Alaskan Logging Equipment, Left to Rust

[Contract Logger]

Here we have a magnificent machine. Sold new in 1985 to Sapp Brothers Logging of Alsea Oregon. Came to Alaska in the early 1990's and logged a bit out of Craig for Phoenix. This machine new, if available today would cost a mllion and a half or more. She was a wonder to watch in her day, with a 110' tower and 7 gulines she could easily hang out 5,000 feet with 1 1/4" skyline.

The woman who owns this wants $300,000.00 I am told, and the last one sold at auction that I know of brought $100,000.00. So here she sits, dying in the weeds.

 

[Contract Logger]

More of TY9044. This machine was featured on the cover of the Thunderbird TY90 Sales Brochure through the late 80's and 90's. Wish I had that to post here. She was a beautiful sight all rigged up and logging, brand new.

 

[Contract Logger]

More Klawock.

 

[Contract Logger]

Bones of many beasts.

 

[Contract Logger]

Hopfully I am not boring you guys, but the parts and pieces left behind intrigue me. And there are lots of them.

 

[stepp3360]

Any Euclid or Terex dozer rusting away

Contract Logger,
I seen about every brand of excavator built. I always found Alaska to be a good place to see Terex, and Euclid dozers. Evans engine and equipment use to bring up lot's of them as cheap dozers for the placer mines. I also see they were popular for yarders mounts.
Thanks,
John

 

[Contract Logger]

Bones, con't.

 

[Contract Logger]

Contract Logger,
I seen about every brand of excavator built. I always found Alaska to be a good place to see Terex, and Euclid dozers. Evans engine and equipment use to bring up lot's of them as cheap dozers for the placer mines. I also see they were popular for yarders mounts.
Thanks,
John

Most of the equipment sold into Alaska was sold sight unseen, so lots of gear came up that was unfamiliar to those buying it, based purely on the description given over the phone by some salesman. Wasnt always the best. In Southeast, I havent run into to many Terex/Euclid producs. Doesnt mean they arent here, maybe I just haven found them. People are always telling me where stuff was left, but many of those locations are helicopter access only (mountainous canyon with road systems washedout long ago. I have seen many pieces from the air, in passing over on my way someplace else. Many of the old camps just have no road access anymore. Fly-in only, and when you get there, WOW, look at all the equipment, you think.

 

[Contract Logger]

I was told of an island West of Craig somewhere that is rumored to be loaded with old yarders. Several people have told me this, but short of hiring a pilot for a day and just flying a search pattern, what do you do? I can't afford it. If I ever won a lottery......

 

[Contract Logger]

Klawock junk.

 

[Autocar]

Man a live what a shame ! I would give anything to have a few piles of that iron laying out back Is there salt from the ocean in the air or something ? Seem's like things are rusting up so fast. Pretty sad when you think about it all

 

[Contract Logger]

Old log sorting area near Yakutat Alaksa.
Amazing the amount of wood left behind to rot there. Locals have been cutting some up for firewood it looks like.

 

[Contract Logger]

Salt air yes. Southeast Alaska is made up of over 1000 islands, surrounded by saltwater. Pacific Ocean to the Southwest, Gulf of Alaska to the Northwest. Good for halibut fishing, but bad for equipment preservation. Plus, it rains 200 inches a year, that doesnt help.

 

[Contract Logger]

Here are some various ariel shots so you can see the lay of the land. Island logging operations, isolated, rain all summer (in 100's of inches), snow all winter (in feet) mostly. Gorgeous on a clear day though. Lots of old equipment parked around. The last 2 are at Icy Bay, a closed camp, but there are University of Alaska research people who stay out there and monitor moose, bear, and such things. The tracks you see are from them.

 

[Contract Logger]

Old equipment of all types at Hoonah, in the Sealaska sort yard there.

 

[Contract Logger]

Whitestone Camp scrap pile. Grapples, gravity carriages, log trailers.......

 

[Contract Logger]

Whitestone in the springtime- tires, tracks, and trailers.

 

[Contract Logger]

And there's alot of stuff left there at Whitestone.

 

[Contract Logger]

Whitestone trucks.

 

[boomguy]

I never get bored of these pics. every pic i look at i think of what it would of looked like new and shiny. thanks for the pics