Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Atv bridge

This old bridge in so. Idaho was constructed decades ago for sheep. It's about 40 yds long. It originally had 4 3/4" cables although 1 broke over time and the bridge is now defunct. If 100 sheep were on it at at time, that would be 10 to 15k lb.
You need to use some of your college physics here. The tighter you stretch the cable, the stronger it has to be. If you let it sag, it can carry a lot more weight for the same size of cables. Of course you then have to climb the hill from the center to the far side. I can't remember the formula for figuring how much sag to get how much capacity.

I'm in the same predicament. I got a 100 yard span I need to get a sxs across. Usually under 6 ft of water but when empty, 6 feet of mud.

Alot of debris, ie:trees float down. Not navigable, just a swamp that drains into a creek.

Money so far is stopping me. 40 acres are just sitting there

Get the atv over once and leave it?

I’ve seen a video somewhere….


Zip line type. Hooked the atv to it and pulled it across.

I'm assuming this isn't in a "Wilderness Area" where vehicles are not allowed? Buy a second ATV, (and a canoe if need be). Used, in good condition, secured from theft.

I'm sure there's a way to get that thing over there.............. 8' banks aren't much, nor a foot of water if it isn't too fast.

A couple 16-20' 4X12s, low water and a dark night Monday to mid-week comes immediately to mind. You need stringers for construction on your structure, after all. OR in winter if river is frozen. It might even be legal then. . Not that I'm suggesting, you know, the thing....

Are you talking ATV or UTV? What weight? To get it over there at high water, you should be able to rig Jin? poles with block and tackle or pulley to one-time lower and raise the ATV up or down the bank, and a boat to get it across the river initially to leave there, then your dingy/ canoe or whatever to transport you back and forth across the river as needed.

If you are in snow country, take it in via snowmobile and sled in the winter, assuming there is a route, or if crossing/running the frozen river is legal in winter.

Dis-assemble the ATV, back pack it over, reassemble? Float/power boat up or down the river from an access point to your property at high water, then block and tackle it up as above? If high-water mark is near the top of the bank, and it gets there in the spring,or heavy rains, this would be easiest.

Depending on where high water mark is, constructing a dirt or wood ramp down to that may save some effort, if allowable.I like high water for this kind of stuff. Many years ago I had get some 30' green spruce logs to my cabin, from a quarter mile down river. Banks ( pure mud) are at least 16' high there at low water, with a willowed over bench about half way up where the trees were cut. I dropped the trees, power winched them over the bank onto the bench in preparation to complete the job piece by piece. I got lucky! A heavy rain came along and filled the river to the top, but my logs were still trapped in the willows. I just hitched them to the boat, one by one, and towed them to cabin, and power winched them from the top of the bank the 100' or so to the cabin. That's the easy way to deal with steep/deep river banks......

Stop thinking like an Alaskan, this is outside. We used to do stuff like that at bear camp out of Tok, won't fly down here.

My neighbor to the west knocked over a big maple so he could access his property across a creek. Someone bitched and state came down hard on him

To meet state regulations, you might end up spending more on engineering, permits, and safety issues than you spend on the bridge itself.

For the most part I'd say its not affordable.

Sling a wheeler in under a chopper and leave it.

Hey- I put a disclaimer in there. That's what you get for leaving.....

With 6' of water, a one-time boat/barge-across isn't doable for the SXS? Current a problem? Or legal access from the bank?

Maybe get some of those thick deck/pier styrofoam pieces, plank it over, then de-construct after use and sell off or use for insulation elsewhere? Flotation should be easy to figure. Don't know what you would do about personal-access during mud-time, unless it's zip-line.

My SIL and her husband put up one to access their island in the Stillwater from their mainland lot in Columbus. Probably about 50 yards long.

that would be a fun project to tackle if I was using someone elses money

70 or 100 yard of cable, strong enough to hold itself, decking,
and just 1 ATV1000# plus.


How ya gonna attach the ends?
To what?


If you gotta ask about this don't do it!

Get an amphibious ATV.

Bruce

Not really sure what the Army Corps of Engineers might say about this project.

I hope youre getting the property for FREE! Otherwise, what damn use is it if you cant cross the river to get to it? How are you gonna get the cables across? Is wading/swimming allowed? LOTS of questions before I even attempt to contemplate a solution! Things just don't make any sense to me yet about how youre going to get over there the 1st time. Is this river flowing sulfuric acid or something?

The cable tie backs will be a significant challenge

From the cable bridges I’ve been on, the cable tie back anchors are significant. Quite a bit of concrete buried into the ground, and I would imagine an cable anchor assembly below that concrete. On both sides of the river.

Not sure how you’re gonna get that stuff to the other side of the river.

This project, as mentioned before, would be quite an undertaking

I would reconsider the single cable with a tether to a floating platform or raft idea. My thought is that would be the simplest, quickest, and cheapest option.

Big difference in a 54' foot bridge and a 70 yard atv bridge.4x the length and 5X the weight. Without a center support you're going to need pretty stout towers.

Good idea.

They use those ARGOs up in Alaska all the time for situations like this.

Saw a used one on Craigslist here in Arizona for like $15-20K within the last year. I remember because I was thinking WTF do you need an ARGO here in AZ for?!?!

You can count on both hands the number of flowing rivers in the entire State…………..

That is a long span!
The USGS uses a couple cable/trolley car setups to cross rivers up here. Single cable attached on both sides to big steel anchor platforms.

You see them in the Himalayas to get across the river gorges.

There are quite a few suspension bridges that have been built in remote locations that might fit your description of needs.

If you pound the hell out of the internet you might strike gold and come up with some engineered plans.

I'd focus on our government sites and projects such as National Forest, Parks, Corp of engineers and the like.

Maybe if some of the posters here might share the names of remote bridges that know of it could offer you some valuable key words for your search.

No matter what, soil conditions will vary in every location.
If I came up with a valid set of plans I'd still do a soil core sample and present it to a qualified engineer for instruction to proceed.

KOOTENAI FALLS SWINGING BRIDGE



http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/kootenai/home

BLACK BEAR TRAIL BRIDGE
FLATHEAD NATIONAL FOREST
Rehabilitation of a cable suspension trail bridge over the South Fork of the Flathead River on the Flathead National Forest. Project included improvements to approaches, repair of the existing concrete pedestals, corrosion protection on the steel cables, replacement of miscellaneous timber deck members and replacement of timber tower members. All tower materials and supplies had to be packed in 14 miles to the job site by mule train. Battle Ridge Builders worked closely with the Forest Service and the Packer to deliver a final product that was very labor intensive for both the crew and animals.

Owner: USDA Forest Service
Prime Contractor: Battle Ridge Builders

The far side is accessible during summer by going many miles around.
Inclimate weather makes far side access… challenging.
River crossing during hunting season in canoe could be done but I am not a competent canooer.

Only feasible way we could come up with is an old pontoon boat. Strip it down so just just base platform. Hook up a cable system and with a winch pull ourselves across. Around here you can find smaller pontoons for sale relatively cheap.

Right now we have a 10ft skiff. Works but still.

When no water, usually muck boots work but you will be a muddy mess when done.