Axmen question for loggers...wouldn%26#039;t it be easier and more eficient to drag logs DOWN the mountain? 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%26#039;s the way it%26#039;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%26#039;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.

Asker's Rating:

Thanks much for the info...you and Ronald had the best answers that make sense...I didn%26#039;t think about how dragging the logs would tear up the ground and cause erosion but I did notice on Sundays episode where they did use some tandem choking to speed production. Great show...wish I could do it a bit

Other Answers (10)

• well my 2 cents on the first question....
  
  this is the mountains afterall, there are lots of ups and downs and also since the mountains are all ups and downs there maybe be only limited places where you can put roads that are safe.. or something along that lines. and remember this show is of course edited, History channel might just like to show uphill struggles or something..
• how fast can you run.
  a log can go down hill faster.
  
  i have watched them throw up a big bow wave of dirt and rock as they went down hill.
  
  also its easier to run a road down a ridge line but in many places it would be imposable to run the road down the bottom stream bed area. and would cause more stream pollution
• no
• write to them.
  i think the origional wAY IS BEST
• No. It%26#039;s not.
• dragging the logs down hill is much more dangerous. The logs are attached to the cables by what is called a %26quot;chocker%26quot; The mechanism works somewhat like a slip knot. When the line comes tight it holds the log securely, but when pulling down hill it can loosen up because gravity will make the log move too fast. Once that happens you no longer have control of the log and it can even turn sideways as it comes down hill. Men and equipment at the bottom can not get out of the way. Down hill logging has killed more men than any other type of logging. Even though it is only used when there is no place to land the logs at the top,such as a hog back ridge tha is all rock and very narrow. As for hooking them up before hand that puts you below the logs going up the hill. Those sometimes get loose too. Also you would be under the cables which whip up and down when the hall back cable is either tightened or allowed to run free in high lead logging. If a cable breaks (which happens to every company sometime) you want to be a safe distance from it. One safety rule in logging is always watch moving logs and cables never turn our back on them. Setting chokers requires that you look where you are going and not at the cables.
• Logging companies are private business and as such gravitate toward the most efficient methods within the constraints of worker safety and environmental laws.
  
  I think Ethan has the best answer.
• chocolate brown hair
• yes. drag the logs down the mountain.
• yes ur right