Snow and woodcutting

[Firewood Bandit]

The cold and snow this Winter has been relentless. Normally we get some snow, but there will periods of melting/thawing where the snow pack goes down substantially. Well not this year.
Today I am down to the last of 4 places I have access to. The others are just to steep to navigate with the truck. This log landing is slightly uphill but level and has a lot of culls and cut offs left. I got a load out but man you don't want to hesitate when driving as the snow is a good 10-12" deep.
How is everybody else doing regarding snow and wood cutting?

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Today I was hauling rounds out.

Here is a picture from last year and my 96 Suburban turned wood hauler.

 

[Hogwildz]

Not bothering cutting in the snow. I am ahead a few years, but do like to process when it is colder out.
No rush though, waiting for the snow to melt.

 

[NH_Wood]

I try to stop when it gets deep - even if I've already dropped the trees. Never sure what you are cutting into near the bottom of the log (rocks, etc.) and I've had a few bad hits into rocks and ruined a chain in the past - I wait for a melt and then buck. Cheers!

 

[infinitymike]

No snow here. So I'm still splitting away,

I almost had a logger truck with the boom in the back come to my house to drop his load and then reality kicked in and I said thanks but maybe next time. I still have about 2 cord to split laying in the way.

 

[JP11]

I enjoy snowmobile logging. have a small sled. only about 15 cubic feet at a time. I cut right to length in the woods. Not as fast as logging with the tractor, but a good winter hobby.

 

[red oak]

Not bothering cutting in the snow. I am ahead a few years, but do like to process when it is colder out.
No rush though, waiting for the snow to melt.

My thoughts exactly. I'm going to try to cut a pretty big tree this weekend (already down) but only if we don't get much snow. If not it will wait. It's not going anywhere.

 

[paul bunion]

No snow here. So I'm still splitting away,

I almost had a logger truck with the boom in the back come to my house to drop his load and then reality kicked in and I said thanks but maybe next time. I still have about 2 cord to split laying in the way.

The devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other must have had a big discussion about that one.

 

[lindnova]

I heard Wisconsin has a lot of snow this year. Kind of like December 2010 shut things down.

We haven't had much snow in SE MN until the high winds drifted in this week. Kind of hard to get through the tall hard drifts. I got the 4 wheeler stuck towing the splitter and had to dig it out with the tractor today. I have been splitting if it is in the single digits or above. Cutting if it is over 15 degrees. The cold has been tough this year, but at least that means more saving on gas.

I am still splitting and might tip a few trees, but no transporting anymore now. I am 3 years ahead, so no big problem. I work a lot in the summer, so I try to get as much as I can done in the winter when I have more time. I have been toughing out the cold.

 

[infinitymike]

The devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other must have had a big discussion about that one.

It wasn't easy that's for sure.

But I have done that twice before.

 

[Seanm]

Snow is to deep locally most of the winter here unless you are willing to drive a fair ways or keep to the main back roads that might be plowed. We sure get spoiled during the no snow period but once the snow hits we are done until April and then only in the lower elevations. Don't mind though, I have enough wood ;-)

 

[Woody Stover]

Luckily, it usually melts off pretty quick here when it does snow. If not for that, I would be even further behind.
I need to get some wood stacked, though. The wind is blowing like crazy here....seems like the wood will dry some even though it's cold out, the easy initial moisture anyway....

 

[ClintonH]

Dad, 2 brothers and I worked up a couple big ash 2 weeks ago: 3 cord. If we drop it, we get it cut, split, and on trucks before the next snow: nothing worse than losing pieces. That being said, if we're cutting something that's come down during the summer/fall, we always bring a broom along: snow is more abrasive than you realize and really dulls a chain quickly. Sweep, sweep, little brother, then we're in business! With MLK Day Monday, we might be out again: more ash trees and a couple of hard maple nearby.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

I normally haul with a 6 x 10' trailer but it is impossible with the snow to pull. My ATV still can go through the snow but when I put a small trailer behind it, forgetaboutit.

 

[tfdchief]

I only cut in the winter.. Snow doesn't bother me as long as it isn't to deep. Cutting in the winter is my winter therapy. My son, grandson, and I spend the day, coffee, good friends, good times and wood for the fire.

 

[msherer]

I like to cut between October and April. I have several places to cut, farthest being about 30 miles away. When there's snow I go to my spot that's less than a 1/2 mile from home. I can carry what I need at that short distance.

Matt

 

[velvetfoot]

I had a tri-axle load of logs dropped off at the end of the driveway. Split and stacked on the side of the driveway about 1.5 cords so far, as time and weather permits. Sad part is that I'll have to move it again in the Spring.

 

[CenterTree]

Why let a little snowfall stop the "processing"??




This is me, last week.

 

[Hills Hoard]

Doing the opposite down here. Just waiting for the weather to cool off a bit then I will resume wood processing!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We are not against using the snow plow to plow a path into a tree we want to cut. It really isn't so much the snow that stops us as it is the cold. Once it gets down lower than around 15, we stop cutting and do some of those indoor chores that we've put off too long.

 

[lindnova]

0 degrees this afternoon with no wind. Made quick time and plowed thru the drifts with the tractor Sunday. Made use of the time I had. I had to put my facemask on for a while as my cheeks got a little cold. Other than that plenty of hustling and no sweating. Almost got this pile of bur oak done. Not sure what we are going to do with the box elder yet. I think my brother is going to try and sell some campfire wood. As far as cutting trees, not sure if I am going to do much more this winter as the drifts are getting tough in spots. It would help if we get more days above zero also. I have a good surplus of wood anyway. I have five times this already stacked in other locations.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

0 degrees this afternoon with no wind. Made quick time and plowed thru the drifts with the tractor Sunday. Made use of the time I had. I had to put my facemask on for a while as my cheeks got a little cold. Other than that plenty of hustling and no sweating. Almost got this pile of bur oak done. Not sure what we are going to do with the box elder yet. I think my brother is going to try and sell some campfire wood. As far as cutting trees, not sure if I am going to do much more this winter as the drifts are getting tough in spots. It would help if we get more days above zero also. I have a good surplus of wood anyway. I have five times this already stacked in other locations.

Boy we have got a LOT more snow in Western WI than you have.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Well I had two saws to try out so I thought I'd tempt fate and drive out to the log landing a half mile from my house. Promptly got the truck stuck and was still 200 yards short of where I needed to go. I had a scoop shovel and got out within 5 minutes although I had to back 250 yards to get back to pavement.
There is a lot of wood if I can get to it. On the hillsides are obviously and enormous amount of tops.

 

[Paulywalnut]

I have a cord of Ash in rounds stacked and ready to process. I think I know where they are, but they're covered
Up completely and probably frozen in one big wall. I "ll wait.

 

[Sinngetreu]

I have a cord of Ash in rounds stacked and ready to process. I think I know where they are, but they're covered
Up completely and probably frozen in one big wall. I "ll wait.

Yep, same here. My Ash rounds are frozen to the ground. Its kinda hard to split them when they wont move.
I am tempted to down a few small trees around the farm though.