What Percent Grade is This Hill

[thewoodlands]

This is a trail that I'm thinking about opening up, what do you think the grade is percentage wise?

I'm not worried about coming down but I'm wondering about heading up it with a load of wood or the splitter behind the Rhino or Kubota.

 

[Bad LP]

No idea. Need numbers.
Measure out a few random 10 foot sections along the slope with a 10’ board, level and tape measure.

 

[Sawset]

Look straight ahead
pace off to that location (x)
Height to your eyes = 5ft or so (y)
Divide y/x=slope percent
Fyi, 10% is about 6deg. 20 is 12deg etc.

 

[peakbagger]

No matter what the slope, you will need to plan for drainage

These work pretty well rubber_razors.pdf

 

[kennyp2339]

I find pics of hills do no justice since depth perception isnt realized, time to get the measuring tape out and like Sawset said, measure here out, or go hillbilly and just do a full send with the rhino a few times and get a feeling how the empty machine handles the slope.

 

[Simonkenton]

Remember, pi R squared

 

[Bad LP]

Look straight ahead
pace off to that location (x)
Height to your eyes = 5ft or so (y)
Divide y/x=slope percent
Fyi, 10% is about 6deg. 20 is 12deg etc.

View attachment 278408

It's amazing how far off from level one may look. I worked with an old timer who ran a dozer with just a pocket eye level and that man could hold a grade unbelievably well with it. We were finish grading 3/4" stone in a huge cellar hole for the footings and he had it well within .1 foot.
He tried to get me to use to it but no luck.

 

[Sawset]

No matter what the slope, you will need to plan for drainage

These work pretty well rubber_razors.pdf

Near here is the kettle moraine forest, with 100s of miles of trails (glacial till, highly erodible). Originally they were horse and or buggy/wagon trails that went anywhere that was logical - straight up hills and following ridges etc. Later they were used for outdoor types, like snowmobiles, hikers etc. It was the mtb bikes that changed the mindset around - since they could really rip up the ground, but couldn't really tolerate 10ft deep gulleys (hardly). They tried all kinds of erosion control measures - plastic mat, rubber razor deflectors, treated steps, hardpack limestone, all to no avail. In the end, all of that has been removed, and trails rerouted to trend along the slope not against, and surfaces now with reverse camber to keep water from gaining volume and speed. Just saying - I see forest roads cut in for housing or other access straight up hills, and think - when they've had enough maybe they'll fill in the canyon created and do different. One neighbor started that way, and ended up dumping motor oil and fist sized stone the whole way and is still fighting it all 40yrs later.

 

[stoveliker]

Rather than looking horizontally (fraught with error), use a laser distance meter and a level. Zip the distance meter to the level, keep it level at 5 ft high, measure the horizontal distance to the ground and calculate the percentage using that distance and the 5 ft height.

Good excuse to buy another plaything, erm, tool. $30 or so for the laser gadget. I bought one for a chimney measurement, and have used it many many times since. (Including for building my wood shed now...)

 

[thewoodlands]

Once I'm done cutting, a portion of this trail trail needs filling in. I hit a good size dip on the right side when you're heading down and it through me forward pretty good, I was in low so that was good.

I'll fill the dip/hole with rotten Basswood, woodchips and dirt and that will help some.

 

[thewoodlands]

Hopefully before or by the end of next week, I'll have the answer.