Heavy Equipment

On a cable skidder, the cable is reeled out and attached to a pull of cut timber, then the winch pulls the load toward the skidder. The winch or grapple holds the trees while the skidder drags them to a landing area. Cable skidders are less popular than in the past. They are more labor intensive than grapple skidders because someone (the operator or a second person) must drag the winch line out to the logs and hook them up. This is helpful where it is not possible to drive the machine close to the log (such as in steep hills).