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Thread: Backcountry trimming

  1. #1
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    Backcountry trimming

    I have a zone that is pretty fun skiing and with a little work would be better skiing. It’s a bit like seventies porn at the moment, a bit overgrown.

    I am wanting to do some trimming but am wondering if I should do it now during ski season while I can see what needs it, or better to do it hiking around in the summer. Any suggestions?


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  2. #2
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    How deep is the snowpack?

  3. #3
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    A longtime local/ ex patroller put orange flagging on a bunch of trees he thought were killing his flow last spring, and then cut them over the summer. Gotta say, it's been nice.

  4. #4
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    Trim that bush and I will huck it!
    More cowbell!!!

  5. #5
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    I like the flagging idea. Snowpack not super deep maybe 9[emoji646]-12[emoji646]cm


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  6. #6
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    Spring would probably be better, just from a gardening perspective. That's how you "train" plants. The more important question would probably be what gear do you have for doing this and would you be comfortable skiing with it?
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  7. #7
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    Silky big boy with the folding 16 inch blade fits in a 30L pack is what I carry 7/24 in the bike trails for blow down its pretty fast





    should be good for ski trail pruning I know at the local side country skiing to stuff I wana prune would be much easier than hiking to it
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  8. #8
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    <p>
    Quote Originally Posted by ski whore View Post
    I have a zone that is pretty fun skiing and with a little work would be better skiing. It&rsquo;s a bit like seventies porn at the moment, a bit overgrown. I am wanting to do some trimming but am wondering if I should do it now during ski season while I can see what needs it, or better to do it hiking around in the summer. Any suggestions? Sent from my iPhone using [emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji640][emoji638][emoji638][emoji638]]TGR Forums
    </p>
    <p>
    &nbsp;</p>
    <p>
    As above flag now, cut later. Or you&#39;ll have a bunch of 6 foot high spears to deal with next winter.</p>
    what's orange and looks good on hippies?
    fire

    rails are for trains
    If I had a dollar for every time capitalism was blamed for problems caused by the government I'd be a rich fat film maker in a baseball hat.

    www.theguideshut.ca

  9. #9
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    Cool thanks for advice, probably use a mini dewalt electric chainsaw for portability and noise reduction


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  10. #10
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    Came in to say that. The dewalt battery chainsaw is badass. Quiet, fast, and light. Only annoying thing is it leaks bar oil constantly

  11. #11
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    I have seen stems lopped off way up in the air with a feller buncher but i am thinking about minor openning of trails and side country so I guess it depends on what &quot; trimming&quot; means




    I would not carry a battery op chainsaw but I do carry a pruning saw 7/24 so if i see a blow down I do it in real time with the amish saw




    whereas the guy that other guy has to go find his saw buy fuel or charge a battery and get back if/ when he gets back
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by t-the-east;[emoji[emoji6[emoji640
    [emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji638][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]][emoji638][emoji640][emoji638][emoji637]]Came in to say that. The dewalt battery chainsaw is badass. Quiet, fast, and light. Only annoying thing is it leaks bar oil constantly
    Thanks for heads up I’ll bring an old backpack


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  13. #13
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    If a stem is too big for the amish saw I carry my sthil in a dakine builders pack if you can still find one even a used one it makes carrying a chainsaw much less shitty
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  14. #14
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    Don't trim now. You'll end up with staubs lurking under the snow that'll catch your ski. Best time to cut is in the fall when there's no snow on the ground but foliage has dropped / died.

    I use a sawzall with a pruning blade for alder and other small diameter stuff. Electric chainsaw for bigger trees. Folding handsaw for very small stuff (1" or less) if needed, but usually that stuff is mostly laid down under the snow.

    And yeah, don't use any pack that you care about. It's gonna get covered in bar oil mixed with wood pulp and pine needles.

  15. #15
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    Limbing = high snowpack + a visit in the summer. Taking down stems = summer work. I code my flagging - if it's all the way around a stem, that means in the winter it was in the way and needs to come out entirely. If it's hanging from a branch that's just a marker of the zone/line/whatever

  16. #16
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    I guess maybe OP should clarify what they mean by trimming.
    Are you cutting down anything growing vertically, or just going after the horizontal stuff?
    No longer stuck.

    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    Just an uneducated guess.

  17. #17
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    What’s the land management situation? Private? BLM? NFS/NPS?

  18. #18
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    Don't they shoot you in America ?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  19. #19
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    Only local police for no reason or if you are in grammar school.

  20. #20
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    "Isn't America wonderful ! " in Borat voice over
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn View Post
    I guess maybe OP should clarify what they mean by trimming.
    Are you cutting down anything growing vertically, or just going after the horizontal stuff?
    Vertical saplings


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  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by skimeow;[emoji[emoji6[emoji640
    [emoji638]][emoji640][emoji639]][emoji638][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]][emoji638][emoji640][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]]]]What’s the land management situation? Private? BLM? NFS/NPS?
    Don’t know don’t care (haha only sort of kidding)


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  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by ski whore View Post
    Don’t know don’t care (haha only sort of kidding)
    Heh. Just make sure not to cut any Whitebark Pine, or disturb any nesting migratory birds

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by ski whore View Post
    Vertical saplings


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    If you can get away with being un-subtle, a gas saw with a long-ish bar is the ticket. Just so you don't have to bend over for every damn cut. An e-saw makes plenty of power, but the bars are short.

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  25. #25
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    As has already been said: Cut in the fall after the leaves are down The Silky Big Boy is the way to go, especially if you have to be quiet about it. Even if you do not have to be quiet, it is way easier to carry than a chain saw, way safer and way more effective than you would think. Flag it now if you really want to or just make a mental note of the area and come back next (late) October

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