Starting to winter log finally (sort of)

[Quebecnewf]

Well it has been a trying winter so far to say the least. We had our ice bridge form early this year due to the cold weather in December. We crossed the ice bridge on the 22nd of Dec this year compared to Jan 20 last year. I was away on Christmas holidays and got back on the 9th of January. Since then the weather has been terrible. We have had intense cold one day and the next day it rains. High winds for 3 days in a row . Then a day of calm and then 2 more days of high winds and rough seas. We lost our ice bridge during one of those storms and then crossed again the next day when the weather went from rain in the morning to -20 in the evening. We have been leaving our snowmobiles on the mainland and walking back and forth on the ice on many days due to bad forcasts. You don't want to take a chance and have your snowmobile on the island and have the ice go out. A snowmobile is not an easy thing to manhandle aboard a small boat.

Yesterday morning it was raining heavy here. Through the night the temp started to drop and at midnight we lost our hydro power. By sunrise it was -15 with a 60 klm NW wind. The wind dropped out and the power came back on around 9:30. Sun came out and it was a nice day. As I type this the wind has shifted to the SE and is blowing hard again, we are getting snow but that is supposed to change to rain through the night and then back to snow. Temp is forcast to be -20 tomorrow night. What can you do with weather like that?

During the brief sunny break we went in and grabbed a load and hauled them home to the mill. Before we got home it was starting to snow.

We have been logging between storms and have 90 cut so far but every day is a rush because the next day there is a storm forcast.


  

  

 

Here are a few pics i took today . When we left home it was sunny but as you can see it changed very fast.
We are trying out the new sleds . We used them a little last year but still not enough to really give them a trial. Maybe this year

Quebecnewf

[thecfarm]

Sounds just like the weather here in Maine.  :D Keep at it,I know you will.

[SLawyer Dave]

Here in California, "winter" logging caused me to take a break yesterday afternoon about 2 pm because it got so blasted hot.  While the rest of the country is experiencing a historic deep freeze with heavy snow and rain, we are having a historic heatwave and drought.  We haven't had more than a dusting of rain in months and it is so hot and dry that we are actually starting to have wild fires and all burn permits have been suspended. 

[mikeb1079]

it's interesting to hear the weather news from other parts of the country.  here in wis we've been having a brutally cold winter.  i was hoping that maybe this would be your year quebecnewf! but apparently maybe not eh?   :(  i always like to see pics of your operation tho 

[Stinny]

Quebecnewf... I really liked your photos. Bet your loads slide really easily behind the sleds and make a nice hard trail to boot, for next time.

[Quebecnewf]

Just breaking in these new sleds. Time will tell but so far I am impressed. We are finally getting some good weather forcast. Cold and fairly sunny. Going in today to start hauling logs to the shoreline will pile them there and reft them home in the spring. With the cost of snowmobiles and gas it makes more sense to do it this way than try to haul them all home by snowmobile.

We usually bring a load home when we come rather than drive home empty other than that and some firewood we concentrate on getting them stacked next to the shoreline. It goes faster this way and cheaper costs per log delivered to the mill.

 
LOGS PILED AT SHORELINE LAST YEAR

Quebecnewf

[luvmexfood]

It's interesting to see the different ways that people log according to the area they live in.

[Stinny]

Are the snow sleds 4 strokers? Do they have pretty good low speed power to get the loads to break loose starting out?

[thecfarm]

I always enjoy your threads. Just shows what can be done with just a snow machine and a winch and a bunch of know how.

[Quebecnewf]

I use two sleds both Yamaha . One is a two stroke the other a four stroke. They both pull good . The two stroke has a little more power but not much difference
Both do the job but they do have limits. The trick is to push the limit but not break the machines. I now haul most of my logs to the shoreline and raft them home. Gas is expensive here and this way is cheaper
Quebecnewf