Pushing a tree over isn’t a skill most of us need to acquire. But then most of us aren’t working as “catskinners” on the Alaska Highway Project in 1942. If you know which levers to pull and which pedals to stomp, you just line the big cat up with its blade out front, pile in on the tree trunk and then knock it down. Right? Well… No.
More on Bulldozers on the Alaska Highway
Ideally you push the tree down relatively gently. In Yukon even ninety-foot-tall trees tend to have a shallow root system. Ease up to the tree, raise the big steel blade as high as you can, ease into the tree and when you’re in contact, apply power. The big treads turn, throw back some dirt, and, if you’re lucky, the tree eases over, its roots snap and pop coming out of the dirt, and the tree topples.
But luck isn’t always with you. Sometimes the roots go a bit deeper. You ease up, apply power, the treads spin… and spin… and spin some more. The tree just stands there.
Now you have a problem. The only way to topple this one down is to apply all the awesome power and momentum your D-8 can muster.
You back up and run the dozer at the stubborn tree and you ram it as hard as you can. The trunk goes over. A D-8 caterpillar is hard to resist.
But, as often as not, the treetop whips back. The trunk falls forward, the top flies back—in the direction of guess who. Stay on the seat and you’re not going to like the outcome. You bail out and leave the treetop and the dozer to argue without you.
You carry an axe and saw because when the treetop and the dozer stop arguing, you have to cut up the tree and clear it off the dozer before you can get back in business.
Inevitably a shavetail, a young second lieutenant, will decide you need to wear a steel helmet, as though that would change the outcome when the treetop landed on your head. And a steel helmet makes it tough to look up and keep an eye on the treetop. Unless the earnest young officer stands right beside you, you ignore his silly instructions.
In the spring, mosquitoes boil out of the ground as a tree uproots and crashes down. Sometimes a mother bear and a cub or two emerge—cubs bewildered; mother enraged.
Luckily even a bear won’t tangle with a D-8.
some Kool interesting reads, ill be back to read more, and a dream is to travel the Alaska Hwy, got to do it soon as I’m now close to 64, was going to do it back in 2000 and Dad took real sick and passed away in 2002 so i missed my change, so setting up to make the trip soon,,
Allen, you won’t regret the trip. It is life altering. Sorry about your dad.
It is a bit of an addicting trip. I have been blessed with making the trip three times. Every time I find another wonderful aspect or interesting piece of history I missed before.
My last trip was on a tricycle so slow enough to see a lot of what I missed doing it in a camper and on a motorcycle.
Still exited to do it again.
Three! Now I’m envious.
Interesting article!!! I like the content present here. I recently read about the necessity of a dozer simulator software in order to train the one who will drive. If you can add that also then it would be great. Thanks.
Eesha, thank you again for the link. If you check back, you’ll see that I inserted it in the post.