Excavator for frozen ground

[Bigbear]

Long time since my last post, we built a new home in the woods this year, seems like there is no time for anything.
I have a situation that is going to turn bad if I can't make any headway. My road into the new house was across a farmers field, and I was informed that come spring, he would now be planting that road. So, I have to build a nearly 1/2 mile long road through the creek bottom and across the creek to get to my house. I have started on the entrance, laid down some gravel to a point where the road must be built up. At several times of the year, the water can get about 2 foot deep where the road will be. The only thing I can do is rent an excavator (kobelco 135) and start digging dirt along side where the road is to be built up.
My question is whether this excavator will penetrate the already frozen ground. I would guess it to be frozen about 2 to 4 inches, it's all in the woods, so it may not be that deep. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pat32rf]

It depends a lot on the type of soil with frozen clay being the hardest(I think). 2-4" shouldn't be a problem however for anything with teeth on the bucket, even in clay.

 

[Dirthog]

I 135Kobelco will dig a lot more than 4" of frost the only trouble you will have is keeping the machine in one place to get started if there is snow on the ground leave it if not and you slide around after you get down through the frost take a couple of buckets of dirt and scatter under the tracks Oh and watch out for ice any excavator or dozer will take off like a bob sled on it.

 

[BTDT]

I don't think you will have any problem digging. Some will dig in rock. Don't know about the sliding on ice part, but I have heard of the tracks freezing to the ground. Good luck.

 

[Egon]

Dirthog:

You have to weld some caulks on the grousers if you work on ice.

 

[Paddy]

BigBear,

I'm just South of you in the Bloomington area. I don't think I'd be to worried about the frost depth as much as the scope of raising the base 4+ feet min for a 1/2 mile. It will be spring before you get to far! So I must ask, what changed with your current arrangment with the farmer? The farm land he is loosing conpared to your solution is quite an inbalance. Can he be "paid" for the easement?

 

[sandman2234]

An offer to purchase all of the crops he could plant on that small strip of land, and all he has to do is not plant it...
Sounds like some of the government programs I have heard about, but never been able to acquire.
That should give you some leeway in building the road, as far as time, and some additional time to barter for the sale of that property. If the seller wants too much money for the property, at least buying a season of crops will give you a summer to do the roadway right.
If you can't see a reasonable reason for him not selling it to you, he might be trying to make you realize what that roadway "could" cost you, and figure you might up your ante' on the existing farmland.
In some parts of the country, once a roadway is established, it is hard to close it, no matter who owns it. The city just took ownership of a roadway across from me, where the owner just quit paying the taxes on it, because he couldn't close it.
David from jax

 

[LoneCowboy]

The problem isn't going to be digging, the problem is going to be in compacting.
Frozen dirt just comes up in chunks and it just flat doesn't go back down.

I think you need a better solution
maybe drainage?

 

[Destructo_D]

You would be better off having frost teeth on the bucket... Like a twin vector from MTG or something like a 100CHX or 110CHX from Hensley... they are designed for frozen ground.

 

[Egon]

The rock and a hard place. Sounds like you have no choice in the mater of road building.

Expect soft spots in the spring and you may have to walk at times. After the road dries out a good grading and vibratory packer may be a choice to consider.

Two to four inches of frost should not present a problem for digging. Break thru and then lift up is all it takes.

Wish you well in your endeavor.