A ‘lil load of Gambel Oak

Cut, split, and stacked!

 

Thats some great BTU'S

 

I just wish there was more closer to me. I had to drive a little bit to get it. But I will be going back for more soon!

 

I’ve never heard of gamble
Oak. What is it?

 

Gambel oak (some people call it scrub oak) grows in small groves or stands. It is one of the few oaks I know of that grows naturally in northern Arizona. I generally find it on rocky or well drained slopes like the sides of washes or mountains or other spots that are rocky and well drained. I assume it’s mainly found here in the mountainous parts of the southwest and Rockies —having seen it in Colorado. But I never hear much of anyone else from other regions talking about it. It has most excellent BTUs. Where I live, it’s our black locust. Since it grows in clumps it is often narrow in diameter, buts there is many of them. It’s rare to see a large trunk diameter like oaks in other parts of the country. If you can find a dead one with a foot wide trunk diameter you are doing really good.
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Will that be burnt this season? Looks ready to go?

 

That’s interesting. Gotta make due with what you have to choose from. Nice job!!!

 

No, maybe next year. It was dead standing. The upper parts probably would be ok for this year but I hit it with the MM and the inner, lower trunk was still 20-30%. That really surprised me but I guess the water drains downward and remains there once it dies and can’t get released until it gets split open. I guess that just goes to show why oak needs extra seasoning time. The upper branches came in as low as 8% though, but I’ll just keep the pile all together and wait till next year and test it again to see if it is ok then. I have other stuff I can burn in the meantime.

 

Thanks

 

Went and got some more today. Load #2

 

Love that stuff, bro! We have TONS of scrub oak around here. It’s hard to process though. It grows in thick patches on steep hills. You have to wade through a bunch of small stuff to get to the nice diameter stuff. I always keep a couple truck loads handy, for those really cold winter nights. It’s my favorite. But it’s a lot of work.

 

Yup!

 

Got load #3 today and added to the pile for splitting

 

Nice! Have you been back to cut more white fir? Was that at your NF spot?

 

Yes, last month. But when I go there I look for Douglas fir because they both grow together and the DF is much better BTUs.

 

Got yet another load. Came across an unusually large dead and down Gambel oak. The main trunk was rotted out and worthless but it was so big there were several branches on the ground that were still solid that I was able to pick through and scrounge. Got the whole pile split and stacked today.

 

Nice little haul. Too bad a bout the punk trunk, but some is better than none. Based on the pics hardwoods are a scarce find out there.

 

nice