Monster Seattle Storm

[rbtree]

Here's pics from yesterday's monster fir....110 footer, about 54" on the butt, 20 yards of chips= abt 11000 lb, 2000 lb of limb wood, possibly 30-45,000 of trunk weight. Limbs up to 10 inches. 5-10 degree lean, cracked asphalt from root plate heaving. A few days ago, I'd set a 1/2 inch spectra line in it and guyed it to a large cedar behind the lean. Took it out to do the work as it would have gotten in the way and been a major hassle--as it was on the first tree that Matt climbed for me.

ole butterfingers had dropped his micropulley.

I got pulled up with lifeline set in pulley on end of lowering line. easiest way of all to access the canopy!

I'm at about 50 feet in this pic. From there up, I have to drop the wood onto a slight slope, so will have to employ a vertical speedline to ensure the pieces stay put and don't take out the neighbor's yard and structures. gonna be a real pain to rig...will need a tag line to tip the sections over, they're huge. From there down, I have room to drop a 47 foot butt log across the driveway. Extremely tight fit to get the log truck in the alley with two 90 degree turns, then snake out the log while he's facing the wrong way. but it'll save firewooding what I guess will be 2000-3000 board feet.

 

[rbtree]

Holey mackeral, the winds just won't leave me alone and let me ski...

AS I was on my way to Alpental this morning, I called my arborist bud Scott, who was on his down from his place up there to do tree work. He told me the pwer was out. I'd not called the report, but had checked all the websites and seen nothing reported but the Stevens closure.

So Matt, also an arborist, and I went over to Hyak, and skinned up for one run, then returned home. Did three bids on Mercer Is, all storm related fromthe Dec 14 storm. But there was another windstorm last night, and I'd had one call from a good client. I looked at their problem at 6:40 in the dark. A 110 foot hemlock had uprooted from the neighbors and totalled their greenhouse. I returned to check it out in the daylight and saw that it was stable and could do no more damage, and could wait. Meanwhile I had at least 5 more calls. Looked at them, and started a job at 3 o'clock to take a small tree off a house, and rig 2 leaners off other trees. Quit in the dark at 6:15 pm, have to finish tomorrow, and look at a few more jobs first thing, including a 70 footer on a home in Mukilteo. ( I'd referred my client to another arborist, who said the job required a crane.) But we have specialized gear that allows us to do work that only one or two of the 300 local tree services have the capabilities to do, without a crane.

Dang it and the next storm is due in here any hour...aarrgh....I love the big money, and the challenge of the technical work, but am sure missing the skiing.

This pic is from the Dec 14 storm. One trunk of a twin 3.5 diameter decayed cottonwood totalled this renton home, and pinned a lady in her bed. Paramedics had to cut her free. She was lucky to survive with but a nasty head cut.

 

[Jumper]

Wicked weather on the coast. I see the last storm destroyed the inflated roof on BC Place. I suppose better this year than in 2010 when it is supposed to be used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

 

[rbtree]

They're working on the roof.. I think it's being patched....not sure though.

We're nowhere near finished with work from the first storm, and another one hits Saturday morning...power was out at the ski area, so madmatt and I skinned up for one 1400 vertical run, then came home, did bids and started a job. worked yesterday as well on it (two leaners plus small tree on house) and took a 50 foot pine off a house that had done no damage. Good deed for the day, we did it cheap AND chipped the brush, as the client was on disability and was recently divorced. didnt want to make an insurance claim for $300 voer deductible. And I accepted $150 per month payments, with nothing down.

We're off today to finish the wolfy fir, have to drop 30 feet of stick in short sections, utilyzing a vertical speedline to control bounce, then squeeze a 47 foot butt into a 47 foot space (just bushes on the far side.) Lead log truck to cedar logs, and a fir to skid off the hill in one piece then buck to length. Then drive to another job with a 130 foot hemlock lodged in the crotch of a codom fir...and take the fir down.

I've finally got more help, so will be able to run 2 crews, with Brian and Ryan doing a cleanup job and removing a cherry with a broken section.

 

[SilentElk]

Fantastic pictures. Been a while since I viewed this site but these trees are incredible. Dont have trees quitel ike those in Colorado. Question about the guys from CO, what color was vermeer 1800 btw? I just ask because it alwasy seems like a small world.

Keep up the good work and especially the pictures! Mind if I save them to me PC?

 

[JohnH]

Looks like you guys have your hands full out there. Great pictures and be safe.

 

[rbtree]

Fantastic pictures. Been a while since I viewed this site but these trees are incredible. Dont have trees quitel ike those in Colorado. Question about the guys from CO, what color was vermeer 1800 btw? I just ask because it alwasy seems like a small world.

Keep up the good work and especially the pictures! Mind if I save them to me PC?

Yellow..Kelly, Dan, and Ken of Ambush are (or were) in town.

 

[SilentElk]

Just curious. I had sold a DOT orange one in Denver a couples years ago. Curious how small the world was. Keep up the pics!

 

[gitrdun_climbr]

Roger...man or machine!

One vote, machine...

I KNOW you're gonna hang up those ropes and get out the skis THIS weekend Roger! I almost needed a pair just to get home from Redmond highlands today as the snow dumped up there...the mountains must be sick about now! And next time you feel the need to get 25' of air trade the skis in for a saddle!!!
:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[rbtree]

Finally got up to Crystal yesterday. Some wind affect on the steep north faces,unfortunately, but I still found some fabulous powder. The place never fails to deliver the goods. And they've done extensive glading on Left Angle, which made some of the the best tight, steep tree skiing in the country some of the best glades....but no longer semi secret or secluded.

Here's a thread that Andy started, in the chainsaw forum.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=42494