Chainsaw and bag for clearing trails?

[High Rock Ruti]

High Rock Ruti

I have a chainsaw backpack

We have 50 miles of private single track to maintain here....TONS of trees in Colorado as well, and they fall each year. On top of that, many die and fall randomly so they have to be cut proactively or they fall when it is really windy. We used those big Silky saws and all the usual stuff...the Stihl battery saws work much much better but heavy. So we put 10 huge lockable steel toolboxes in strategic locations, and painted them the color of the vegetation so they are really well camouflaged and have combo locks. Each has a Stihl chainsaw, a Stihl hedge clipper type of thing for shrubs, and several rakes and shovels. The batteries and chargers we keep in a central location in an air-conditioned location. We also have heavy gas chainsaws but only 3-4 guy are allowed to use them. They are really dangerous in untrained hands.

The huge Silky Big Boy saws work well but are super draining over hours. For 1-2 smaller fallen tress, they are fine. The Stihl plus 1 or 2 batteries - that the way if you can haul those up. They are a real pain to haul on a bike.

High Rock Ruti

I've have Daikin chainsaw backpack, spendy about $275 USD it holds everything needed for trail maintenance, I have a husqvarna battery saw 14" and a 18" Stihl gas saw. I've spent hundreds of hours over the last 10 years clearing. I I'm 71 and lucky, never had an accident. I always figure the cuts and where the rounds are going to go prior to cutting, usually the sloped ground helps roll cuts out of the way. A great trick is to wrap a rope around the logs to clear them, it amazing the mechanical advantage it creates. The problem now is I can't get the pack on my back when it weights 40 pounds without putting on top of something then backing up to it. On the bike is still okay a little wobbly, a single wheel trailer is next. Trail clearing is more caloric than riding, I love clearing the windfall and riding through it time and again knowing "I cut that"

Warm Regards Ruti

PART 2

I make it my job to always be friendly, Always! I encounter fellow bikers, hikers and rangers and never had anything but gratitude expressed, also I'm usually very alone.

Chainsaw:

When ever possible keep the saw against log, trying to reach the cut with the tip of the blade is very unstable and dangerous, look, plan, stand and then cut. Have chain file with you and sharpen the chain often, let the saw do the cutting if the saw bogs, slows down something is wrong, your pushing to hard, the chain is dull or the cut, is pinching the blade. Bring wedges to keep the cut (kerf) open, but impatience "I can cut just a little deeper before I cut from the opposite side" is the recipe for having to cut the saw out with another saw, I'm an expert on this, I've had to leave my $800 saw in the cut and return with the "other" saw to rescue the first saw. There I am, making great progress....there I am stopped because of bad technique. So far no accidents in over 50 years of chainsaw work, SO FAR?

Warm Regards Ruti

 

[F4Flyer]

Our trail club just does not like newbies to handle chainsaws....especially the powerful gas ones. I also love working on the trails and then riding them. We have around 50 miles and our sister community has the same but they are a very wealthy community and simply pay people to patrol and build/repair their trails.

 

[Stihldog]

Our trail club just does not like newbies to handle chainsaws....especially the powerful gas ones. I also love working on the trails and then riding them. We have around 50 miles and our sister community has the same but they are a very wealthy community and simply pay people to patrol and build/repair their trails.

Sounds like you just described my area that I ride and live in. There are 3 mountains in this region. Eagle Mountain, Burke Mountain and Heritage Mountain. Each of these mountains have different levels for hiking or mtb’ing. They are also funded and developed differently. Eagle Mountain is better funded. A program for paid trail workers and volunteers is available. Signage and bridges are better controlled.

Burke Mountain is like the “Wild-West “. Any direction signage doesn’t last more than a few days. Some hidden trail features are just crazy. Red-Bull level. The trail volunteers on this mountain (probably 12+) have a few in-written rules…and even those are ignored sometimes. But it seems to work.

@High Rock Ruti
I use the Trail Builder Pack for transporting tools. When it gets over 20lbs+ the balance of the bike becomes challenging. 40lbs+ starts to get difficult to handle or even sling on.

I use an assortment of trail tools and usually stash those tools in large green garbage bags. Hiding places are endless and I usually take a picture and gps the location. A cavity in an old stump gives protection from the weather.

On a side note; an electric chainsaw is just as dangerous as a gas powered chainsaw. IMO, a larger chainsaw with a longer bar (36”) and chain is less dangerous. But it’s really friggen heavy. A dull chain is the most dangerous.

 

[F4Flyer]

Chainsaws are definitely to be handled with care and experience. My electrics (Dewalt and Milwaukee) are nowhere near as powerful or fast as the gas ones but human flesh is like butter to them all. The main issue is experience with them and the ability to be constantly focused. It is easy to get kickbacks and even exhaustion can create terrible situations as they can swing through towards the legs. Even I do not use them for felled trees anymore. I call them in and have one of the 4-5 experienced guys come in. The legs are especially vulnerable. I am also known to be a bit easily distracted.

 

[Stihldog]

I’ve seen a number of brutal kickback injuries. Head, face, arms, shoulders etc. The main culprit was an inexperienced operator and a small chainsaw. (Less than 20” bar and chain).

I was required to wear protective pants and/or pads around my legs. (Usually Kevlar lined). Saved my legs numerous times. However, the worse chain cut I ever received was from filling the Chain.

Anchored my saw on a flat stump, lost my footing, dragged my forearm across the sharp chain and a surgical slice appeared on my forearm. The thin layer of skin in this area took 6 butterfly strips to close. Slapped a large bandage over the wound and continued working. I still have the scar.

 

[G-Sport]

Since I last posted in this thread I did end up buying an Electric chainsaw, a little Makita. It's really good but do have to constantly remind myself how dangerous it has the potential to be. Very easy to see how one could become complacent and so many ways it could go wrong.

 

[Streddaz]

We have 50 miles of private single track to maintain here....TONS of trees in Colorado as well, and they fall each year. On top of that, many die and fall randomly so they have to be cut proactively or they fall when it is really windy. We used those big Silky saws and all the usual stuff...the Stihl battery saws work much much better but heavy. So we put 10 huge lockable steel toolboxes in strategic locations, and painted them the color of the vegetation so they are really well camouflaged and have combo locks. Each has a Stihl chainsaw, a Stihl hedge clipper type of thing for shrubs, and several rakes and shovels. The batteries and chargers we keep in a central location in an air-conditioned location. We also have heavy gas chainsaws but only 3-4 guy are allowed to use them. They are really dangerous in untrained hands.

The huge Silky Big Boy saws work well but are super draining over hours. For 1-2 smaller fallen tress, they are fine. The Stihl plus 1 or 2 batteries - that the way if you can haul those up. They are a real pain to haul on a bike.

That's a pretty good idea. I have a few hidden tools that I leave in the bush (mainly hoes and rakes), but I take a photo of where it is and a screen shot of the Trailforks location, as it saves looking for and hour or so for where you thought you put it.