Steady, dependable work horses were the mainstay of the first logging operations.

By 1967 it became difficult to recruit the required number of qualified loggers, and suitable horses to skid trees were hard to find. In the meantime the development of the articulated skidder promised greatly increased production. At this point the Company switched almost entirely to skidders and the horse operations were soon phased out. The first momentous event was delivery of 55 Timberjack skidders in 1967. They signaled the beginning of a steady increase in the use of new specialized logging machines.

Hauling remained a truck-based operation, but changed from 8-foot lengths (short wood) to tree-length (long wood). Today, many trucks have hydraulic self-loading equipment.

The changes have increased productivity dramatically, as these figures show: METHOD MAN-DAY PRODUCTIVITY (m3) Man with horse 8 Hand falling with skidder 35 Feller-buncher 120

• History of Weldwood's Hinton Division Overview
• The Beginning- A discussion on the start up of operations in the Hinton area and the men who started it all.
• Some of the Pioneers- The forestry people were some of the first hired. This section talks about the early pioneers, and contains numerous photos.
• Early Forest Management- An explanation of forest management in the early years with some interesting photographs of early transportation methods including Volkswagen "Bugs" and Tote-Goats.
• Logging: Camps to Commuting- This section discusses the transition from men working out of logging camps to the time when housing and roads improved and loggers began to live in the community and commute to work.
• Logging: Horses to Horsepower- In 1967 the Company changed from primarily a horse logging operation to one using diesel engine powered skidders.
• Early Forest Renewal- A look at early forest renewal including the first forest industry greenhouse in 1965

Hinton Web Design would like to thank Aaron Jones at  Weldwood & Hinton Forest Resources for the use of this information
Please visit their Website for more information on this and other areas of Weldwood

Hinton Forest Resources