Advice on This Tree

[2dogs]

I have to take this redwood down but it presents a challenge. It is pretty well burned out on the backside, the goosepen rises to about 8' above the ground. You can see where the trunk is burned clear through and leaves a buttress on the uphill side. The goosepen is no more than 1' thick. The biggest problem is that the trunk sweeps downhill but the bends and twists slightly back uphill. The center of gravity is uphill of base. The main stem is only 3 or 3 1/2' in diameter but it is 8' or more above ground. The base is about 7' at the widest point.

There is a small redwood about 8' away that I could climb and the jump to this tree and set a rope 40' up. I could pull it downhill. If I do that I will break the stem when it hits the stream bank. Falling it uphill is too dangerous due to the canopy and the steepness of the slope. Any ideas?

 

[bitzer]

Just use a salami on it!




Thats a tough one. How much holding wood is left do you think? Any chance to safely cut it up higher? The rope idea is about all I've got too. What does it look like off to the left looking downslope in the pic? Do you have room to try to swing it some? Man thats a rough one.

 

[2dogs]

Kinda quiet here.

 

[hammerlogging]

Since I'm here called off from weather, I'll give it a try.

Set your pull rope in it to pull it against the lean (downhill, sidehill?)and get the line just snug (cause I don't know hte proper spelling of "taught" for this use)
With toprope in the other stem, directing you to the backside of that other stem, come over to the bad tree and spike in good.
Face and back cut the stem up where the wood is good, above the goosepen leaving a nice healthy hinge. She should just stand there, right?
Retreat to ground and pull stem over. Even in the worst case scenario you'd be able to swing outof the way if she started to fall while you were still on the toprope.

Sounds exciting. Best of luck. Skill, judgement, and experience is on your side.

Officially not homeowner approved........

 

[2dogs]

Since I'm here called off from weather, I'll give it a try.

Set your pull rope in it to pull it against the lean (downhill, sidehill?)and get the line just snug (cause I don't know hte proper spelling of "taught" for this use)
With toprope in the other stem, directing you to the backside of that other stem, come over to the bad tree and spike in good.
Face and back cut the stem up where the wood is good, above the goosepen leaving a nice healthy hinge. She should just stand there, right?
Retreat to ground and pull stem over. Even in the worst case scenario you'd be able to swing outof the way if she started to fall while you were still on the toprope.

Sounds exciting. Best of luck. Skill, judgement, and experience is on your side.

Officially not homeowner approved........

That is exactly one of my ideas. Another is to fall it conventionaly except I would still set a pull rope and once the butress is cut then pull hard. I wish I could use explosives. I'm sure I could get it on the ground with enough detcord.

 

[hammerlogging]

Or 1 inch winch line on a d8 for a pull line and just let the goospen collapse/implode. Leave the saws at home!

 

[2dogs]

Or 1 inch winch line on a d8 for a pull line and just let the goospen collapse/implode. Leave the saws at home!

Can I borrow your dozer for a day? If you bring it out here I'll spring for the dozer fuel.

 

[hammerlogging]

I would, but the guy I work for is a John Deere man. All we have is a 750, and an 850. Sorry.

 

[Hddnis]

Cutting higher where there is more wood is the only idea I can think of at the moment.

Please post pics of it on the ground when you get it there.



Mr. HE

 

[Jacob J.]

My thoughts are the same as Hammer's, that's the really only good option. If it can't go down or up, pull it across the slope.

Is anyone even buying Redwood down there?

 

[056kid]

if it is leaning up hill, I would try and go that route.

Maybe if you cut the buttress out completely as low as you can & level with the top of the hollow area, scarf the butt and cut the back right below the horizontal blue paint and commence jacking or run..

After taking the buttress out, you will probably get apretty good hint by the tree on weather its going up or down..

 

[timothykamp]

Get some light tension as high up as you can pulling it down the slope, cut and run.