Chinese puzzle to cut?

[gggGary]

Neighbor does some cutting, but called me for this deal. Just a favor I can have what ever firewood I want. The two leaning cherry look pretty good, not much else of note.
I'm just a simple cut down trees for five, ten cord of firewood a year kind of guy.
got plenty of saw, 044
looking for some ideas of method, order to get this on the ground.
It's in a rocky fence row, I can get my big skidsteer on one side to rope/pull if needed.
The tops of the two leaners are pretty well tangled in several other live and dead trees.
The pics;

looking at the leaners from the stump

other side from first pic.

Kinda thinking lightly notch, nick the 3 trees holding the leaners up, give em a break point when the leaners are cut. then lower leaner; bottom notch, angle cut down from the top, near the stump to drop it free, maybe pull it out. Repeat for the upper trunk.
Any thoughts appreciated.
(including don't walk, run away from this) LOL
Nothing in the area, wires, building etc.

 

[arathol]

I would not worry too much about those smaller trees that may or may not be supporting that tree. If you go mucking around with them the whole thing might come down on you. Simplest and easiest thing to do would be cut the cherry trees off at the bottom and drag them out one at a time. Remember, on a leaner like this with the top hung up compression is usually at the top, tension at the bottom.

 

[Bearcreek]

I would not worry too much about those smaller trees that may or may not be supporting that tree. If you go mucking around with them the whole thing might come down on you. Simplest and easiest thing to do would be cut the cherry trees off at the bottom and drag them out one at a time. Remember, on a leaner like this with the top hung up compression is usually at the top, tension at the bottom.

Yup. Cut one off, use a longish chain or cable and drag it out of there. Repeat.

 

[Farmer_Nate]

No responses... You already done?

Revealing my ignorance maybe...
I have done a few like that. All great info from the others. I am no pro but I can say what I have done and lived:

Just as the others said cut the top side of the smaller tree first, about 4 to 6 inches through. Pay attention, or the saw may get pinched on the top side. Also, when moving the bar in and out between the two trees, stay off the throttle. Don't hit the top tree with the end of the bar and have the saw climb up it - kickback. Maybe cut more than one notch in the top side of the lower tree to make more room for it to fold when you begin the second step to cut up from the bottom.

Obviously, the easiest way to cut the bottom, point 2 in the photo, is to stand upright and use the top of the bar to pull up into the tree as you cut. Again, avoid kickback by keeping the bar all the way inserted as you cut upward. The tree will fold. It can kick sideways when you get near the end of that bottom cut, so keep clear.