Start of loading ramp rebuild

Now that I finished the fence on the south side of the loading corral I started on the north side of the loading ramp part of the corral. The south side had used 8 of my 10 wooden 8 foot corral panels. I used the last two panels on the north side of the loading ramp part of the corral starting at the head gate.

While the north side of the loading ramp still had posts in solid condition I decided to rebuild this side because:

• it probably won't be but a few years before the posts deteriorate and I have to rebuild this side,
• the 'newer' look will match the south side,
• I want to make the loading ramp narrower at the end.

To clarify, I call this section a "ramp" as that was what it used to be. In the old days, and even during my father's time, the ranchers often didn't have stock trailers and would haul a few head of cattle in a stock rack in the back of their pickup. This ramp used to have an adjustable board that raised or lowered depending on whether a trailer or pickup was used. When I came on the scene the wooden ramp had rotted out. I removed it as everyone uses a stock trailer these days.

I want to make the ramp narrower at the end as I found over the years that several of the cattle often would try to get through the end gate first. That is what hastened the breaking of the old posts. I made the last 8 ft section the same width as the head gate which is about 26 inches. Yup. Narrow.

The second 8 ft section is wider by a few more inches. Still too narrow for two cattle to be side to side - which is good. Side by side cattle when there is not enough room puts lots of stress on the corral fence.

I know the cattle can get through the head gate so I believe the last 8 ft section is wide enough, though when I stand in it, it feels very narrow. I'll see how it works when I have cattle next year. If it is too narrow I do have the option of removing a few end boards on the section and that will get me a few more inches.

Monday the weather was great as it was in the mid 40s F. Even in the evening after sundown it was warm. But that was to change. A warm weather system arrived during the night from the Pacific. Early Tuesday morning a massive cold front from Canada came down east of the mountains. The cold front was so large the mountains didn't stop it like they usually do. The result was rain, then wind, then snow. Fortunately the rain stopped before it got cold and the snow started so we didn't get ice in my part of the valley.

Monday I started on the north side of the loading ramp. I took part of the fence apart, put in the first post and section of fence, and removed the post for the second section. It was dark by the time I got the second post out of the ground so I covered the hole with boards to protect it from the weather - whether moisture or freezing.

Tuesday afternoon I put in the post for the second section on the north side. The snow had let up though the wind was still blowing strongly. Even though the temperature was around freezing, surprisingly I didn't feel cold. Perhaps it was because I was fixated on getting the hole dug and the second section built before the ground froze.

I don't know why but different railroad ties of the same length weigh differently. For the first section I mistakenly dug the hole a little too deep as I got mixed up on the tie's length. This tie was not one of the heavier ties and I was able to lift it up slightly to allow dirt of get underneath. After several attempts I got the tie raised up 6 or so inches. Tuesday's tie was super heavy and I was barely able to lift it to slide in the hole much less lift it once it was in the hole. I correctly measured the tie length and hole depth so my only adjustment was side to side and keeping the tie straight.

Unlike the holes for the south fence, the two holes I dug on the north fence was entirely soft dirt with no rocks or gravel at all. A matter of less than three feet away from the south fence posts. Go figure.

If the weather forecast is correct, this may be the last of the major corral rebuild for the year. Already Wednesday the ground is starting to freeze again. It is too bad as I really would like to finish at leas the loading ramp part of the corral this year. Six more posts to go. Still, to keep me occupied I have some finishing work on what I have rebuilt so far, and the gate to install.

Photo 1: Damaged corral. I took this photo last year with my old camera (hence the poor quality image). The rope is to hold the two sides upright as I had two steers left to load. The previous cattle almost knocked the left side down.

Photo 2: left (south) side is done. Right (north) side is left to do.

Photo 1: taken after I replaced the first two sections on the right side.
Photo 2: taken from inside the loading corral.

Standing on the head gate, here are views before and after I started on the right side.

I think my corral will be pretty solid after I finish my rebuild.