For those that live in the mountains

[mickeykelley]

Not sure if this is the right place, but wife and I are thinking about retiring to the mountains in a couple years.  I would like to take my layout, but we are looking at 2-10 acres so no fences, etc.  the current one is maybe 300' as I recall. Do you leave your track out all year?  How about wild animals like deer, elk, turkeys, etc?  I already decided I'd move to battery to avoid the cleaning and connection issues.  How about snow, falling pine tree branches, sap, etc? I'm not crazy about a raised layout but it would have to be substantial as my existing has a loop made of the square PCV moulding that cows have wrecked the first time the hot wire was down. Any input and especially real world experiences would be appreciated.  

[Ted Yarbrough]

Mickey,
I live in the North Georgia mountains. I have had layout (about 250 ft) down since 1992. Deer will eat plants, unless protected by 'deer away' products. Occasional holes dug by various critters need to be filled in (and sometimes they did in ballast to, and track will need some leveling and straightening-mine just free floats in ballast). We had bad drought this past fall, and for the first time since installing the layout, racoons dug up rocks, ballast, and rearranged some track! Called local coon hunter and he trapped and relocated 3 of the rascals! Yes, you might get some damage from various critters, but it is usually not permanent. I have cleared out the area around the layout, so falling limbs/trees are not a problem (but leaves and pine needles are always a job in the fall). Hope this helps.
Happy Rails To You,
Ted

[JBSahnd]

Mickey,

I live at 7000 ft. elevation in the Front Range of Colorado. Our layout is 450 ft. of NS flex track that is free floating on ballast (breeze or crushed granite fines) and is DCC and battery powered. Track remains in place all year. I don't have frost heave in our area, but the track needs to be leveled and re-ballasted in areas in the spring. Debris from trees is a challenge, since there are large Austrian pines that border our layout and do shed long needles and do not present a sap problem. Snow has never been a damaging element to our layout. Hail storms that come with the monsoon rains in the summer can be damaging to structures and plant life. Living in high altitude means that the ultraviolet index is high and the effects need to be addressed. Make sure to use ties that are UV resistant (most all of them are today).

Re wildlife: mule deer and elk will cause damage to the ties and rails or any thing they step on. Unless you install a tall electric fence to keep them out, be prepared for problems. Raccoon, squirrels, rabbits, wild turkey, fox, coyote - you name it, all exist in the Rocky mountain region.

[mickeykelley]

Thanks for input guys.