Switchback trail down a hill, suggestions wanted

[BruceWard]

I want to build a walking and if possible gator trail down a 30 degree slope. I have decided against building the trail straight down the hill. I can not pave it and do not believe it would hold up to use without paving. I am considering the possibility of using a mini excavator to cut into the hill building switchbacks. If I can not build a trail then I will eventually build a gondola or tram system. The hill is covered in large trees and rock. The big issue in using an excavator would be dealing with the stumps and rocks.

The hill drops 82 vertical feet in 138 horizontal feet. The face of the slope is 161 feet long and I have a 200 feet wide area to work in.

I am considering build a switchback that would start in the middle of my property cutting over to the west edge then cut all the way across to the east edge and finally cutting back to the middle at the bottom. This would increase the distance of the trail to around 412 feet. By my math that decreases the slope from 31 degrees to 11.

Here are some pictures and a topo map of the hill. I appreciate any and all suggestions.

Looking up from the bottom.

Side view, cleaning up when the water was down 9 feet

From the top looking out

Topo map indicating the path

 

[gwjd]

be sure your turns are big enough for your utvs and some where to turn around is always good .... nothing worse than finding some mud and having to back down a narrow trail.

 

[adjusterr]

Your idea on the switchback sounds good. Are the rocks loose or are there rock ledges? If the rocks are loose, I would find someone with a small dozer, map out a path that would minimize the number of trees you would have to remove and let him cut the trail for you. If you have solid in ground rock ledges you are looking at a lot of work and money to cut a switchback trail. A knowledgeable operator will cut the trail so it inclines into the hillside to facilitate water runoff. After the trail is in, the first hard rain will show you the runoff pattern and you can cut shallow depressions in the trail to minimize erosion. If you are going to push the stumps out, make sure when you cut the tree you leave several feet of stump above ground so the dozer will have something to push on. You mentioned a "Gator" trail, if you are referring to a UTV or ATV, I wouldn't be a bit concerned about operating one straight up or down a 30 degree slope but it would depend on vehicle loading and operator skill. Let us see your progress. Good luck.

 

[BruceWard]

I found truck size pieces of novaculite buried a foot deep on top of the hill. With the rate of slope cutting 5' wide transverses into the hill will will require 3' of excavation on the high side.

I have not seen a dozer cut transverses. Can a dozer work across a 30 degree slope with the blade rotated to cut a level transverse?

I know a UTV could drive up the slope but I believe repeated use will rut the path.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

It looks like you got a lot of nice rock there Bruce. Have you thought about just going straight up with a dry fit stone road. You could put shallow steps in it for walking, yet the atv's would go right up/down it. Add a little gravel to bed the stones and maybe a bit of cement in a couple of places and it would be there forever. If you were worried about erosion alongside it you could put drainfield pipe on both sides. You would be **** good with that mini ex. if you used that to place all those rocks.

Rick

Or if you really wanted a project you could ziz/zag the stone road down the hill.

 

[Ken45101]

I will disagree about cutting the trail to slope into the hillside. That collects water and causes a wet trail and erosion. A slight slope to the downhill side lets the water run off before it gets enough volume to do damage.

I'll agree with the comments about the turns, especially with a gator.

Make it plenty wide. There will be sloughing on the high side that will eventually take a foot or two of the trail. I would suggest your needed width +3'.

I don't know about the rocks you have. I've cut similar trails with my KX-121 mini ex but haven't found rocks bigger than 5'x8'x8". You may need a jack hammer?

We had a contractor with a big excavator widen our driveway where there was a lot of layered limestone bedrock. It was a slow process, took 4-1/2 days to widen 3' x 1000'. Again, I don't think they hit any really big rocks. A dozer would have probably been better except that it couldn't work on the concrete driveway.

I've also had a contractor with a 'dozer do trails across steep hillsides. They can handle some steep side slopes.

As for tree stumps, here I've found that where the big trees are, they are generally well spaced and the trail can go between them. With the mini ex, I dig the trees out before cutting them, allowing the weight of the tree to help tear the stump out. Of course, then the trees get hung up in other trees, but still I've been able to maneuver them fairly well.

Ken

 

[ITHINKICAN]

I have a better idea

 

[BruceWard]

I have a better idea

I agree. Would not even need to build a tower.

 

[charlz]

The problem with trying to scramble straight up and down is erosion, building a trail on the 'fall line' will just turn into a rutted, rocky mess in short order. As suggested you could 'pave' it with rocks but I don't think I would want to try going up or down it when wet.

Building sustainable trails (minimal erosion, easy of walking etc) you want 5-10% grade, 15% if you want more technical and have a good rock base and 20% if you have solid rock and want really technical.

11 degrees is about a 20% slope.

Given the height and width in order to build a 10% grade trail you would need to cut 4 benches and that is using the entire width of the face for each one, starting at one edge going to the other etc.

If you start in the middle and end in the middle as proposed you will need 3 full-width benches and 2 half width (middle to edge at bottom and edge to middle at top).

10% would be a fairly walkable trail, steeper not so much. If you are only going to run UTV/ATV etc. on it and to minimize benching you could probably go with 15% as that would be 2 full benches and 2 half benches


I think the switchbacks are going to be a little tricky on such a steep grade for the given trail width. You might have to do some stonework (walls) to make safe and reasonable switchbacks.

Before you begin to dig plan the whole thing out, use flagging tape to mark where the trail will go and plan your switchbacks to make best use of the terrain.

 

[gwjd]

your turn areas may need rock walls and fill to make a bench overall this looks like a fun project is there a house at the top of the hill ? and how did the tractor get there in the photo?