Advice on climbing a leaning tree

[treevet]

Some trees are verymisleading given their size in relation to the degree of difficulty. Looks like you have already been up this tree by the fresh stub. You mention nothing of the wires running thru and beside it. You say you will avoid the roof by cutting small pieces. lHow are you going to avoid gravity? You mention nothing of pullies of lines or wraps or assistant. If I were to take this tree out I d put my bucket and crane on it. If I could only get one thing to it I would put the crane on it and do the usual tie into the hook, go above the piece set a choker, come down the climbing line and "buck in" and piece it down. Not to be condescending however you asked advice on climbing this tree, ans. Do not do it. The tree should be removed IMO bcs of the location and not the lean. It can be climbed and rigged down but by an experienced climber. I d take a look at it if as I think you are in the Cinci virginity (sp). Maybe put in a nice serviceberry or something small maturing after the stump is ground. My name is Dave Shaw and it s in the cinci book.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

One last note, to Mike Maas, don't trees typically suck in CO 2 and give off oxygen, this side of the Mississippi at least?
Cheers.

What gas is needed, in soil pore spaces, for roots to survive?
When a leaf, stem, or any part of a tree dies, what gas is consumed by the organisms that decompose it?

 

[jmack]

I've got a red maple, in apparent good health, about a 14" trunk and maybe 40-45 ft. tall, but it leans out over my pole barn at 10-15 degrees. I could use the extra sunlight back there and I'm afraid a storm's going to blow it over one of these days and ruin the barn. I'm used to working with chainsaws, gas and electric, and I plan to climb it with spikes/belt and strap, at least to top it out first and then cut the trunk down in short sections to avoid the roof. I plan on practicing the climb several times first but is there any advice out there for working in a leaning tree? It seems that staying on the high side might make the lean back on the strap difficult, is the underside the way to go up and then move around to a side to work? Thanks for any advice.

yo freakie! i would tell you to stop by and ask a pro to put it on da ground for you, but you already recieved that advice, why not rent a jlg lift platform they usually deliver to the site and show you how to operate it, they have rubber tires, so you can drive right to the tree

 

[feller]

Dont be a fool.

I've got a red maple, in apparent good health, about a 14" trunk and maybe 40-45 ft. tall, but it leans out over my pole barn at 10-15 degrees. I could use the extra sunlight back there and I'm afraid a storm's going to blow it over one of these days and ruin the barn. I'm used to working with chainsaws, gas and electric, and I plan to climb it with spikes/belt and strap, at least to top it out first and then cut the trunk down in short sections to avoid the roof. I plan on practicing the climb several times first but is there any advice out there for working in a leaning tree? It seems that staying on the high side might make the lean back on the strap difficult, is the underside the way to go up and then move around to a side to work? Thanks for any advice.

Dont be a fool.

 

[Tree Machine]

All good, valid advice from all of us, anywhere from 'Don't be a fool' and 'Don't even attempt it' to 'Get a platform lift'. Basically, a noob shouldn't be climbing a technical tree, especially with a chainsaw.

After just having finished that tall leaner a few posts ago, I would say, don't do it. Leaners present special problems, especially over a structure.


On the one below (same tree as previous posts), we have been mitigating that tree for close to 8 years. For the former owner, I had pointed out the dramatic lean and suggested a south-side selective limb removal, partial reduction. That helped quite a bit. Then last year, new folks moved in. This past Summer, I pulled a buckeye limb off the house in the front yard, that tree would be subsequently removed. Then one of the two trees in the back, a tall hickory, came down in a storm last Summer, taking out the primary line and power to a couple blocks of neighbors.

...then, there's one tree left in back, a major league leaner, ten steps from the one that recently fell. It still leans toward the south neighbor's house, but whereas 8 years ago it would have just hit the house, now, since the new owners put a new addition on back there, as well as brand new roof on the garage directly below the tree.... Those sorts of things, as treeseer puts so well, we as arborists need to assess risk, and save trees when we can. This one became a legitimate risk. It sucked to take it down. Other than the lean, it was a beautiful tree.

And to Mike Maas, great response on the oxygen thing. Even through a blanket of thick sarcasm, you still manage to slip in a biology lesson.

 

[046]

freekiezeek, fair warning!!! some advice given on this site of full of BS and will get you killed!

unfortunately.... to use huge amount of information on AS, requires learning what's BS and what's real.

for instance leaner's or tree growing at an angle will barber chair. coming back at you with a unpredictable angle, possibly killing you. unlikely a beginner would know this information.

a beginner has no business doing a difficult first job. start low and slow.
let this one go.....

 

[adam]

You are all obviously much more experienced in this matter than I am and I do appreciate the time you've taken to lend advice, and your concern for my safety (high on my priorities as well). If I do attempt this, still undecided, I'll definitely look into it more and hire it out if I feel outmatched by the tree, which is entirely possible. My apologies if this post was placed into a forum area suited to more commercial work and not newbie questions.
One last note, to Mike Maas, don't trees typically suck in CO 2 and give off oxygen, this side of the Mississippi at least?
Cheers.

Follow Tim's advice and you'll find out that you placed your post in the best area possible. Leaning red maples suck (in CO2) even in Canada.

 

[freekiezeek]

Still listening...

I hear you all. My first action on the leaner, if any, would be to remove a couple lower limbs that grow from the "lean towards" side and hang out over the barn. They aren't too large and can be removed piecemeal with a pole pruner and patience. That will reduce weight to that side. Fortunately the tree is not as large as the photos posted, nor as close to the building. A very similarly sized & situated tree (same species) about 15-20 feet away did come down about two years ago in an ice storm. Also a leaner, it fortunately only took out a bit of old fence and landed in mostly open back yard. Inspecting it's base, it appeared to have some unseen rot issues starting and had cracked off near ground level. I'm not aware of any rot in the tree in question, but seeing as I have plenty trees back there, if I do have it removed, I won't be heartbroken. There's numerous trees that succumb to competition every year and provide me with firewood, the others thrive and continue to grow. Don't get me wrong, I love trees and have been planting them (and watching the natives grow) ever since I bought this place 16 years ago.
And yes, I concede, Mike Maas is technically right. Since carbon dioxide is 2/3 oxygen, trees are definitely sucking it up, storing the carbon, and pumping back out some sweet free oxygen for us. The bacteria and fungi that are recycling the decaying wood certainly use oxygen as well, but they aren't a tree.

 

[hornett22]

sounds like trouble to me.

i agree,just because it's leaning doesn't mean it's going to fall or blow over.i think you should hire a professional.it's not worth the risk.

 

[Curtis James]

I just finished removing a leaner. It was a silver maple and when I decided to pull the spar over I didn't even think about my bobcat sitting on ice in the ally. it was just spinning and the leaning tree wasn't even budging. My notch was kinda ugly to cause my saw wasn't all that sharp. It came down fine after we shovled some gravel under the tires and I told my cousin who was operating the machine to increase the throttle. I was alittle nervouse though. so whatever you do be safe.

 

[adam]

helium baloons

whole bunch of guys (including myself) advise you to hire a pro...but you actually asked very challenging question; "How the guy with no experience can remove safely a leaning tree from above his barn?" That made me thinking (painful process, at least in my case) and thats, what I came up with: Buy yourself helium baloons for $15K (baloons for $1500 could lift some guy, I've seen it on TV, 15K should be enough for your maple) hook'em up to the top of your tree, cut this damn thing at the base and watch it fly away. If you advertise your removal aggresively, money from selling tickets, live TV, commercials and such should not only pay for helium baloons but also leave you with some profit. And once military catches your flying mapel on their radar screens you"ll have a free airshow. And please don't thank me, just send me two free tickets for my kids.

 

[Tree Machine]

Ha ha ha haha, giggle giggle, snicker.

Snort.

A one-cut taketown, er, take-up? Take off.

Arborists, please clear the tarmac. We have Acer flight 15K ready for takeoff....


You crack me up, Adam.

 

[feller]

Successfully climbing a leaning tree

Make sure to lean the other way or the tree might fall over.

Also, remember to throw down some of your gear as you get higher and higher. This will reduce your weight as you near the top.

 

[Tree Machine]

Also, remember to throw down some of your gear as you get higher and higher. This will reduce your weight as you near the top.

You and Alan make quite the comedy team.

 

[adam]

You and Alan make quite the comedy team.

My neighbor decided to drop a willow leaning over his barn. He hooked up steel cable to his tractor, other guy cut the tree while he was pulling. Cable was too short, willow came down crushing his tractor (he survived and everybody called him "Lumberjack" since). Other guy ( I barely knew him) decided to cut down a tree, stem pushed chaisaw against his chest (he did'nt survive).Why
people who call electricians, plumbers and roofers decide to cut their trees themselves or you hear "What? 500 bucks? my window cleaner told me 100 and case of beer". Sorry, nothing funny this time (you should see this tractor, that was funny).

 

[Tree Machine]

Show this one to Mr. Lumberjack

 

[adam]

Thats too much, even for me.

 

[Treeman587]

Why are people so cheap when it comes to this? There is a equipment rental place near me that will rent you a set of climbing gear for $25!!!!!!!!!!! I found this out because I was there when a guy was renting it. I asked him if that tree was worth his life. Told him you have to know how to use gaffs, it takes time. Most fools don't even have the confidence to lean back the first time. Screw it, Let all these people cut their own trees, Don't try to stop them. When they are on the news with a tree laying in their house, or are DEAD, We will get more calls.

 

[ropensaddle]

leaner

What about guying the tree to protect barn from failure
If tree becomes ice covered it will help support load or in the event
it becomes failed it should swing out of harms way

 

[spongygumz]

Laening tree

My advice ,as I'm sure my fellow tree dudes will concur,DON'T DO IT ALONE! Be sure you have a competant groundman.