Rustykfd
NewB
Just want to share a photo and a couple of videos from some work I did yesterday. I'm not a pro, just helping a buddy get some stuff on the ground safely. I don't have a lot of aerial tree experience. I do have experience in Technical Rescue/Truck Company operations and training from my 20 years as a career firefighter to draw on for rope and height experience. I've been running a saw most of my life, both in firefighting (structural and wildland/forest) as well as firewood cutting and tree trimming for myself and friends and family.
I've been working the last few months to outfit myself and start working in the canopy of trees on mine and my family's/friend's properties. Most has been pruning/deadwooding with a couple small removals.
Yesterday we did some removals at my buddy's home on the east slopes of the Cascades. The goal was to open the canopy to improve his view of the valley, provide defensible space from fires and mitigate some fall risk from wind events. This strip of land has power lines and a roadway at the bottom of the hill with the home and shed above. The photos were taken from the 2nd story balcony. We took about 10 trees, firs and pines, most were simple, but we opted to play it safe on one fir that was leaned toward the house and the big Ponderosa that wouldn't fit in the space we had to work with.
The top that I negative rigged would have been better if we'd used a redirect at the base of the spar, vs just making a turn around another nearby tree that was being culled. Better to keep the load inline with the spar. Lesson learned on that one.
Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with the result as well as the experience I gained.
FWIW, this was my first day working in gaffs, the only problem I had on that end was getting some cramps in my calf on my way down the big Pondo, I ended up taking the top and another 15' chunk then rappelling out DRT and it wasn't an issue.
https://youtu.be/31G6DRNmEN4
https://youtu.be/dg9Ti64iFi4
I've been working the last few months to outfit myself and start working in the canopy of trees on mine and my family's/friend's properties. Most has been pruning/deadwooding with a couple small removals.
Yesterday we did some removals at my buddy's home on the east slopes of the Cascades. The goal was to open the canopy to improve his view of the valley, provide defensible space from fires and mitigate some fall risk from wind events. This strip of land has power lines and a roadway at the bottom of the hill with the home and shed above. The photos were taken from the 2nd story balcony. We took about 10 trees, firs and pines, most were simple, but we opted to play it safe on one fir that was leaned toward the house and the big Ponderosa that wouldn't fit in the space we had to work with.
The top that I negative rigged would have been better if we'd used a redirect at the base of the spar, vs just making a turn around another nearby tree that was being culled. Better to keep the load inline with the spar. Lesson learned on that one.
Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with the result as well as the experience I gained.
FWIW, this was my first day working in gaffs, the only problem I had on that end was getting some cramps in my calf on my way down the big Pondo, I ended up taking the top and another 15' chunk then rappelling out DRT and it wasn't an issue.
https://youtu.be/31G6DRNmEN4
https://youtu.be/dg9Ti64iFi4
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