I would have looked at that tree and thought the same thing. It's going to be a bear to split. Looks like there may be a little rot going on based on the pic of the crown blown over? Probably needs to be firewood before it's too far gone. Charge that phone up, we want to see the Scarlet oak too.
I lost three beautiful 20" white oaks last year to something, oak wilt I suspect. They were within 10 feet of each other. I was thinking the same thing, what a shame. Now if I owned a woodmizer, I would have quarter sawn them and not felt so bad.
Beautiful timber there and nice load of wood too.... Those little Toyotas could go place's that would make your mind spin.
It just fell this last summer, but it is a bit hollow. I already got into a white oak that was curly grained and it was a bear to split and I think this one is worse. Will do on the phone. Maybe later in the week, I am in the wood shop for at least today. I have the wood stove cranking in there and the chill is only now coming off the shop. It is cold!