Leaning tree...how to get it down...

[acke61]

Up at our camp we have a tree that has slowly been leaning over...i recently went up there after some of the snow melted for about 5 days to take a look at it....looks like the winter storms we had finally let if fall...

Before you guys all go telling me to hire a professional....thats probably what we will have to do...

but i'm just curious of your guys opinions on how to go about taking it down if i were to do it myself....

there was still alot of snow on the ground so i'm not sure if its starting to uproot at the bottom or what was the cause of it to start leaning...

here are some cell phone pics that i snapped while i was up there...as you can see if it goes to the right it risks hitting the camp...and the top of it if it goes straight down risks hitting the outhouse... ( ps. no one really uses the outhouse lol...been there for years)

 

[Burvol]

It's really hard to say unless your standing right there...I would either cut the smaller stuff its hanging in, then dump it, or buck it at the rootwad and pull it out backwards until the top hits the ground. I think cutting the smaller stuff first is the way to do it. BE CAREFUL!!!!!!! I do this stuff for a living, so don't get over-zealous and get killed by a hanger if you are not comfortable. "Keep one foot out the door" if you do cut the stuff it's hanging in. As long as the rootwad is intact, you have a pretty good chance of not having it come over on top you.

 

[Wortown Mick]

It appears that there may be a tree or two in between it and the house.
Its hard to say because of just how many trees there are.

It looks like its gonna hit the outhouse if you drop it too..


its not the most difficult drop because its pretty apparent where it will fall roughly.. if you cut some f the smaller trees out of the way.

The two or three closer to the base are definitely bearing some of the weight..

There are alot of forces at play there, id say if your not confident of your ability to judge them or deal with them in a safe fashion talk to either a pro or semi pro.

Meaning it being the middle of winter you should be able to find somone to get it on the ground for cheap so you can buck it up and dispose of the mess.
Thats if youve got a saw and truck.


But if it were me, id carefully cut the smaller trees supporting the leaner out.
Probably leave the ones I could to guide the tree away from the camphouse.
And carefully drop the leaner.. You really cant give ideas on what to do without seeing the tree firsthand if it helps.

 

[BostonBull]

I would put a block up in one of the trees to the slight rear of it. I would put a port a wrap in an adjacent tree. I would then cut 5' lenghts off the bottom while a guy runs the ropes until it is down.

Or crane it out, or use the crane like a block and rope and still cut from the bottom.

Good Luck and be safe!

 

[AlpineJesus]

Alpine Jesus can do this in his sleep.....

Climb up the standing tree, rigg the tree off a block in a high crotch. Then come down, get a guy on the ropes, take a few wraps, and slip it at the base, it will sing away from the house and off the two small tree's and you can lower it down to the ground; if its too long a couple more slip cuts will get you there.....

good luck greenie:greenchainsaw:

 

[capetrees]

Good challenge!

First, while the fallen tree is somewhat secure, try to get up the large hemlock behind it ( on the other side of the fallen tree away from the house) If the tree should fall while you are in the hemlock, you'll at least be on the away side of it. Once in the hemlock and above the fallen tree, place a false crotch around the hemlock considering it has no crotches until you are way up in the tree. Get your rope through the false crotch and then attach it to the fallen tree as far up the fallen tree as possible to keep the majority of the weight toward the base of the fallen tree. Secure the other end of the rope to the base of another tree or have someone hold it, possibly around another tree for added friction to steady the tree in the air as you then come down and cut the base of the fallen tree as low to the root as possible. Once the base has been cut, pull the base of the fallen tree away and allow for it to become free of the smaller branches up top and able to drop down under control with the rope/false crotch set up. If space is limited in pulling the fallen tree away to free it, you can cut sections off the base as you pull it away but keep in mind eventually the top of the tree will become the heavy end and so attach another rope to the bottom of the fallen tree to keep it under control as it becomes the light end. Ease the tree down and then don't forget to retrieve your webbing in the hemlock used for the false crotch.

Good luck!

 

[Scots Climber]

Ask a local, reputable, preferably ISA qualified company to give you a free quote.

 

[Dadatwins]

Like these two my first thought was to climb and place a block in one of the large pines for a rope to run to the leaning tree, preferably one located so when the leaning tree is cut it will swing away from the outhouse.

I would probably shoot a line up with a bigshot and set the whole system up from the ground. One of the pictures shows the leaner wedged into a crotch on one of the other trees so that may be a problem if it gets wedged harder after cutting the base. Might need some lift before cutting the base but hard to tell from my chair. Given the tension on those lower trees I would want some rope up top to keep that tree from rolling into one of those buildings. Be careful.

 

[BostonBull]

I would probably shoot a line up with a bigshot and set the whole system up from the ground. One of the pictures shows the leaner wedged into a crotch on one of the other trees so that may be a problem if it gets wedged harder after cutting the base. Might need some lift before cutting the base but hard to tell from my chair. Given the tension on those lower trees I would want some rope up top to keep that tree from rolling into one of those buildings. Be careful.

You can install a block from the ground with a bigshot?

 

[Dadatwins]

You can install a block from the ground with a bigshot?

After setting the throw line, you install a bull line in the rigging tree on that tree I would use a 5/8 line. Attach a block to one end with a lowering line already in the lowering end. I put the lowering line at the 1/2 way point and keep both ends on the ground tied off. Pull the bull line down which lifts the block and lowering line up to the rigging point. Tie off the bull line. Rigging point now set in the tree from the ground. When finshed, pull down the lowering line from both ends, or put a figure 8 in one end to lock in block and pull down the block , remove the block and take out the bull line. You need to be accurate with the big shot and choose a crotch that will support the rigging. One extra rope to coil when you are done but saves 2 trips up the tree to install and remove the block. JPS had posted a picture of the system a while back and it works.

 

[BostonBull]

After setting the throw line, you install a bull line in the rigging tree on that tree I would use a 5/8 line. Attach a block to one end with a lowering line already in the lowering end. I put the lowering line at the 1/2 way point and keep both ends on the ground tied off. Pull the bull line down which lifts the block and lowering line up to the rigging point. Tie off the bull line. Rigging point now set in the tree from the ground. When finshed, pull down the lowering line from both ends, or put a figure 8 in one end to lock in block and pull down the block , remove the block and take out the bull line. You need to be accurate with the big shot and choose a crotch that will support the rigging. One extra rope to coil when you are done but saves 2 trips up the tree to install and remove the block. JPS had posted a picture of the system a while back and it works.

That would work, just not here. these are all forest grown white pines with not too many crotches to tie into nevermind rig from. but a good point nonetheless.

 

[diltree]

That would work, just not here. these are all forest grown white pines with not too many crotches to tie into nevermind rig from. but a good point nonetheless.

BB's right again....you need a block solidly attached to the butt of the tree, you cant count on these crotches to hold. Those conversations with diltree must be paying off, huh bb

It looks like Alpine Jesus and BB have the right idea a a whole, they must work for mayer or something

 

[BostonBull]

BB's right again....you need a block solidly attached to the butt of the tree, you cant count on these crotches to hold. Those conversations with diltree must be paying off, huh bb

It looks like Alpine Jesus and BB have the right idea a a whole, they must work for mayer or something

I am but a vessel!

 

[sawyerDave]

A different opinion

Hire James the narcoleptic tree cutter, make sure your insurance is paid up, and video the event for us to watch. You can always send the video to AFV, and might even win the 10 grand!

 

[juststumps]

After setting the throw line, you install a bull line in the rigging tree on that tree I would use a 5/8 line. Attach a block to one end with a lowering line already in the lowering end. I put the lowering line at the 1/2 way point and keep both ends on the ground tied off. Pull the bull line down which lifts the block and lowering line up to the rigging point. Tie off the bull line. Rigging point now set in the tree from the ground. When finshed, pull down the lowering line from both ends, or put a figure 8 in one end to lock in block and pull down the block , remove the block and take out the bull line. You need to be accurate with the big shot and choose a crotch that will support the rigging. One extra rope to coil when you are done but saves 2 trips up the tree to install and remove the block. JPS had posted a picture of the system a while back and it works.

that works well, but you have to remember,, the crotch your using is now holding four times the weight of what your picking..... better make sure your spot can hold the extra force...

 

[randyg]

Before you guys all go telling me to hire a professional....thats probably what we will have to do...

but i'm just curious of your guys opinions on how to go about taking it down if i were to do it myself....

Pictures can be very deceiving, and you would get better qualified advice if we could see a couple more pics from a different angle. If you stood back far enough from the base of leaning tree so you could get the entire leaner with the outhouse in the distance just to one side or the other of the leaner, we could get a better idea how far away the house is. My fear is that without securing the top of that leaner to another tree first, anything you do on the ground may send the leaner sliding down and the saplings stressing under it helping hold it aloft now could send it in the direction of the house.


HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT TAKING IT DOWN?
1. Isolate a throw line over just the stem of the leaner where the diameter is 5 or 6 inches.
2. Replace throw line with bull rope using running bowline.
3. Place block high in a nearby tree using a retired climbing line through the rings of a retired friction saver (one and a half wraps around the stem).
4. Run bull rope through block and secure around a bollard or rope brake system attached to base of tree with block in it.
5. Carefully slash cut those saplings bent under leaner and remove.
6. Slash/slip cut base of leaner and then continue cutting 3 - 4 feet at a time off base of leaner till it hangs freely.
7. Lower 4 feet and cut.
8. Repeat step 7 till small enough to drag the butt out while tree gets safely laid on ground.
9. Pull bull rope out of block, lower block, then remove false crotch (friction saver) from the ground.

In this manner, you only climb once, but maintain control at all times.

Are these hemlock or pine?

 

[BostonBull]

Pictures can be very deceiving, and you would get better qualified advice if we could see a couple more pics from a different angle. If you stood back far enough from the base of leaning tree so you could get the entire leaner with the outhouse in the distance just to one side or the other of the leaner, we could get a better idea how far away the house is. My fear is that without securing the top of that leaner to another tree first, anything you do on the ground may send the leaner sliding down and the saplings stressing under it helping hold it aloft now could send it in the direction of the house.


HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT TAKING IT DOWN?
1. Isolate a throw line over just the stem of the leaner where the diameter is 5 or 6 inches.
2. Replace throw line with bull rope using running bowline.
3. Place block high in a nearby tree using a retired climbing line through the rings of a retired friction saver (one and a half wraps around the stem).
4. Run bull rope through block and secure around a bollard or rope brake system attached to base of tree with block in it.5. Carefully slash cut those saplings bent under leaner and remove.
6. Slash/slip cut base of leaner and then continue cutting 3 - 4 feet at a time off base of leaner till it hangs freely.
7. Lower 4 feet and cut.
8. Repeat step 7 till small enough to drag the butt out while tree gets safely laid on ground.
9. Pull bull rope out of block, lower block, then remove false crotch (friction saver) from the ground.

In this manner, you only climb once, but maintain control at all times.

Are these hemlock or pine?

opcorn:

 

[Dadatwins]

BB I saw it also, but this is a homeowner forum and I not going to get anyone more confused or eager that they already are. If someone wants to move this over to commercial tree care we can have some fun with it, and probably learn something. opcorn:

 

[BostonBull]

Yeah I hear you, but I feel we have to watch out for homeowners too.

I would never use a line for rigging that I wouldnt trust my life to!

 

[randyg]

Yeah I hear you, but I feel we have to watch out for homeowners too.

I would never use a line for rigging that I wouldnt trust my life to!

"I would never trust my life to a line that has been used for rigging." When I cut a bad spot out of my climbing line making it to short for my climbing bag, that (shorter than 120') life line becomes a rigging rope. Friction saver heavy (steel rings vs alum) and nasty with tree sap and ivy juice has seen several light rigging jobs keeping in mind the '4X the load weight' for this setup, and 10:1 wll.

"keep one foot out the door" "BE CAREFUL" "good luck and be safe" "good luck greenie" "good luck"

THIS IS HOW WE WATCH OUT FOR HOMEOWNERS?????

acke61 is a 25 yr old store manager. When I was 25 (over 25 years ago) I was 10 feet tall and bulletproof, looking for ways to impress (seeking approval from) MY father.

acke61, managing a store at age 25 shows that you are "smarter than the average bear" and I truly respect you for seeking what you hope to be 'professional advice' (look before you leap). Are those 2 trees with ribbons around them marked for removal by someone other than the homeowner? If yes, then I think a ribbon would look good on that leaner as well. A tree that gets hung up on its way down on another tree, is commonly referred to as "a widow maker" for good reason.

OH YEA, the remark about hemlock or pine was a gentle ribbing aimed at CAPETREES whom thought he spotted a tsuga in this stand of pinus strobus.