Working safely in snow

[OneWithWood]

I am looking out my window at 6+ inches of snow laying on top of mushy ground :(
I have a lot of tops (250+ )that need to be cut up and hauled out of ten clearings so I can replant.  I have already canceled my tree order for this spring because I know I won't get it done before spring.  I will plant 2-0 seedlings next spring.
All this brings a question to my mind: How do those of you who actively work in the woods year round operate safely in the snow?  I do not have any level ground to speak of - most of the tops are on slopes steep enough to be a challenge for everything except my crawler when the ground is dry and solid.
I need to take advantage of the holidays to get as much done as I can because I still have a 40hour/week gig going.
My current plan is to go out tomorrow with just the chain saw and begin limbing tops so when I can get in with the crawler I can winch out the stems and stack them for later processing.
I would apprecaite any advice from those of you on this forum that are much more experieced than I.
BTW I was going to add this on to the working alone thread as that is what I do 99.9% of the time but I thought I would start a new thread concentrating on working in the snow alone.  I take a walkie-talkie with me and a cell phone.  I can only get a cell tower on the ridge tops.  The walkie-talkie is only effective when my wife is home.  I wear a safety helmet with face shield, gloves with a latex facing for grip, steel-toed boots, and kevlar chaps. . . and before you ask, yes I have all the normal clothes on too ;D

[Ron Scott]

Always work from the "high" side down. Don't ever work below the log or top on the hillside.

Watch the footing and have good gripping soles on the boots.

[Tillaway]

Buy chaulked boots!  Don't even try it without.   Also if you are going to be replanting say a year from now why not wait till summer, push them into piles and burn in the fall.  This will also help getting your seedling established since the competing vegetation is reduced from the piling operation.  Just be sure to use a brush rake when you do it.

[OneWithWood]

Ron and Tillaway,
Thanks for the replies.
Please explain 'chaulked boots'.

[Corley5]

Be sure of your footing.  When the snow is deep and crusty I always tramp down an escape path.  Light fluffy snow isn't so bad.  Trying to get away away in a hurry when the snow is trying to trip you up is bad.

[Tillaway]

Chaulked boots are life savers... litterally.  If I am cutting logs, brush, TSI or whatever, especially in the snow, I won't cut without them.  The only problem is that they are real slick on metal so climbing into equipment or into the back of a pickup is a bit dicey.  Also they are a bit unpredictable if you work on allot of rock namely solid bedrock.  I wear them all the time when the ground is wet, and any time the ground is not too rocky even if dry.
http://www.madsens1.com/footmnu.htm

[beenthere]

Onewithwood
""Chaulked boots "" (maybe a typo but the word isn't "chalked" either) are really "caulked" boots with caulks (spikes) in the bottoms. Mainly used in the west, where the forest is wet most (all?) the time and in SE Alaska. One will notice there are signs up in front of stores and cafe's that "No caulks allowed" as they raise particular havoc with wood floors. They keep you from slipping off logs that are wet and slippery, but you still need to be careful what you step on. A hidden rock under the snow (with caulks) will take you for a very fast ride, just like being on ice without them.  Loggers in big timber spend a lot of working time walking on logs, sometimes on logs in ponds, or on logs in the river drives. Caulks help a lot when walking on logs, wet or not.

[Jeff]

What or who the heck ia a Tillamooks.

[Tillaway]

So mi speling nedes a litle werk eh... i kant se a preblom.

[OneWithWood]

Okay, now I understand chaulked boots.  Look a lot like track cleats.  Unfortunately I am constantly working around rock outcrops - the limestone bedrock is only a few feet down in many places, even on the sides of the ridges.  The creeks running between the ridges have solid limestone bottoms.

All of my work this winter will be limbing the tops of already felled trees.  Escape paths are of minimal concern.  My primary concerns are balancing on trunks while limbing, trying to understand which way and how fast a snagged branch is going to kick out, relief cutting so the bar does not get pinched, understanding which way the stem is going to lay down and skidding the limbed stem to a staging area.  To clarify, what I am working on are the top portions of what where 60-110 foot tall hardwood trees.  Some like the hickories have a forked stem with many branches, some like the maples are a maze of branches.  The red oaks tend to be a single stem with a few large branches and some like the white oaks have branches that are as large as small trees.  All of the tops contain about 2/3 a cord of firewood each and are dense - read heavy.

Chaulked boots would help my balancing act.  Thank-you for that bit of education.  Do you know of any strap on caulks - sort of like crampons (sp) ?  This would allow for good footing while standing in the top and quick removal for walking around.
I DonT think I will even attempt to use the crawler in the snow on these slopes.

[Tillaway]

The only problems with rock you will have is right on the surface and it is not that bad.... it really depends on the rock.  Taking them on and off is not practical, trust me.  There are strap on ones put out by Wesco (West Coast Boots in Scappoose, OR) they were never very popular and may not be available anymore.  "Corks" are definitely the way to go if you are walking around on slash particularly if its wet.

"Cork" boots are required (OSHA) for most logging operations out west, and are required by many forestry firms as well.

The Xtra Tuffs with corks are popular in Alaska, I have both leather and pack styles since this covers about everywhere I work.  The Xtra tuffs are easier to get on and off than sandal or strap on type.  

[Tom]

One with wood
I have done similar tasks in my woodlot but have no ice or snow to contend with.  I was just curious if you had tried a sharp 3.5 lb ax for limbing.  I found that it was quicker for most branches up to 4 inches and generally the limb was cleaved through without  releasing its stress in an unmanagable way.  I could walk a trunk and lop off limbs much faster than balancing with a running chain saw.  Perhaps your hardwoods will be different.  Most of mine were pines but I took quite a few oaks as well.

[Ed_K]

Onewithwood,
 I take two pair of boot with me. The mickey mouse boot (army) good for -30 and a pair of Viking bushwackers (calked) their in the Baileys Catalog. Works good as you can change boots in mins.
 Ed K

[Frank_Pender]

OWW, once you get use to the "caulk" boots you will not change back to the old ways.  I have found that when not wearing them that my feet become very sore, due to wanting my toes to grip the ground or logs in order to hold on and not fall.  With what you are doing with the tops of these trees you will find tht the smaller limbs are the most dangerous as you step on one you'll find they are very slippery and your toe holding power is not there. :'(  With the "spiked" boots I have there are spikes even between the heel and bal of the foo, under your arch.  this provides lots of security one you learn to use and wear them.  Another thing to watch for is the space between the spikes getting filled with woody materials or snow. Keep them cleaned out.  I always carry an extra saw too for that purpose.  A few moments of safety saves a bad fall of or other injury.   I might suggest for your climate and cold gettingthe "packers" for warmpth and dry together.  In my mild wet climate of Central Western Oregon I simply use the straight West Coast leather "caulks".  
There is nothing like security in footing when working in the woods.   I have even used my "caulks" on a roofing job or two a few years ago when the pitch was greater that a 12/2. ;)

[OneWithWood]

Hey guys thanks for all the info.  It looks like I will be cruising the web and catalogs in search of a pair of calked boots. :P
It sure sounds like those boots would be a good compliment to my tried and true wolverines.

[David]

I was looking at Viking Bushwackers today. They are heavy and seem to require heavy socks or liners for winter use. These were a pull on type. I'm wondering if there are some different types or styles that may be easier to get on and off and/or also lined. The kevlar chainsaw proof liner is what I am most interested in. Does anyone know of other loggers boot manufacturers or supply cos? Thanks.

[OneWithWood]

David,
Check out this link:
http://forestry.about.com/library/weekly/aa062501a.htm

I found it while doing a search for caulked boots.  One of the recommended companies is in BC.

[Tillaway]

Nicks boots http://www.nicksboots.com/

Will probably be my next pair.  The only downside is the price.  The current brands I wear are Whites (leather corks), Buffalo ( leather Vibram soled) and Hoffman's (Pack styles one pair caulked and the other has airbobs.)  I have one rebuild on the whites and they are 8 years old.  I have three rebuilds, or maybe four, on the Buffalo's and they are ten years old.  I get two or three years from the Hoffman packs if I wear them allot, then I replace them.

The Vibergs are good and are popular in BC and Washington State.  The Vikings (caulked) can be purchased from any pro saw shop in Oregon or Washington.  The Vikings don't fit me well, you need wide feet to wear them.