What is wrong with this white pine?

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mukjp2

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I have had a few opinions given to me, but I want to know what you think. What's going on with this tree? Is it doomed?
 

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My opinion is that it was brushed pretty hard along the side. White pine are not the most sturdy tree, with all the limb weight pointing it at the cabin, id probably remove it as preventative measure.
 
May be an old lightning strike.
Yes, that's what the tree trimmer guy told me. He's not really an arborist, and he's got a biased opinion since he would love to take down my trees, so I thought I'd get an opinion on here. It does look like an old strike... you think it has recovered or it is forever weakened? I just bought this place and I've never owned big trees before, and I really don't want to take them down. It seems dumb - those trees have stood for 50 years, I come in and buy the place and decide they must die. I just don't know what the level of risk is. I have another tree trimmer (who is an arborist) coming for a second opinion. I also located an arborist who I'm hoping to get to come over who doesn't work near there and can give me an unbiased opinion. As TigWelder said, it is leaning toward the cabin and all the weight is on that side, but still, after all these years what are the odds that it falls right when I notice some damage?
 
it could have had a branch ripped down and off earlier in its life or something large rubbed up against it like a rv or mobile home years ago.. a lightning strike usually leaves char marks but would not be out of the realm of possible causes. if i were a betting man i would wager that tree is about 15 years old as are the surrounding pines. Being surrounded by pines I would worry more about pine beetles than that tree falling unless it starts to show canopy die off.
 
No matter the cause, is there rot associated with the wound? It doesn't necessarily look like it in the pic. If not, I'm not overly concerned. However, like @Tigwelder83 said White pine are relatively weaker that many other trees.
 
I hazard to say anything, but judging by how far up the tree it is, I have to agree with a limb being ripped off. Almost looks too high up for a rub, and lightning strike should (from what I've seen, and that's been very few) have traveled farther down the tree, and show more signs of damage.(as previously stated) I'm not super familiar with this species, and am no arborist, but I wouldn't fret too much about it. The tree other wise looks to be in decent shape.
 
it could have had a branch ripped down and off earlier in its life or something large rubbed up against it like a rv or mobile home years ago.. a lightning strike usually leaves char marks but would not be out of the realm of possible causes. if i were a betting man i would wager that tree is about 15 years old as are the surrounding pines. Being surrounded by pines I would worry more about pine beetles than that tree falling unless it starts to show canopy die off.
15 years old? This thing is like 80 feet tall with a 19 inch diameter trunk. I'm thinking about 50 years old based on the rings I've seen on much smaller fallen pines on my property. It would squash my cabin like a bug if it fell. When I bought the place last summer I loved the look of all the huge pines around it, but I hadn't considered the danger of some of the leaners. Also, it is actually not surrounded by pines. It WAS until the previous owner harvested almost the entire parcel. That's why all the branches are facing the cabin, because that was the only place it could find sunlight before. Now it is exposed from the west and getting blasted with wind. But you're right about the canopy being very healthy looking. I'm still trying to learn if a healthy canopy necessarily means a strong trunk.
 
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