How would you like to work on this tree?

[crtreedude]

Try volcanic - of course rainforest trees can get huge with little or no soil, just lots of sun and water.

On the farm, we have about a half a meter of volcanic topsoil - and it is really rich.

Does anyone want to see some pictures of my neighbor? Do a search for Arenal Volcano - he is within about 25 kilometers from me - as the crow files.

 

[Dadatwins]

Stump grinders nightmare.

 

[crtreedude]

You have no idea... Out in one field I have a large stump, it is not as big as this one, but about 12 people could probably sit around it. It looks like it was cut about a year ago, no real rot, still solid.

It is 30 years old. Cortese wood. The stuff is so hard that it won't absorb water. Even sharp chainsaws smoke when trying to cut the stuff. Don't even try an axe!

Makes really good bridges. We bought a log about 80 feet long this year to fix a bridge across our river. Drop about three of them across a small river, fill inbetween with rock and gravel and you got a bridge that will last for years.

 

[Tree Machine]

On this tree, and any (tall tree) for that matter, I would start with 1.75 mm Zing-it line and a bigshot. I would use a smaller shotbag, in the 10-12 ounce range (286-343 g). Figure on being able to nail a limb about a hundred feet up. If you plan to have climbs beyond 150 feet in the air, that kind of tree would be a day project.

If most of the work will be done in the lower canopy, say below 100 feet (30 M), then many of us can offer you help. Above 130 feet (40 M) I have never even been there and can't offer any technical advice.

Below 100 feet, almost all of us can help you. Please describe what would be some of your goals, # of trees, general heights, more pics. What do you have for climbing gear?

ps. How do you move an 80' log (or three of them?)

 

[NickfromWI]

Is it just me or does that tree lack sufficient foliage to make it worth the while to try to clean it up?

love
nick, the costa rican!

 

[Tree Machine]

We're not really talking about this tree, per se. It's just one of the tall guys on his finca.

We're trying to get at 'What is a more regular type of tree' that would need de-mossing, etc. I'm thinking the live oak guys in the south, southeast US would have something to contribute.

 

[fmueller]

Sure, lets see your neighbor.

 

[crtreedude]

The picture of the volcano is here

http://www.fincaleola.com/photo_gallery.htm

There are hundreds of pictures in this section, but the volcano is one of the ones on the entry page.

You are correct, I would not try to clean this one, but I do have some pretty big ones to clean. First though I am going to go slow and low, and 150 feet up does not qualify.

Maybe a balloon would work, or a helicoptor.

I have a pretty complete assortment of climbing gear, ropes, ascenders, descenders, etc. The ascenders were purchased from a arborist source. The rope is static (150 feet) and I also have a lot of dynamic rope as well for once I am in the tree.

Pretty much a rhetorical question at this point, I am just thinking, "How in the heck would you handle something like that!"

Who knows, perhaps it is hollow inside and I could build a staircase inside the trunk like in Swiss Family Robinson....

 

[crtreedude]

I have lots of pictures of Arenal so we are going to add a page to the website today for anyone who wants to look at them.

I have been meaning to do this for about 3 months, so this will get me to finally do it!

 

[rumination]

Arenal is incredible. I have fond memories of lying in the hot springs at night and watching red hot boulders flying out the top of the volcano. You're a lucky man to live where you do.

 

[crtreedude]

It is a hard life, but someone has to do it.

Of course, I have layed around in the hotsprings for a while, like about a year, been too busy.

Given that our temperature in the montains is about 78 degrees year round, the tropical fruits are great and cheap.

There are downsides, third world services and governments are enough to turn the remainder of my hair white.

We have had a business here for 2 years, but just moved down to stay about 2 months ago, still adjusting, but having a great time.

 

[crtreedude]

Well, after slaving over a hot keyboard today, just for you guys, my wife made a new page on the website.

http://www.fincaleola.com/arenal_volcano.htm

For all you fellow volcano watchers, enjoy. By the way, you don't clean up the trees on the slope of the volcano, them hot rocks are a bit difficult to dodge...

 

[Tree Machine]

Yes, Arenal used to be a perfectly-shaped cinder cone and one tall, tall, TALL volcano at that. The sides, very, very steep. As Rumi says, the volcano is active. You could watch the eruptions better than once an hour, with a really good one every now and then.

If you're lucky and clouds are absent, and you're paying attention, you can alert your friends of volcanic activity in advance of the rumbling sound of the burping giant. Very impressive to see a mountain belching out glowing boulders the size of houses. They just bounce on down the side of the cone, almost in slow motion, and come to rest about 1/3 of the way down.

You can fish for guapote in lake arenal, at night, for a really special volcano watching experience. Then about 11:00 you go have beers at the hot springs, just up the road, and volcano-watch from a different perspective.

Bummer dog that it blew it's upper side out a few years back. Still an impressive and highly active volcano.

 

[crtreedude]

The nice thing about Arenal is that, as the name implies, it is just a very large sand pile. (Arena is sand in Spanish) This means it doesn't every build up a lot of pressure.

They scientist think that part of the funnel will collapse in the next 30 days, diverting the lava somewhere else, probably straight at Tabacon.

My favorite volcano watching place, besides the plantation, is Los Lagos. Not very expensive (7 dollars), several pools of different temperature, wet bar, and unbelieveable views of the volcano.

Pretty good food in the restaraunt to.

The next time you are in town, let me know. I show you the non-tourist side of Costa Rica. Much more interesting, and quite fun.

Fred

 

[Tree Machine]

And I would show you how to limb walk where no man has walked before. For right now, we'll have to do it though cyberspace.

The BigShot and a pole is the essential 'missing tool' I see so far.

Once you could fire a shot bag high into the canopy, and get it to come down the other side, then you can start talkin about climbing, and limb-walking and working hands-free up there. Sounds like you have the gear to get you there.

What is your decending piece? We want a pic.

 

[OutOnaLimb]

OK, the only question is how much are ya gonna pay me to come down there and help ya out for a few months. Se Habla Espanol.

Kenn

 

[Tree Machine]

I think they start you out at 70 cents per hour.

 

[crtreedude]

Man, we pay a lot more than that! 400 colones per hour is starting wage (conversion rate is 450 colones to the dollar)!

For skilled labor, we pay about $2.50 per hour. However, if any of you are in the neighborhood.... One free trip to the hotsprings is on me!

I don't use no wimpy slingshot guys to set lines. I have a compound bow! That'll reach the top of any tree. 80 lb dacron fishing line - I figure if it is good enough for carp, it is good enough to set a line.

For descenders, I have a Gri-Gri or Figure 8s. I also have the belaying device I use for rock climbing.


Okay, you are losing me on the pole, are you talking a pole saw? I have a couple, also I have a collapsable pole as well.

I am hoping today or tommorrow to start on small smaller trees, first limb about 15 to 20 feet. I'll save the orchids.

 

[Tree Machine]

Uh, you clearly haven't seen the slingshot. It's not what anyone would call wimpy. It's more like a slingshot on a double dose of steroids.

A compound bow might work if you don't sink he arrow into the tree. Might be awesome for 150 foot-high sets. Also, it has to come backdown the other side, and whether your arrow has enough weight to get it back to the ground remains to be seen.

Also, our ZingIt 1.75 mm line is about 560 lb tensile and is slick and very abrasion resistant. I have no idea how dacron will work, but I believe it will work.

The pole I speak of is what you mount the BigShot atop. It can be 6' or 8'. I prefer 6.

If you're setting your line up to about 40 feet, skip the bow and just throw the weight over the limb. Mebbe you can take the reel off the bow to do this. Toss the weight over, trace it back down along parallel to the 'up' line. Unhook your weight, attach the climbing rope, pull the whole thing back up and over and down. Unhook dacron from rope. You have just set your rope. There should be two parallel lines, ends hanging on the ground. The limb you're over should be inward, toward the trunk / crotch. Do you have any questions about this part? Make sure you set the rope higher than the point where you intend to climb.

 

[fmueller]

Nice limb walking shot. So how do you get a free hand to do any sawing and keep your balance? Do you wrap your legs around the branch and ridem cowboy ?
Dunno cause I'm just a weekend hacker/slacker. Also that limb looks pretty precarious, like it would break with your weight on it. I'm interested, how bout some more detail on this picture?