Axmen question for loggers...wouldn't it be easier and more eficient to drag logs DOWN the mountain?

Question

After watching the series on the History Channel, it struck me that the method seems inefficient to use all that power to drag trees up a hill rather than down...using gravity. Is there a reason for this or just historically, that's the way it's been done?

Also, would it be more efficient to hook up the downed logs to cables first and then attach them to the carriage without waiting for it's return to run the cables over to the logs? You could alternate sending empty cables from the yarder or skyline to the log areas and immediately hook up the already cabled logs for retrieval.

Just a few efficiency questions I had...thanks for the input.

Answer 1

exactly

Answer 2

It would depend on where your yard is.

If you were dumpimg the directly into the ocean (or river) then you would just rape the mountain from the water to the peak.

If you are loading to a truck yard you need to yard to the road, and most roads run ridges. A quick look at a map of a mountain area will make the reason for that very obvious. Better to run around the ridges than to try climbing up and down and fording rivers.

Answer 3

I think if the logs are dragged they would become flat on one side of it destroying some of the value of the wood.  looking at a tree and where the limbs grow,than if they are  cut off and left behind you may have stubs limbs that would get stuck when the cut tree  is dragged.

Answer 4

Have you ever considered that  maybe downhill isn't where they need to go?  They are going to drag the log to whereever the trucks are and you sure aren't going to find a road in a ravine at the bottom of a hill.

Answer 5

well first of all why would you drag a tree down the hil ruining its value?