20X24 going up in Northern Ontario

[Melonbob]

I'm putting up a 20X24 this spring, I posted a few questions on the general board. My brother will be doing a 20X20 at the same time, so it's going to be a very busy summer! I found a few pics laying around of the first clearing I did last summer, there isn't much there, but one pic will give everyone an idea of the rocks I'm dealing with.

It's gotta start somewhere!

The rocks you see on the right, it's pretty much 2 acres of that, I don't know how anything grows

My two mutts watching me work!

[PEG688]

No equipment on the island ?

Birch tree of some kind?

Chocolate lab , or Chesapeake bay retriever?

  Tough place to start with out a piece of equipment to move some of that stuff around.
And where your at frost and frost heave are big issues. 

[Melonbob]

may parents was originally built right on the ground, and although they get some movement in the spring, its not as big an issue as you would imagine, probably because there is so much rock in relation to soil. The trees are mainly poplar, with some birch, pine thrown in. The dog is one wet Chocolate Lab, and not alot of equipment is gonna make it out there, if I can't move it with a few good men and bars, it's staying put.

[PEG688]

I was thinking of a framer  or other resident maybe to rent/ loan from.   Existing  / on island type equipment , a lot of small islands around here have that "local" type equipment. Some of it even runs 

  Maybe something that moves with the rock but is toed together, big cedar logs ?? I not familiar with any real "type" of moving foundation , John has a few small buildings on skids , maybe along that idea.

The problem with individual "footing" or posts is they'd move willy nilly , maybe a long "skid" type idea would be better 

[Redoverfarm]

Rough row to hoe. Sort of makes you think you are a pioneer.  Are the rocks just on the surface or deeper yet?  They make a gas powered winch sort of like a chain saw that are anchored by a chain around a tree, Would help with the transfer of stuff or moving.  For the rocks find you a heavy cargo sling and use the winch.

[ScottA]

Damn. And I thought we where in a jungle. You've got your hands full there. Should make a nice spot though when you're finnished.

[PEG688]

Damn. And I thought we where in a jungle. You've got your hands full there. Should make a nice spot though when you're finnished.

Prolly looks more like the artic right now , there must still be snow on the ground up there. Speaking of snow we have a snow / rain mix falling right now , WTF happened to spring 

[Melonbob]

We are still buried in snow, and will be for a good month yet. There isn't the opportunity to get equipment out there, I think I agree with most that I'll have to take a closer look once I get out there. I can get comealongs and slings from work if I decide to move stuff, I'm a millwright so I have access to stuff like that. Thats for all the great replies, heres a few more pics taken over the past few seasons at my parents, just to give you something to look at, and a quick sketch of what I'm doing. Also, for those who asked, this island is only 2.5 acres, and we are the only people on it, we own the whole thing!

My parents camp.......60 years old now....getting a major facelift this year to pretty up those logs...



View of the full island



The site, and me trying to clear out without a chainsaw



My parents dock......rocks everywhere



More Rocks



guess what? Rocks

[MountainDon]

Nice having the entire island. 2.5 acres like that is like having a lot more as far as the privacy goes.

So how far do you have to boat in?

[glenn kangiser]

Nice --- your own country.

[Melonbob]

Boat ride is about 300 yds.......no kidding. There is a 12X60 dock built by the ministry, bought by our friends 5 years ago. All my wood is being delivered there. I wish I could have brought it all out during the winter, but it would have disappeared

[Redoverfarm]

Is there any fresh water or spring on the island or do you have to haul in your drinking water. Drilling a well there would really be a daunting task I bet.  Lake water would be OK for grey line use. 

[Melonbob]

Bought the place in 1986, been drinking lake water ever since. It was tested by the town about 10 years ago, beacuse everyone was having problems with their wells......

[Alasdair]

This may be a bit late for your rock shifting but have you come across tirfor winches? Given a good anchoring point (and you have no shortage of those!) and a couple of blocks you can shift pretty much anything around with one of these things. We use them for shifting boats, engines rocks logs etc. Best of all they'll fit in a boat and one person can carry it.
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000070.php
Al

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks, Al.  I know some other places that could be useful.