A biggie bites the dust

[rbtree]

Pat, who has worked for and with me for quite some time, has his own biz now, Westside Tree Care. He needs me, my crew and chipper for some of his jobs. The job entailed removing a cottonwood with a maple growing nearly together and two more maples. These were normal sized trees, 24-30" dbh and 60-110 feet tall. The tree pictured in these images was ~42" dbh and 140 feet tall, with a secondary trunk of ~20" which grew up and out, thus totally weighted to the side. Challenging removal, with a cedar understory, plus a fence, sprinkler line and shed for obstacles. Oh, and the septic drain field on the side away from the fence. We did the job Tuesday and Wednesday in good weather. My computer was acting up....couldnt get the images downloaded for ages. Doubt I slept more than two hours Wed nite. Then, Thursday was ugly wet. Yesterday nice. Rain here was snow in the mountains, even at Crystals base. I'm still tired, but am leaving to ski Crystal for today and maybe tomorrow in a few minutes. Should be some heavy powder to ski (chowder) before the sun comes out, which is supposed to be happening later, with tomorrow looking nice and warmer!

We lowered a wickedly huge top..and the video is rather impressive!
Pat's going back to finish the last 50-60 feet of big wood this morning. I gave him several ideas on how to get the rounds off. Since I don't have one of Reg's "Block Drivers", I didn't include the best option.

Edit, I wrote the above on the TH, a couple days after we did the job on May 8... Today is the 24th and I'm going skiing again at some time this weekend. Left my skis at Crystal to be tuned. Gotta go get them, make a few turns, as I'm going to Mt Hood on June 22, my way of celebrating my 65th birthday!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbtree/sets/72157644591978821/

 

[rbtree]

I woke up at 3 am.... after hitting the sack way early for a change, and finally got to editing the cottonwood footage. Enjoy! Watch on Youtube in HD and full screen of course!

Westside Tree Care Big Redmond Cottonwood - YouTube

 

[gorman]

Glad we don't have many Cottenwoods around here.

 

[Zale]

Looks like someone got some new climbing gear. Why making those small cuts and tossing instead of blocking it down? Tell your climber he really should put a shirt on. Skin cancer is a *****. Trust me on that one.

 

[Brendon Phillips]

Good ground crew ya got there. It's nice to have a rope guy that'll let it run when you need it to.

 

[jefflovstrom]

lol
Jeff

 

[rbtree]

Looks like someone got some new climbing gear. Why making those small cuts and tossing instead of blocking it down? Tell your climber he really should put a shirt on. Skin cancer is a *****. Trust me on that one.

If you read my posts, you'll note that Pat has his own biz now. AS far as him going shirtless goes, that's his prerogative. Tain't for me when aloft. But I've gone shirtless whenever i can since I was two.

The wood had to be cut up anyhow, and, given an adequate drop zone, I'll chunk it down rather than rig all day long.

 

[Brendon Phillips]

If you read my posts, you'll note that Pat has his own biz now. AS far as him going shirtless goes, that's his prerogative. Tain't for me when aloft. But I've gone shirtless whenever i can since I was two.

The wood had to be cut up anyhow, and, given an adequate drop zone, I'll chunk it down rather than rig all day long.

Second on the chunking. I prefer not to rig down big wood, but sometimes it has to be done I guess.

 

[TreeAce]

Good ground crew ya got there. It's nice to have a rope guy that'll let it run when you need it to.

With the size of that top the ground guy dam well better know how to let her run thats for sure. Prolly not how I woulda done it but looked like a nice job done there regardless. No doubt a big tree, a tall sob for sure. I have a big cotton wood coming up myself. Its not that tall though. nice job rbtree

 

[DR. P. Proteus]

How does he take down such big trees with such a short lanyard?

 

[jefflovstrom]

The wood had to be cut up anyhow, and, given an adequate drop zone, I'll chunk it down rather than rig all day long.

See, chunk it down,,rather than block it down.
Sorry RB,,I used your post to make a point.
Jeff

 

[treevet]

I don't have one of Reg's "Block Drivers", I didn't include the best option.

I do

Thanks for posting the vid Rog. Gets pretty boring here sometimes but if you post them you have to put up with all the Monday morning quarterbacks that would likely schit their pants with a tree that big, esp a brittle pos like a cottonwood. How many climbers do you know that talk a big game but ain't schit.

Also...big warning warning....don't work without a shirt on lol. Go down to Atlantic City or elsewhere then you can REALLY be the safety police hahahaha.

 

[Zale]

I do

Thanks for posting the vid Rog. Gets pretty boring here sometimes but if you post them you have to put up with all the Monday morning quarterbacks that would likely schit their pants with a tree that big, esp a brittle pos like a cottonwood. How many climbers do you know that talk a big game but ain't schit.

Also...big warning warning....don't work without a shirt on lol. Go down to Atlantic City or elsewhere then you can REALLY be the safety police hahahaha.

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I know Vet. You are immune from skin cancer. But for the rest of us, its a fact that many of us will have to deal with. I've been dealing with various forms of it for the past 10 years and my mother was diagnosed with melanoma a month ago. Terminal. I know I can't change peoples behaviors but I do try to warn them.

 

[treevet]

Sorry to hear what you have been thru. I have had cancers on my head and almost always wear a hat now but was unaware of the threat to ANY exposed body part and have at times worked countless hours over all these years shirtless in the heat and humidity of an extreme day and nothing. Better safe than sorry I suppose.

 

[CanopyGorilla]

Here in Missoula I would say at least 50% of my climbing removals are big cottonwoods. They do spook me a bit more than anything else.

 

[treevet]

Its raining cotton around here but most of the heavy residential areas have had the cottonwoods culled out for safety concerns although the allergic reactions are reason enough.