One Pile is Better Than Two

Back in the 60’s Arlo Guthrie wrote the song Alice’s Restaurant. It is a nineteen minute opus about a hippie that does a favor for his Thanksgiving dinner hosts. He hauls a load of garbage to the dump, only to find out that it is closed for the holiday. He drives by a trash-filled ravine on the way home and reasons that one large pile of garbage is better than two small ones. Since he cannot bring the existing pile up, he threw his pile down. He was later arrested for littering.

I was reminded of Arlo’s story last week when I was cutting wood near a power line road. I came upon a couple hauling a trailer full of slash (tree limbs). They advised that the power company had trimmed trees along the road and their plan was to dump their slash there and let the utility dispose of their debris. One pile was better than two.

Island Park has a slash dump north of the old Hungry Bear Store on Meadow Creek Road. Its hours are:

Tuesday and Thursday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Trees, bushes and other plant material can be dropped off free of charge. The slash dump minimizes fire danger by allowing property owners to remove flammable debris. It also limits what gets dumped in the landfill, extending its life. In October, the slash pile is set on fire and the site is cleared for the following summer.

After offering the slash dump information to the couple, they decided that the county’s slash pile was the appropriate location to dump their debris. It was a much better outcome than Arlo’s.

The White Warning!

Winter preparations are more demanding during my second fall in Island Park. Cabin steps, several porch posts and decking had to be replaced. The exterior needed a coat of stain and a drainage system needed to be installed along one side of the cabin. My visits to Island Park Builder’s Supply are almost as regular as visits to the post office next door. In addition, my neighbor committed to construct a garage this fall and needed help clearing trees. And I still have a few more cords of firewood to cut!

Just to remind me that time is limited; Mother Nature hit Island Park with several inches of snow while I was clearing trees. It was her way of exhorting me to pick up the pace. I feel like a squirrel gathering every possible pinecone before the snow entombs them.

I enjoy logging and cabin repairs but I’m not sure that my body concurs. I found myself anxiously awaiting my order of Bio Freeze to arrive at my PO Box.  I have been away from a gym for too long! I must start lifting again or I am going to drop like a pine that I recently felled.

I am reminded of a line from the movie Jeremiah Johnson. “The mountains got its own ways. Whatever you learned down in the flat will serve you no good up here. You’ve got some work to do.”

While continuing my education, I am hoping for a few more weeks of decent weather before the winter hits. There is a lot of work to do.  

Yellowstone Country Safety * Wood Pile Safety *

Do not kids climb on firewood stacks. Wood piles can collapse with catastrophic results.

Gettin’ Wood

For me, August is the time to begin gathering firewood for the winter. I made my annual pilgrimage to the Forest Service Office to purchase my permit. Fifty dollars for eight cords of wood is truly a bargain.  Granted, we have to find the wood, cut it up and haul it down to the cabin, but still ….

My next stop was to see Joe at Elk Creek Service to get my chain sharpened (he does great work). Cleaning my saw was next on my list. I took off the cover and brushed out the remnants of last year’s firewood, checked the air filter and emptied the gas tank. After installing my chain, I filled it with gas and oil. It fired right up and I was ready to attack the pines.

I began cutting firewood for my grandfather in 1975 when he built a cabin in Heber, Utah and I have enjoyed harvesting firewood ever since. I suppose it reminds me of the time that I spent with Grandpa. During the summer, Sheri and I did some reconnaissance and found a spot that would yield enough firewood for our needs. Cutting firewood is like elk hunting. You can always find what you want. The question is how far you are willing to carry it out. The distance seems to shorten with each passing year. My current firewood carry limit is fifty feet and only downhill!  We headed up the mountain and the work began.

Chipmunks and squirrels are constantly scampering about, gathering and storing food for the pending winter. The bears are feeding incessantly to increase their body fat before they enter hibernation. The elk, moose, deer and all other inhabitants of the forest are also busy preparing for the snow season. Stockpiling one’s source for winter’s heat allows us to participate in a forest ritual while enjoying the exquisite scenery.

My goal is to get the wood in before bow season begins and I begin chasing elk around the forest.