Stlshrk
ArboristSite Member
We have had a Scarlet Red Oak at the edge of the yard since we built the house in 2005. It has always had a bit of a lean towards the back deck and corner of the house, but the wife didn't want me to drop it. It was a hollow tree that was also home in the last two summers to a colony of honey bees. This was nice since our garden location was also close in the back yard. The blackberries at the edge of the pond also benefited. Well the bees swarmed and left earlier this spring.
Then came a series of some pretty serious thunderstorms back on the eve of April 19th. While I was cleaning up some limbs from the yard I noticed that we were very lucky to not have this tree on the house. It had cracked out above the natural bee access hole. The lean was not favorable. Being hollow trying to overcome the lean with wedges was not an option either. My FIL happened to have a set of climbing spikes and harness that were basically brand new before he stopped climbing. So, it was my turn to give it a try. We needed to get a chain around the tree above the crack-out so that we could winch to a block and then the tree for the drop. It turned out nicely and gave the kids a bit of a thrill too! Enjoy the pix.
Then came a series of some pretty serious thunderstorms back on the eve of April 19th. While I was cleaning up some limbs from the yard I noticed that we were very lucky to not have this tree on the house. It had cracked out above the natural bee access hole. The lean was not favorable. Being hollow trying to overcome the lean with wedges was not an option either. My FIL happened to have a set of climbing spikes and harness that were basically brand new before he stopped climbing. So, it was my turn to give it a try. We needed to get a chain around the tree above the crack-out so that we could winch to a block and then the tree for the drop. It turned out nicely and gave the kids a bit of a thrill too! Enjoy the pix.
