[HermitThrush]

I'm thinking about trying my hand at making a pair of snowshoes sometime. Rather than go and buy the lumber for it at the store, I think it would make the project more fun and meaningful to literally start by cutting down the tree - and here's where the question comes in: Does the USDA, or comparable state or local agency, ever allow individuals to go in a national forest and take a tree down? I'm not talking a clear cut here, just a good straight ash, maple, or alder trunk or two, pop it in the truck and drive it home. If so, does anyone know the procedure for obtaining the proper permission to go and harvest that tree?

[Ski]

USFS allows firewood gathering (with a permit) and Christmas tree cutting. I'm not sure whether a permit is required for the Christmas trees. Anything else would probably be outside of what is legal. I wouldn't think that Douglas Fir would be a suitable material - or any fir for that matter. Sitka Spruce has high tensile strength - that's why they used it to make airplane wings during WWI. Can be bent if you steam it or boil it. Not sure alder or maple would be the best choice, either, although my fording stick is alder and it's held up quite well. Amazing sometimes what a guy can find growing in a ditch on a WSDOT right-of-way.

magic_fording_stick_01

magic_fording_stick_02

But then, you've still got the issue of bending the material for the outer frame. I think you'd be best off with spruce or ash, but that's just my lousy opinion.

[Windstorm]

Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest has a list of forest products that require a permit (some free, some not). From the list, it seems likely that your project would require a permit, although I can't tell exactly which one. I'd contact one of the ranger district offices and ask. https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/mbs/passes-permits/forestproducts

[Jaberwock]

The USFS christmas tree permit will get you at 12 ft tree for $10 which I'd imagine would be enough for a pair of snowshoes.

[Ski]

LL Bean's snowshoe is made of "white ash". Not sure if that grows around here. We've got "Mountain Ash" and "Oregon Ash" (which is harder than hell once it's fully cured.) Sitka Spruce is generally only found in the coastal fog belts. Christmas tree stuff you're going to be looking at some sort of fir.

[HermitThrush]

Most definitely not doing a Christmas tree, the softwoods will not work for this project. Definitely ash, alder, maple family will be what I use. I think I found my answer - from a site posted here. "Special Forest Products do not include: sawtimber, pulpwood, non-sawlog material removed in log form, cull logs, small roundwood, house logs, telephone poles, derrick poles, minerals, animals, animal parts, insects, worms, rocks, water, and soil. If you wish to gather any of these contact your local Ranger District office." So now I know where to go. Thanks for all your help.

[Randito]

Hermit -- your best bet for a definitive answer is to try calling the ranger district where you think you might be able to harvest some suitable wood and talk to them. Given the total volume of forest product involved -- I think you might have some success. Also note that for a project of this sort -- you may want to factor in some "drying time" -- freshly cut wood is almost ideal for bending and steaming into a curved shape -- but it will need to dry out in order to stiffen and lighten up. Next you will need a hunting permit to take a deer or elk to provide the leather and sinew needed for the traditional lacing and webs.

[HermitThrush]

[HermitThrush]

By the way, Ski, that's a very nice hiking stick, nice and straight. I'm totally a hiking stick nut, have a lot of them I've made from different woods, etc. My grandpa makes them too. He's gotten his hands on some corkscrew willow and really made some beautiful sticks.

[Randito]

[HermitThrush]

[Steve]

What you are asking to do is a lot more difficult than you imagine. In order to get the width you will need for a snowshoe, you are going to be cutting down a rather large tree, especially if you want quarter sawn to reduce the amount of cupping from moisture loss, though if you go with plain or rift sawn, you can dry it then join and plane the warpage out. In any case, if you are not used to felling 25'+ trees it might prove to be difficult.

[Ski]

HermitThrush - this might sound nutty, but you could always check the "free" listings on Craigslist. People list "wood" or "firewood" all the time on there - and a lot of it is clippings that they're either too lazy or don't have a way to haul it to the dump. Whether or not you'd find the right material is an open question, but you just never know until you look: https://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/zip/d/tree-wood-fire-pit-or/6353922745.html (Of course, they always want you to haul off the entire lot, so that might not be an option.) It is especially plentiful immediately after big windstorms. The fording stick above is a chunk of red alder I lopped off in a ditch along a highway - I grabbed four pieces, waxed the cuts on the ends, and let them dry in the overhead of the garage for two years. That piece was the one that remained fairly straight. I've got another one here I made from a flowering plum cutting - it's real pretty, but too long (64 inches) and heavier than I thought it would be. Up for grabs if anybody wants it.

plum stick 01

plum stick 02

[Randito]

[treeswarper]

If you lived closer--I'm assuming you are in the Seattle area, I would give you a cedar sapling or two or three to use or maybe a small maple. Or small alder. I have an area to thin. The trees would be about 3 inches diameter. PM if you want to drive a few hours. You will most likely find lots of alder on roads that have been closed for a few years. I've never thought much on the topic, but I just assumed for some reason that willow was used for snowshoes.