Tree diameter for cabin building?

[mal_flisk]

I'd have to agree with Rance and Glitch. Most of the trees in the Mat-Su are much smaller in diameter than 14-16". 4-6" is the average diameter north of the Kenai or say Yakutat. I might believe it of old growth in SE Alaska, but those are money trees to loggers. 4-6" trees are peckerheads, normally used for plywood or particle board.

[Marty Van Diest]

Well...I'll have to disagree with Rance, Glitch and Mal...

There are a lot White Spruce in the Susitna Basin, and the Tanana and Yukon River drainages that are 14-16 inches at the base. Some of them hold their size quite a ways up too.

There very well may be some that large on your property but it really doesn't look like there is a lot of spruce to me. Most of those kinds of trees grow in big stands of spruce and yours are mostly birch. You might find enough to build a cabin, but you aren't going to know for sure until you visit the property yourself.

Either way it will be an adventure.

[mal_flisk]

Beg your pardon, Marty. I stand corrected. I haven't seen many of those.

[warptman]

LOL...you guys are arguing on length vs width.

[rotorhead]

Still and all, having flown over much of the Susitna drainage and seen very little in the way of large trees I'm betting that any cabin in this area will be mostly built of lumber and sheet goods. Just my $.02

[Marty Van Diest]

You are right rotorhead. It's just easier to haul in all the lumber by snowmachine and put it up.