Russian logging

[The Lorax]

Found this video on Youtube, looks like they are logging in some inhospitable place.
<object style="height: 344px; width: 425px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MttnRqbjZVQ"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MttnRqbjZVQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></object>

 

[JPeterson09]

That's just insane!

 

[BuddhaKat]

OH MY GAWD!!!!! I want one of those trucks. Now that's one tough truck. Not to mention the obvious, but the biggest set of stones weren't in the river, they were on the driver. I sure as hell ain't brave enough to cross that.

 

[The Lorax]

Those are Kamaz trucks, they have a good bit of experience building tough trucks. They won the Truck class in the Dakar Rally this year and lots of previous times. But these are the real workhorse trucks not the racers.

 

[056kid]

SHEEP ####!!!!
Someone show them a jet boat!!

 

[RandyMac]

Russians, nobody ever said they were weak.

Did you know that Russians were some of the first white men to log Redwoods? Google "Fort Ross"

 

[forestryworks]

vodka makes you a super logger... or just plain nuts

 

[Johndirt82]

At least someone in russia has a job. You think our economy isn't doin good. Look into theirs. Looks like they got a system that works for them. I doubt Id drive into the river like that but more power to'em for gettin her done. Wonder how many they loose doing that??!
Love the music too, perfect!

 

[056kid]

I would like to learn more about the wide variety of people that flocked to the great frontier to get rich on gold & OG wood. I have herd that alot of us east coast rednecks went out there to make chips.

I have some Russian friends, Kolitwenzew is there last name. Great great people, easy going to. If they get steamed though, you had better watch it!!!!

 

[dancan]

All I can say is ...WOW !! I want one of them !

Put a log loader and a front and rear winch on that thing and you'd the Swiss Army Knife of the logging world !
Hats off to the guy that climbs out of the cab to be a human counter balance .


Nice find Lorax

 

[2dogs]

Here is some more Rusky off-road.
http://www.wimp.com/extremeoffroad/

 

[Oldtimer]

I'm guessing there's no "EPA" over there...

 

[Curlycherry1]

Those are good Russian workers. Strong like bull! Smart like tractor!

 

[371groundie]

old fart logger told me once, "wood dont grow where it can't be got."
his skidder didnt have any paint left on the roof it had been rolled so many times. he stopped working alone long ago. he worked with another guy and they each had thier own landing, and divided up the woodlot, each had thier own area. it was cheaper to have another skidder on the job to put the other back on its wheels then to haul one in specifically for the purpose.

 

[cuznguido]

Turned my first skidder over 44 years ago. Figured out real quick where the real danger is and just learned to stay within that envelope, so to speak. Haven't turned over too many since then, but I have managed to walk away from them all. Knock on wood. I have also had the good fortune to meet a couple of real live Russians over the years. About as likable fellas as you ever want to meet. Tough as nails and twice as fearless. Seeing them in action in that video was cool, but not surprising.

 

[matt9923]

I don't know how they made it with the trucks, i second no EPA

 

[BuddhaKat]

Turned my first skidder over 44 years ago. Figured out real quick where the real danger is and just learned to stay within that envelope, so to speak. Haven't turned over too many since then, but I have managed to walk away from them all. Knock on wood. I have also had the good fortune to meet a couple of real live Russians over the years. About as likable fellas as you ever want to meet. Tough as nails and twice as fearless. Seeing them in action in that video was cool, but not surprising.

They remind me of how tough loggers were in the 'old' days over here in the USA. I'm a tough enough guy, but I wouldn't tackle what they're doing at all. I bet the injury rate is really high in their industry.

Russians are an extremely practical people. Reminds me of the story about how NASA spent millions of dollars on developing a pen that would write in zero gravity. The Russians just brought a pencil. The guy that jumped on the front of the truck appeared to just take it in stride.

 

[056kid]

I spend some hours running some TJs a 380 & a 450. I remember the first time I ever sat in one was cause my boss had his 450 about 10 degrees from vertical, he went off the skid road trying to bring up a healthy red oak. I was pretty tense there to say the least. since then I have gotten comfortable doing regular skidder stiff. but i have also done stuff that made my heart beat too fast. Dropping the blade even with the road, cranking the wheel, & getting that crazy feeling when the cab tilts hard own the hill. I had to drop off a road in order to get to a bunch of timber that the ####er that had my place skipped over. im sure it was the skidder driver that told him to skip over that cause "he couldnt get it" so It is not entirely his fault. I would drop off the road, shove/slide my way down a distance, hoot to the rimber to the right, pull it across the hill, try & track across & down the hill then drop down in to the FS road which the landing was on. Dropping on to that road was pretty much like driving the skidder off a ledge and landing on the blade & front tires to of the blade was all the way up, well, it was, bout a 9 foot cut to accomodate the road.. I have NEVER been that scared running my saw, & the adrenaline high is no where near as good as when falling timber.

Bosses brother told me a story about the boss man rolling a skidder down the hill only to land right side up on a lower road. He said that he never let off, just kept on. haha I could see him doing that kind of stuff. i have seen him do so mucn crazy stuff on a skidder & a D5l that I could fill 6 pages.

 

[Wilson_tree]

That video makes me wonder what it would be like to work in a less developed nation. What has more value, the load of logs, the truck, or the human being driving it?

 

[joesawer]

They remind me of how tough loggers were in the 'old' days over here in the USA. I'm a tough enough guy, but I wouldn't tackle what they're doing at all. I bet the injury rate is really high in their industry.

Russians are an extremely practical people. Reminds me of the story about how NASA spent millions of dollars on developing a pen that would write in zero gravity. The Russians just brought a pencil. The guy that jumped on the front of the truck appeared to just take it in stride.

Just in my life time in the south east it has changed drastically. There used to be a lot of rough people in the industry.
I remember short trucks, C-60 or F-600 with a dead tandem welded on them. Sometimes loaded with as much as a tractor trailer can legally haul now. I have seen several tipped up.
I have seen one logger leaving the wood yard and another going to the yard stop their trucks get out and fight for a while and then get back in their trucks and go to work.
We used to play rougher than a lot of people fight. But we used to laugh and have a good time often also. I can clearly remember the last time I was on a job that we laughed much. It is memorable because I can't remember the one before.
I don't think I like this kinder gentler world. It might be safer for more people but the quality of life sucks.