Horse Logger West Gustafson Skids the Old-Fashioned Way

A bit of living history was on display at Bridle Trails State Park in Bellevue, where a volunteer horse logger is helping to protect Seattle's electricity supply.

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Wes Gustafson, owner of The Wood 'n Horse Company in Snohomish, used a team of Belgian and Shire horses to skid logs up to 20 inches in diameter along the Seattle City Light transmission line corridor to the horse arena at the park.

Clyde and Java (Seattle City Light photo)

"It's an opportunity to show people that there's more to logs than just firewood," Gustafson said. The job took a couple of days. "It goes at horse pace."

The Douglas fir and maple logs Gustafson moved and milled had been recently cut down by Seattle City Light after being identified as having structural defects or for being situated too close to the lines to trim.

Bridle Trails Park Ranger Mary Wellborn said the decision to bring Gustafson in to process the logs included an opportunity to provide an engaging educational experience for the public. "When the trees had to be cut, we thought it this approach would offer a great interpretive opportunity."

Seattle City Light acquired a power line right of way from the state Department of Natural Resources in 1928, before the land was set aside for a park, and built a transmission line in 1936. For information about City Light's vegetation management policies, visit http://www.seattle.gov/light/vegetation/