Plan B—using a come-along winch to get out of a mess

So Plan A was to drop this dead standing ponderosa pine to the left of the tall live tree through the tips of its branches to the ground. Well, I’m not as good as I was hoping and my aim was off and it didn’t crash through the upper branches like I was hoping but got hung up and stuck. Even after it was cut the butt was still stuck on the stump so I sliced off another wedge so the tree would slide off—which it did…only to firmly plant itself into the ground. (@&$!) Hmm…a good candidate for the ugly stump thread. Well, I usually cut much smaller trees and I’m no lumberjack but I was running out of time so I had no choice but to come back again the next day after I grabbed some tools. It was deep enough in the woods and far enough away from any hikers or trails so I knew it would be ok to come back the next day after regrouping. Maybe the wind would take care of things for me overnight. Well, I came back. It was still there. Nope. I brought with me some extra tools and devices to get out of this mess. I brought a tow strap, tie down, and come-along winch. That did the trick. I was not at a place I could get my truck to to pull it down after hooking it to my tow hitch. But one ratchet pull at a time and it just slid right down till it broke free and crashed down. I was in the clear and at a safe distance. Yeehaw. I’m sure I’ll hear other things I could have done but that’s how I did it.

 

Not dumb of it gets the job done safely

 

All that work for 6 rounds?

 

11 not 6–rest of the tree tomorrow. I have a small truck bed. But ? Yes. I get the same response from friends of mine who use their furnace. Beats going to the boring gym. I also grow vegetables which is a lot of work, and realistically would be a lot easier to just buy them at the grocery store. I have never been accused of being lazy. It’s the simple things in life that give me the greatest satisfaction.

 

Looks like it all worked out fine. No injuries, wood in the truck.

 

I look like the grinch's sleigh coming out of the woods in Wyoming. Sometimes I wonder how I got it all home or see a round on the side of the road the following trip! I absolutely agree about enjoying the process/work out!

 

Nice job getting it down safely. Used a come a long once to roll a log but never to free up a tree.

 

I feel the same. Simple things bring me great pleasure too.

 

Good job. Nobody got hurt. I have a well used Maasdam rope puller in the shed. A very good tool when I drop trees in my woods. It doesn’t spool up like a come along it has an endless spool which is a time saver when things go south.

 

Good looking firewood and good use of the come-along. They have gotten me out of more trouble than I care to admit!

 

They work great!

 

I'll use your technique if that situation comes my way.Thanks for posting.

 

Part II:
All dead standing bark beetle kill. Bark just fell off once cut into rounds. Just needs to be split and stacked over the summer and it will be primo for this coming winter or beyond.

 

Nice looking rounds. Is it very fragrant? Sappy? Eastern white pine here is very fragrant and sappy as anything.

 

Glad you got it down safe. Kind of reminds me of a similar job I did this past winter. There was a dead hemlock snag over a T junction between 2 hiking/biking trails that had rotted clean from its stump and was hung up in another tree. It had to go and pulling it down was the only way.

I was expecting the hemlock top to disintegrate as it was pulled so I rigged it with a 30’ nylon sling attached to a grip hoist with 60’ of wire rope. I wanted to be further from the tree than it was tall and used the long sling to protect my wire rope in case the tree broke and came down on it.

I started pulling and the top didn’t give. Kept pulling, the butt end slid a bit then came up off the ground. Continued until it was up about 8’ before the top pulled clear/broke and it fell. In the end the butt was a long ways from where it started.




Tree hung up before the job. It looks like a little nothing top that should just break. Rigging equipment on display.



Coming off the ground. Looks to me like it’s snagged in a black birch.

On the ground


Pulled off the trail, white pail is where the butt end was at the start. The dog didn’t want to pose. The grip hoist is on the log. It’s nice having a toy with 4000 pounds of pull.

 

Think we have been there at least once

 

I’ve done the same thing myself, Timberdog!

We have a saying in the fire service - “Adapt and overcome.” Good example!

Nice firewood too!

 

Smells real nice—like a lumber yard. It’s not sappy because it’s been standing dead a few years. Kinda “pre-seasoned.” One summer split and stacked in the sun it will be good to go. Practically ready now. I’ll put a MM to it and see.

 

Fine job!