just wondering again, everything here (Northern Alberta)  is a few inches topsoil...then heavy (HEAVY) Clay....hard to loosen and move...

-are sandier soils easier to move? easier to dig?  depending on moisture and ??

Hi, kittyman1.
Yes, they do but they also have less traction - usually - and are harder to carry a level on due to there being less resistance. On the other hand, they also fall off the blade easier and more evenly that clay soils.

Just my 0.02.

I agree with Deas on that

I hesitate to disagree with such experience as Deas has, because I know he has "been there and done that". But there are cases here where the right mix of sand and clay is almost as hard as concrete in my back yard. When dry, of course if wet enough and you keep wallowing, you can make a Cat disappear. But in general, I would say Deas is correct, just exceptions to most generalities.

Maybe it all has to do with why California is so mixed up. At least much more than most other places. I have been told by a soil scientist that San Luis Obispo County has more soil types than many states. So the crazy starts in the dirt. So maybe the concrete to thick chowder soup soil is only found in my area, and in limited amounts even here.

Hi, Ray54.
There are quite a few places on Santa Margarita Ranch where you can turn purtty much any vehicle or machine into a 'subterranean' with little to NO effort in the right conditions so you don't have any monopoly on that. I personally have seen D9Hs bogged 3 times, once with me in the 'wheelhouse', a D5H bogged once with ZERO warning, again with me in the 'wheelhouse', ditto with a John Deere (PLEASE forgive the bad language?) 772CH 6-wheel drive grader and a Cat 637D scraper with a dead rear engine. Also had to rescue a 4WD pickup with a horse float on and a Telehandler from disappearing acts.

Never managed to get the D9T dozer or the Cat 299D skid steer bogged. I even spent a few days with the D9T in the bottom of the big reservoir in the East field peeling about a foot of 'dry-ish' material off the bottom and pushing it up the bank - found some soft spots by no sinking feeling. Did have to retrieve the 637 scraper from the bottom of that same reservoir though.

Never did get anything bogged up on the hills though, always down on the 'flat' country.

Just my 0.02.

interesting stuff guys, thanks for the replies...looks like everybody's sandbox is a little different..