Would you climb/rig from this hackberry?

[iliketrees]

I would normally never post a question like this, as it is one of the "if you have to ask don't do it" sort of questions. I know hackberrys are known for being weak, but it definitly needs to be removed. A bucket truck is not an option due to access. A very large crane might reach over the house, but it would still need to be climbed. There is a very small drop zone, almost all of it will need to be rigged down. There is a large rotten spot we recently discovered in the trunk where a limb fell from the tree a few years back.

I really want to do this one myself, but if you think its unsafe, i will let a professional do it...

I have no doubt in my climbing or rigging abilities, and have done quite a few technical removals over houses, despite the fact that this is more of a hobby for me. I do climb and rig professionally (not trees however) and have a good theoretical and working knowledge of rigging forces. My only concern here is if the tree can support its on weight on the way down. I may have to lower everythign in small peices myself form the tree to minimalise forces on teh tree.

what do you think?

 

[(WLL)]

i reccomend calling a tree company. i would have no problem climbing and rigging that tree down to the stump. atleast its alive. welcome to a/s im glad you posted. from the pics the tree looks fine to climb. imo get a tree man to do the tree work.

 

[iliketrees]

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely take a careful look at the tree before doing it. I am confident in my abilities to remove it. It is by far not the most difficult tree i have taken down to date. I have rigged down several trees much larger than this one with virtually no room to drop anything. I have never had to climb a hackberry before however. I have climbed dead trees and i have refused to try and remove something before that was outside of my comfort level.

Thanks for the input, if choose to remove it and get up there and feel uncomfortable with the strength of the tree, i have no problem sending it to someone who does this for a living.

 

[ddhlakebound]

Safe to climb in? Sure.

Safe to rig limbs with an overhead rig point and no shock loading? Sure. Keep them small.

Safe to drop and catch the top and stem on the way down? Maybe for a pro. Maybe not. Not enough info in a picture.

I usually feel fairly secure in a hackberry, mostly because when they fail, the broken limb usually stays attached to the tree, and doesn't free fall. Hard tellin in this one though.....I'd want to know how much good wood it has around the outside circumference.

No need to worry about limb failures when the bigger issue is below you.

If possible, I think I'd want to lower all the limbs and (small) top, and use all the brush to make a big ole eagles nest to pound the block down onto.

 

[l2edneck]

Looks like a rope and pull over to me.....

I have no exp. with hackberry but that bottom looks rotten to me....I personally wouldnt trust it. JMO

be safe

 

[eljefe]

Re: Hackberry

Hi, In your first post, second picture, I can see limbs from another tree. Is it possible to set your rigging attachment point in that other (or even another tree not in the picture) tree? I am not talking about a speed line for that puts alot of weight at the upper attachment point. What I mean is that rigged to another tree, as soon as a limb is cut the weight is comming off the hackberry. The lighter it is then the the fewer forces on the rotten spot in the trunk. And no shock loads, either. Keep a tag line on the llimb and let it swing over easy and then down to the ground. I can't tell if this is possible, but it's just an idea. By the way, I don't see no hard hat in the third picture (your later post). El Jefe

 

[treemandan]

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely take a careful look at the tree before doing it. I am confident in my abilities to remove it. It is by far not the most difficult tree i have taken down to date. I have rigged down several trees much larger than this one with virtually no room to drop anything. I have never had to climb a hackberry before however. I have climbed dead trees and i have refused to try and remove something before that was outside of my comfort level.

Thanks for the input, if choose to remove it and get up there and feel uncomfortable with the strength of the tree, i have no problem sending it to someone who does this for a living.

What!? Don't punk out on us now with that " sending it to someone else " crap.
If I stayed at my comfort level all the time I would never get off the couch.

 

[ropensaddle]

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely take a careful look at the tree before doing it. I am confident in my abilities to remove it. It is by far not the most difficult tree i have taken down to date. I have rigged down several trees much larger than this one with virtually no room to drop anything. I have never had to climb a hackberry before however. I have climbed dead trees and i have refused to try and remove something before that was outside of my comfort level.

Thanks for the input, if choose to remove it and get up there and feel uncomfortable with the strength of the tree, i have no problem sending it to someone who does this for a living.

I know it is a bad job but somebody gots to do it. Really I would
not have a problem with it from what I see but if you feel shaky
hire someone to help you. If I was not so busy I would use it as
a vacation

 

[treemandan]

Looks like a rope and pull over to me.....

I have no exp. with hackberry but that bottom looks rotten to me....I personally wouldnt trust it. JMO

be safe

I had a shepard who would jump out of the pick up when he saw moving water like a fountain. he got messed up a couple of time and has dove off many a waterfall and high cliff.

 

[treemandan]

On second thought maybe you should get your candy ass down from there before you really find out something not so cool.
Just what is that strip of pealed bark from in the picture of you in that tree? That is what i want to know. Also, how did you manage to get your climbing line so high?
Now don't go into no tizzy, Ropeandsaddle is shooting down to give you a hand with that hackberry, he should be there Monday morning 6 am to start. Have 4 grand and enough 93 octane mix for 2 days of crushing.

 

[iliketrees]

On second thought maybe you should get your candy ass down from there before you really find out something not so cool.
Just what is that strip of pealed bark from in the picture of you in that tree? That is what i want to know. Also, how did you manage to get your climbing line so high?
Now don't go into no tizzy, Ropeandsaddle is shooting down to give you a hand with that hackberry, he should be there Monday morning 6 am to start. Have 4 grand and enough 93 octane mix for 2 days of crushing.

peeled bark is from a lightning strike, the reason the home owner wanted the tree removed.

 

[ropensaddle]

On second thought maybe you should get your candy ass down from there before you really find out something not so cool.
Just what is that strip of pealed bark from in the picture of you in that tree? That is what i want to know. Also, how did you manage to get your climbing line so high?
Now don't go into no tizzy, Ropeandsaddle is shooting down to give you a hand with that hackberry, he should be there Monday morning 6 am to start. Have 4 grand and enough 93 octane mix for 2 days of crushing.

Dern I thought ya thought better of me than that
I would be really surprised if that tree took me more that
four hours to safely piece out. I may be underestimating it
though or overestimating my ability either way it would come
down and be history.

 

[Nailsbeats]

That's the kind of tree that when I wake up in the morning it would be done, how you ask? answer: sleep climbing. Just a little tree humor there.

Seriously, that tree should be no problem for a pro, but if you are that shaky about it don't worry, it will just eat you up inside until you get up the gumption to bring er down with authority. Then hang a nut out and go for it!

 

[Old Monkey]

It always amazes me what guys can tell from a couple of pictures online. I am unsure if it is climbable. Peal out some of that rot, bang the bottom of the tree with a hammer and try to sound out how much good wood there is.

Have you ever rented a lift? There may be a rental yard in your area with a good lift that can get into backyards.

Get some bids from pros. It can't hurt to hear what they have to say.

Oh and the next time you climb a tree get yourself a hard hat or a climbing helmut.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

lightining strike.....

i would definantly check the amount of good wood ond see just what all is rotten in that core. lightning strikes can be tricky too, so take a REAL good look for cracking.......

other than that tree doesnt look to awful bad. just be careful on the trunk. i like to make 4' or so long logs out of all the wood that comes out when you get down to the trunk. line em up, add some brush, and drop that sucker.

 

[ropensaddle]

It always amazes me what guys can tell from a couple of pictures online. I am unsure if it is climbable. Peal out some of that rot, bang the bottom of the tree with a hammer and try to sound out how much good wood there is.

Have you ever rented a lift? There may be a rental yard in your area with a good lift that can get into backyards.

Get some bids from pros. It can't hurt to hear what they have to say.

Oh and the next time you climb a tree get yourself a hard hat or a climbing helmut.

Comes from many thousands of them done over decades of
doing the worst trees the ones no one else wanted to do.
Is the picture 100 percent at figuring trees integrity, no it
is not but does that matter to me, nah I have done thousands
of trees like that. Do I always inspect, yeah but truth be known
live tree and been through the storm season tells much. I am
sorry if you have always been able to pick berries in your
career or is this your career? The worst tree I can remember
doing in over twenty years was refused by one line clearance
company. My boss asked me if I could do it and I said yeah,
if time is not an option it was a huge sweetgum with three
phaze on two sides and just a strap of tension wood left
about eight inches long by four inches thick the rest of
the 52" dbh was gone. This tree was trimmed as high as
a giraffe could trim and had huge limbs above that and they
over hung the phazes. I know that the tree was borderline
suicide in most peoples eyes but I assure you I climbed it
got the job done after figuring a way to safely handle it.
Many will say a crane is the only way etc but it is the
best not the only way to do bad trees. I guyed the tree
by attaching many ropes in directions to stiffen and support
the tree until I was sure it would be safe as I could make it
and finished the tree .

 

[Old Monkey]

I do in fact climb trees for a living. I have a fabulous four year old daughter too. I am confidant in my abilities but do not let my ego get the better of me. If I found myself being proud for climbing trees that everyone else thought were too dangerous, I'd nip that in the bud. No one is going to give you a medal for climbing the nastiest most rotten dangerous trees. You seem to have your ego involved in this game. I humbly suggest that is a mistake.

 

[reachtreeservi]

Safe to climb in? Sure.

No need to worry about limb failures when the bigger issue is below you.

If possible, I think I'd want to lower all the limbs and (small) top, and use all the brush to make a big ole eagles nest to pound the block down onto.

I agree. I'd pound it.

No way I'd block down the trunk with that much defect below me.

 

[rbtree]

good posts, Darin.....just what I was going to suggest. A resistograph would tell more as well. Old lightning strike=cause for further examination. Good is that appears to be good woundwood formation, which is much stronger than normal wood.

rope, you do seem plenty experienced...but, to me, come across a tad too strong....


An excellent arborist can come across cocky and even arrogant, or humble and unassuming. Either attitude won't affect his abiltiy to perform well. And others might respect and admire regardless. Some of the best arborists who are most respected don't go around tooting their own horn.....Gerry Beranek, Mark Chisholm, Dan Kraus come to mind. Me? I do tend to toot, too......

toot toot...

 

[Nailsbeats]

Hey Rope, we do the same thing. Don't use a crane so we are always climbing these hazzard trees that other guy's walk away from. I tell you what, there is a big difference in tree confidence between treemen. I come from the oldschool like you in that respect.

I like your point about the tree being through a storm season. That does tell a lot, and is something my dad talks about. In all my years my dad has almost never batted an eye at a tree and we have done many "dangerous ones". I still don't know where his danger threshold is.

I am not saying not to look over a tree good, it is critical that you do, just saying look past the identified hazzards to what you can work with and get it done. Not by egotistic stupidity, buy by taking your time to calculate, take smaller pieces, minimal swing on pieces roped, double crotching your rigging, letting limbs on a rope run to reduce shock load, guying the tree and backing up any stressed crotches with failure potential.