The independent., July 28, 1993, Page 21, Image 21

1993 Vernonia Friendship Jumboree - Page 5
Logging - still a vital activity to the community
The closing of the Oregon-
A m erican Lum ber Company
mill, the development of tree
farming, and rapidly expanding
technology have all impacted
our logging community in two
im p o rta n t w ays: It has in ­
creased the size and scope of
the logging contractor while re­
d u cin g both th e num ber of
c o n tra c to rs and the la b o r
force.
Frequently overlooked in
the world of big-scale logging
is the gyppo logger who, be­
cause of his mobility, is able to
log smaller woodlands that are
either inaccessible or not cost-
e ffe c tiv e fo r the use of big
equipment.
Three such active loggers
in the Vernonia area are Mike
Pihl Logging, Cedarwood Log­
ging and Plummer Logging.
Mike Pihi and his son, Dan. The next logger?
also about working a Saturday.
Mike Pihi Logging, general logging contractor
After graduating from Banks
High School in 1979, Mike Pihl
headed for Alaska, where he
worked in tim ber cam ps for
three years. Then he returned
to Oregon, purchased a yarder
and went into business with
his b ro th e r, M att, as Pihl
Brothers Logging. After two
years, he became sole owner
of the business and the name
was changed to Mike Pihl Log­
ging. Seven years later, he's
still going strong.
With fourteen employees,
Mike has a relatively large log­
ging crew, but he m aintains
h a n d s-o n in v o lve m e n t. "I
wouldn't have any one of my
men do anything I w ouldn't
do,'' Mike says, and he means
it. Presently working in the St.
Helens water shed, Mike is the
first one on the job each morn­
ing because he's spent the
night there, a situation neces­
sitated by vandalism. This is
the sixth year Mike has landed
the contract with the City of St.
Helens.
Mike's crew is working 100
acres with tw o sides. One
side is being worked with a
shovel loader to move the tim­
ber; the second side is using a
TMY 45 yarder. When the
crew has completed the job,
they will have moved 3-million
board feet to market, in about
two months.
Mike Pihl Logging has plen­
ty of work, with about 25 pri­
vate jobs each year. He has
worked regularly for Interna­
tional Paper and, since IP has
sold most of its Vernonia area
timber, Mike and his crew will
be harvesting IP's last Vernon­
ia tree farm, on Green Moun­
tain Road. He also does a lot
Richard Farr, who usually runs loader at night, this time is operating the D6 line cat.
Best Wishes
for
Vernonia's
Friendship
Jamboree
and
Logging Show
L. Jepson & Sons, Logging Contractors
Clatskanie, Oregon - (503) 728-4315