Tree Hung up...Need advise

[Raptor57]

A willow uprooted across the stream and is now hung up on 2 trees. The "Y" in the tree is pinched on the left side of a solid, roughly 16" diameter Maple (Area 1). (Area 2) is hung up on the right side of a 6" maple that is now leaning due to the pressure from the willow. Looking for suggestions about where and what to cut, to get this down SAFELY. I considered cutting the 6" maple at the base but am concerned about the snap when it breaks. The other branches on the willow are too high to reach without a ladder which I REALLY dont want to do. All suggestions welcomed! Thanks

 

[dandan111]

How about hooking a chain to the uprooted tree and pulling it over ?

 

[coffeebrk]

Jameson or Silky pole saw make quick work of it. Notch pole saw also

 

[Exophysical]

Couple things, I'd be a bit shy of touching that 6" tree, just from the picture it sort of looks like the willow could come down the minuet you cut that tree, and you'd be in a bad spot. Likewise, going after the branches puts you in a bad spot if the willow lets go.

I would start working on the base of the willow, cutting my notches sideways so that as it comes down the butt of the Willow can be pushed or pulled over to the right. Once it moves far enough to the right that #1 lets go, just from what I can see in the picture, it seems like the willow should come down.

IMO the safest order of operation would be to make a cut lower on the stump, with the face notch on the right, but leave a fat hinge and enough meat that it wont go on its own. Then make one as far above that as practical, you could either put a steep face notch on the left, or carefully cut a real deep notch from the right side, once again you want to leave enough that nothing moves on its own. Then push or pull everything to the right by whatever means is safest/ available, you especially want that top cut to hang on most of the way down so the bottom piece pushes the trunk over to the right instead of just snapping and letting it drop straight down. You might need to make a couple more high cuts and keep knocking it over to the right before it lets go.

 

[firekindler]

Whatever you do, be sure to have good escape routes. Another option is to walk it down with putting wide face cuts on the facing up side of the willow trunk. Eventually it flops over backwards from the way it's leaning now. Depending on where the clearest lay is, you could combine that with the option Exophisical suggests above, to try to get it to flop partially to the side, by putting the face cut partially off to the side rather than directly on the facing up side of the trunk.

 

[Exophysical]

Whatever you do, be sure to have good escape routes. Another option is to walk it down with putting wide face cuts on the facing up side of the willow trunk. Eventually it flops over backwards from the way it's leaning now. Depending on where the clearest lay is, you could combine that with the option Exophisical suggests above, to try to get it to flop partially to the side, by putting the face cut partially off to the side rather than directly on the facing up side of the trunk.

Yeah, this would be plan B for me. If it wont move over or free up, I'd just keep cutting in the manner you suggested. Couple reasons that wouldnt be my first choice, the more upright that tree gets the more unpredictable it becomes. Too I think the risk of getting pinched, especially on that first cut, is somewhat high. And lastly, as the tree gets more vertical those overhead branches have a nasty habit of cracking you in the head when your blocking it down if you arent paying attention.

I mean, we've all had to do it that way, but its definately not my first choice... if theres a chance I can make one or two cuts and knock it free while its still heading in a predictable direction and the overhead hazards are minimal I'd rather try that. YMMV.

 

[firekindler]

Use a spotter for widowmakers outfitted with a loud whistle, like lifeguard's or referee's. Locate the spotter out of the way of danger. If you can't hear the whistle with the saw revved, remove one earplug. If you hear the whistle, access one of your escape routes. I've used this system cutting large, rotten, burning hazard trees on wildfires for decades, and it's saved my bacon more than once.
The more upright the tree gets, the more inclined it will be to flop over. Alternately, once it's pretty upright, it becomes easier for the two of you to push it over the rest of the way. Or fix a rope as high up as you can reach or toss a weighted end and pull it over the rest of the way with the two of you out of harm's way.
Avoid pinching by using the top of the bar for the cut on the side of the trunk facing the ground. In other words, make that cut from the bottom up and the kerf will open, not pinch. If you make the cut from the bottom evenly compared to the face cut on the top, the butt will go opposite of the way the face cut is pointing. All this assumes the trunk wood is sound.

 

[FXJenkins]

I would start working on the base of the willow, cutting my notches sideways so that as it comes down the butt of the Willow can be pushed or pulled over to the right. Once it moves far enough to the right that #1 lets go, just from what I can see in the picture, it seems like the willow should come down.

This was my initial assessment...and yes, identify your escape routes

 

[Exophysical]

This was my initial assessment...and yes, identify your escape routes

If possible, like I mentioned, I would reccomend keeping enough meat in the cuts to keep it standing, then use a rope/ comalong/ ATV/ whatever to pull it to the right. I personally wouldnt be real shy of just kicking it over, but I'm not going to reccomend anyone else do that.

 

[FXJenkins]

I would not cut the base of the maple first. It appears there could be a lot of weight against the maple and therefor unpredictable. The willow with that widow maker limb could come sliding down your direction fast. Generally you want to un-load this situation from the outside back, working inward, and re-evaluate as you go.

 

[FXJenkins]

One other thing I forgot to mention and you may already know but root balls or bases can sometimes want to resurface, very fast, more so with evergreens, but any root base can slap back down when the roots are stress hinged and you stump it. And the stump face comes up at you real quick.

Not to be morbid but I heard about a guy that was cutting an uprooted pine, while his son was playing around the very interesting root base, load was released and instantly and most tragically buried his son. Sorry, just putting that out there cause it’s better to know from others miseries. Prayers for that family to this day.

 

[Exophysical]

One other thing I forgot to mention and you may already know but root balls or bases can sometimes want to resurface, very fast, more so with evergreens, but any root base can slap back down when the roots are stress hinged and you stump it. And the stump face comes up at you real quick.

Not to be morbid but I heard about a guy that was cutting an uprooted pine, while his son was playing around the very interesting root base, load was released and instantly and most tragically buried his son. Sorry, just putting that out there cause it’s better to know from others miseries. Prayers for that family to this day.

Part of the reason I think that first cut might be a little pinchy, regardless of what FK says.

Perhaps you could have another watcher, and if he see's that your about to get pinched he could play Hot Crossed Buns on an accordian and dance a little jig, at which point you would assuredly hear him and have time to react correctly....

Lol, sorry FK, just busting your chops a little.

 

[firekindler]

Someone sure needs to - it's been too quiet around here lately.