bench and just compact dirt till it stopped sliding down and became firm. 600#'s compared to 5,000#'s, full bench is the only way I would feel safe running tractor on that trail.

 

[Trials]

I really can't be tremendously difficult seeing as you have a backhoe. You will make better headway by digging into the side of the embankment to set your grade rather than piling loose fill on the drop-off side. If you are working with soil and not rock and gravel it's pretty difficult to build a road bed that won't just wash out. Any place you build a switchback will likely need some drainage pipe or big-O to prevent rain erosion.

Work safe and slow, keep your tractor as level as possible at all times and like the CDN Farm Boy said, if you are using the FEL, start from the top of the hill so that gravity is working for you. With the backhoe it is far less of a problem starting from the bottom.

It actually sounds kinda like fun to me, but I'm strange that way :construction:

 

[airbiscuit]

I'm not an expert on this, but full bench with the spoils on the side as a bonus sounds good to me. Just gently lay the spoils off to the side, and compact them by tamping them down with the backhoe bucket. Check out this site or US Forest Service about erosion control methods. Make it wide enough to start, and wider later

 

[big bubba]

"If you are working with soil and not rock and gravel it's pretty difficult to build a road bed that won't just wash out. Any place you build a switchback will likely need some drainage pipe or big-O to prevent rain erosion." trials


do you have an elevation map of the area? contours? how long is the run? to me it's all about water drainage on the slope as much as equip to do the job. if you want it to look as good as the 1st pass on the trail in 5 years time, look at drainage and plan accordingly. culverts part of the plan? just as your tractor, it's all about hydraulics....having said that, lets hope for moisture in the upcoming season.....bb

 

[airbiscuit]

"If you are working with soil and not rock and gravel it's pretty difficult to build a road bed that won't just wash out. Any place you build a switchback will likely need some drainage pipe or big-O to prevent rain erosion." trials


do you have an elevation map of the area? contours? how long is the run? to me it's all about water drainage on the slope as much as equip to do the job. if you want it to look as good as the 1st pass on the trail in 5 years time, look at drainage and plan accordingly. culverts part of the plan?

Times 2 on drainage and erosion control.

 

[pwright]

There was a thread a few months back about side hill trail cutting that addressed a lot of these issues. Probably worth reading.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/346232-cutting-side-hill-trails.html

I posted this diagram of proper bench sizes for a given slope.

I recommend that you spend some time walking your desired route and getting some actual slope measurements.

 

[12Bravo]

Times 2 on drainage and erosion control.

Great! Now I will have to buy an excavator once this tractor is paid for...:shocked:

 

[12Bravo]

There was a thread a few months back about side hill trail cutting that addressed a lot of these issues. Probably worth reading.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/346232-cutting-side-hill-trails.html

I posted this diagram of proper bench sizes for a given slope.

I recommend that you spend some time walking your desired route and getting some actual slope measurements.

I look through the other thread, read some, will read it all tomorrow.

I downloaded the picture and will compare to my property. What I will say, I have somewhere between 20-50% grade and some that are less. It is steeper than I think it is, I am not comfortable on an ATV sideways in some areas more less a tractor. Where I am putting the trail I should be around 20% most the way or less with one area higher than that.

I will measure the slope with a 60" board and level just to see what it actually measures out to be. I will post my finding with pictures in the coming week.

 

[big bubba]

me thinks you have the tools & know how to do the job. wise posting here for info.
doing your homework always pays off... (sorry, am a retired shop teacher)

 

[MF283]

After watching the video, i want a excavator & i don't even have a hill or mountain on my place

Ronnie

 

[newbury]

OP -
If you want detailed help post a location and we can look it up on USGS, Google Earth, etc. and determine the slope. Without detail we are just throwing out suggestions based on our own experiences and it's the classic 6 blind men and the elephant story.

Also, there are generally 3 things to deal with - time, money, manpower/equipment. Enough of one can overpower the other two.

Reading so far you have not mentioned time nor money, but your manpower/equipment seems limited.

How soon does this NEED to be done? What's the approximate length? 100 yards? 1,000 yards, 1 mile?

Are there trees to be cleared? Are there trees for cribbing and erosion control? What's the soil? Are there streams or drains to cross?

There's a wealth of info on the web about trail building, but having done only a little myself I know there is a lot to deal with.

I'm in a similar situation, wanting to cut a trail to the backside of my property, which straight line is about a half mile (on Google Earth). I know it's going to take me many hours, but I've the time.

So give us some more info and we will enjoy advising you how to spend your time and money. But if you want it done soon try and find someone to cut you a logging road that you can maintain.

 

[airbiscuit]

Another look at trailblazing. Apparently it helps to have someone to work and someone to watch.

 

[SPYDERLK]

If your tractor will handle an additional 400# up front get a tilt tatch;
Tilt-Tatch Attachment - Bobcat Company