Building a terraced road/trail across a slope

[bhh]

I currently drive my tractor across my backyard to access a trail that leads to my "back 40". I'm getting ready to start putting in some deer food plots back there and the additional traffic is going to put too much stress on the grass>wife>me and I need to create an alternate trail. At the edge of my yard, there is a lightly wooded area that slopes down to a creek and I want to bypass the lawn by snaking a trail through these woods. The trees are spaced far enough apart that I can get a trail in there but the slope is just at that butt puckering grade since the trail will run parallel to the creek. One option would be renting a bladed excavator for a day but I'd like to do it with my box blade if I can but I'm not sure what's the best way to do it. The only thing I can really think of is to tilt the BB so the uphill side is lower so that it will cut into the hill and the cut dirt will hopefully spill out of the BB on the downhill side and level things out in a couple of passes but everything is compounded by the grade of the slope being sweat inducing and the couple of times I've taken the machine in there, it has been a pretty nerve-racking experience. Any ideas?

 

[RDrancher]

A tractor isn't really the tool for the project, but I've been guilty of worse with mine so take my advice with a bit of caution. Tilt your box blade into the slope and back in, cutting and moving the material to the downslope side as you go. Take a little at a time so you don't stress you 3pt arms and sway links too much. Once you get a tractor length or so level, you can turn around and do the same with the bucket. The other method would be to start above the area facing down-slope and use the bucket to make the cut. One thing to remember is that you need the width of the trail to be 1.5 times your tractor width so you can safely roll it in and compact.

 

[bcp]

I built one using mainly the loader. Start by making a flat place to work from. I used a rototiller and shovel to make a tractor sized level spot. Then dig half a bucket from the hillside and dump it on the lower half of the road. Repeat until finished.

A toothbar was a major help. A boxblade helped to finish it, but not build it.

You can see part of it in the attached photo.

Bruce

 

[AaronS]

How long will the trail be? I would opt toward a dozer with 6 way blade. In and out in less than a day.

 

[bhh]

Ah ha. Backing in might be the way to go. I've got a perfectly flat starting point so I may just be able to do the whole thing backwards and keep my tires on level ground the entire way. Working in 3'-4' sections at a time, I should even be able to pull rather than push so less stress on the 3pt arms.

BCP, that is exactly what I'm shooting for but your slope looks to be a little steeper than mine. I admittedly suck at digging with my FEL, which has no teeth so that is an intimidating proposition but I probably wouldn't suck by the time I was finished!

Total length is probably about 150' - not too bad. Dozer seems like overkill given the width and length, at least with an excavator, I could take care of some other miscellaneous things at the same time. I'm hoping it could be done in a day even with the tractor.

 

[bcp]

If you back in with the box blade, you pull the load mostly forward. After a couple of pulls, you need to drive out to a turn around place, go back in, scoop it up with the loader, and move it to the side. It was easier doing it all with the loader. You may only get half a wheelbarrow load each time, but it is much faster than the other way.

Bruce

 

[bhh]

If you back in with the box blade, you pull the load mostly forward. After a couple of pulls, you need to drive out to a turn around place, go back in, scoop it up with the loader, and move it to the side. It was easier doing it all with the loader. You may only get half a wheelbarrow load each time, but it is much faster than the other way.

Bruce

All good points. How long of a trail did you end up doing and how long did it take you? My machine is a little bigger but my trail will have to be too so that part is probably a wash.

 

[tractorshopper]

I second the others. I did about a 50' section on some pucker factor area too to create a place to park my trailer and put my camper top on a stand when I take it off the truck. I had a box blade on, but really just used it for ballast. The FEL with tooth bar is a very useful device. I drove in forward from a mostly flat spot and dug into my left and turned enough to dump to the right and slowly made may way back to where I put the "landing". I did this in less than a day. I think once I had the majority done, I did use the BB to shave/smooth it up. This method worked well. I went about 12' or more wide on the trail and the landing area is about 30' by 25'. I took out saplings and thicket along the way. No mature trees were too much in the way that I couldn't work around them.

If no tooth bar, I think the idea of shaving a little at a time with the BB in reverse is also a good idea, but will likely take longer.

 

[Cord]

If it's steep enough to pucker up, then I wouldn't try dragging box blade across the slope. Too easy to put the tractor on it's side. If you do anything, try pushing with the blade. This will allow the tractor to remain on a level surface. Be sure to cut a ditch on the uphill side so your trail doesn't wash out.

 

[Ed of all trades]

The tool for the job is a turn plow. Ease along the top side with the plow throwing the soil down hill. Do that a couple of times and then go back with a road blade or box blade and you are done. I have seen it done by my dad and it worked well. Very well, and quick.