Huge red elm finally down.

[ohlongarmisle]

This 85-foot red elm died a year ago, leaning towards one of my buildings, on a slight hill. I've had four tree services out; two looked at it and said they'd get back; two quoted 2thousand just to drop it. They never got back. I had no intention of spending 2K. By a stroke of luck, I met a tree cutter on the job, a Dominican, articulate, well-spoken guy about 50, who said he'd take a look came out a month ago on a Sunday, looked at it, and said he could drop it, but he'd have to have his partner climb it, as the bucket wouldn't reach that high. He said his climber gets paid $500 a day, but the two could take it down for $900. I said Do it he came out two days later, 95 degrees. His partner climbed it, put a safety rope on the tree behind it, cut four huge leaders, and lowered them down on a pulley. Now he was ready to drop it. Too dangerous to piece down would have to be dropped in one piece. It was leaning towards the building. He said he mapped it out, and it would fall ten feet from the building's corner. Well, he made the final cut, and it fell ten feet from the building. The ground shook; what heavy wood. I've cut it into lengths to move it to where I'll split it, after cutting in to rounds. I like burning red elm in the Blaze King. Check out the climber way up there. From the time he climbed it till he dropped it one hour and 40 minutes. It was a chore dragging it 50 yards off an incline and up one;

however, the Yamaha 450 Kodiak managed it with a little help one time with the Warne 3000 winch.The tree is estimated to be close to 200 years old.