[MarkHL]

I was out clearing some recent blowdown yesterday and came up on this. I know if I chainsaw it up near the stump the upper 50 foot should just cantilever over the stump, no problem.

... or (1) it'll fall off this 100 year old rotten stump as it's unweighted during the cutting process because it's probably going to fracture before I finish the cut, or (2), the top end (after it's separated) will use the stump as a slide and comes down 3 feet before kicking up and taking my head off in the process.

I thought about climbing up on the stump, but the lower end is still being pulled by the roots and it's probably going to come up too after the cut. I had a 20" diameter tree snap straight back up (in an instant) last December (see pictures below). I was in the process of relieving the stress when I heard the wood fibers start popping and backed up about 10 feet before it let go.

After about 10 minutes of looking at this one, I walked away...

It's at 47.63136 -122.75856 (loop on red sector a) if anyone in the area (with more experience) wants to take it out for me.

Edited 3/3/11 - I got it...

 

[Jimba]

Leave it and make a skinny out of it. :thumbsup:

 

[The Sagebrush Slug]

Leave it and make a skinny out of it. :thumbsup:

Just cut it at the roots and you've got a great teeter.

 

[ebxtreme]

Mark,

Can you get up to cut it past where it's laying on the stump so that end just falls? If so, that'd be my first cut. Then, you can cut it near the rootball without the worry of it popping up and knocking you out and/or heaving your saw at ya.

If not, I'd cut a wedge on the bottom where it's crossing the trail (at waist height) and then cut through from the top - knowing that the rootball and the rest of the tree will spring up. If there's no weird side load, then it shouldn't move right or left on ya, mostly vertical.

Ooh and I'd throw some chaps on and have someone with ya.

EB

 

[Borneo]

Cut the dangler like EB said but I think it's going to drop when cut in the middle so relieve the top with a 45 degree wedge 30% through or so and then cut up from the bottom slowly. Odds are the right side will drop and the left will stay in the air. Trim that to trail width plus.

 

[woodway]

I would throw a strap around it, attach the strap and a come along to nearby stout tree and pull it down to the ground. Then I would proceed to cut it. Hard to tell from the pics if that is possible.

If I had to cut it in place, I would go with EB's suggestion.

 

[Jimba]

OR, get a helicopter and lift it over to P.V. drop it off at L.D. :thumbsup:

 

[NWS]

Use dynamite.

 

[ACree]

Good suggestions. Bucking blowdown is dangerous, an overabundance of caution is a good thing to have. The absolute best way to deal with this is talk a timber faller into helping you out, if there's any left in the state.

If you do it yourself, then as others have said I'd go with trying to get up on that stump and buck off the portion past the stump. Caulked boots are nice to have for this. From the pic it doesn't look there's any obvious binds, then again, they're not always easy to spot.... Next, I'd then make a cut closer to the stump and try get the whole thing on the ground... or it might spring up at that point. Then a final cut near the rootball. As you not, rootballs can flop back in the ground, sometimes in spectacular fashion. Personally, I'd use the biggest saw (longest bar) you can get. You can be further back that way and in a much better position, and they don't kick back as much. The little weekender saws are the most dangerous ones out there.

Is that a springboard notch about midway up the old stump?

 

[ACree]

BTW, have you confirmed the land manager has no plans for salvage logging and isn't going to have a fit when a log is cut into random length pieces?

 

[Wrench Monkey]

I like the idea of using a come-along to get it on the ground. Let me know if you want help. I have a come-along and a larger saw.

 

[MarkHL]

Yesterday's wind

I got out to remove about six more downed trees in this area this morning and took out the tree leaning on the stump (see first post of this thread).
I cut it near the root; Under-buckled it halfway and then partly buckled the top before I began to blip the throttle while watching the kerf open up. It evenually fractured and the tree cantilevered horizontal. I was then able to roll it off the stump. It was a good day for me, I never bound my chain once, and the wedges stayed in the pack

Mark

 

[Borneo]

That's always a good day. I've had to leave a bar in the woods before. Not fun and used up at least a month's worth of F-bombs....

 

[ebxtreme]

That's always a good day. I've had to leave a bar in the woods before. Not fun and used up at least a month's worth of F-bombs....

One things for sure....when you do that, you don't forget your wedges again!

Unfortunately, spoken from experience. :madmax: :madmax:

Mark, sounds like a productive day. I suspect we'll all have a lot more to clean up with the crazy gusts yesterday.

EB

 

[goneskiian]

Having never operated a chain saw, I'd like to thank those that do. Especially you folks who are out clearing trails for us to ride on.

THANK YOU! :thumbsup:

 

[NWS]

What he said!

 

[Joe76LJC]

I rode SST yesterday and there was about 3 or 4 trees in the trail. I was able to move one, but the others were to big. So use caution if you decide to ride that trail.