New Road

With the rain showers we have had during this last week and the temperature moderating a bit, the fire danger dropped from a level 3 IFPL(Industrial Fire Precaution Level) to a level 2, and we are able to return to getting some work done in the woods.

At this stage we still work with our fire tools handy, our water pumper close by and mandatory equipment shutdown by 1pm with firewatch after that.

On this day, Mike built a road from the area where I was limbing up trees along the skid road to where he wants to fall 4 overgrown trees.

This is one of the areas where tops were broken out of trees and some trees uprooted from the hard winter weather last year.

The Gator is sitting at the top of the hill about 100 yards away. Mike was able to clear a path just slightly wider than the caterpillar and then “back blade” (dragging the blade of the dozer while backing down the opening he had just made) making the road smooth enough for me to drive the Gator to the next area of damaged trees.

Once the road was made, the dogs made good use of the new super highway by running its length several times.

Wildlife also like to see these new stretches of road and tread the new dirt to smell what has been churned up.

Within a few hours of us leaving the woods, deer, elk and coyote will walk the new trail. Sometimes we see tracks of birds and once in a while bear tracks show up.