Dodged two bullets on Friday, then took a hit (pic heavy)

[Hummer]

Well, not a real bullet but nearly as dangerous. At 4 a.m. Friday, my neighbor/tenant called to tell me a tree had fallen over the electric line to his house--but his electricity was still on. We met outside and found that a large double-topped spruce had broken both 30 ft. tops and were laying over the power line. Severe winds were whipping large trees around like blades of grass on the prairie. The heavy ends of both sections were up in the air, the tops on the ground. I stripped the branches from the tops so they wouldn't get hung up on the line, then cut the tops so the heavy ends flipped and dropped off the line. Success, we relieved the line and didn't get zapped in the process. (Xcel Energy showed up 5 hours later.)

We bucked the logs and cleared the slash. As it got lighter we could see two trees in my wood cutting area had uprooted and fallen. Then all morning, one tree after another uprooted or broke and fell. At least two dozen large trees.

Our houses and driveway are surrounded by large mature spruce and fir trees. They hang over power and phone lines, cars, and the buildings. I've been working to remove the trees for many years. I can fell trees but those hanging over the power lines have to be climbed, stripped of branches and topped one section at a time. I'm to old to climb trees with a chainsaw so in 2014, I hired a tree crew to take some of the most threatening. Last Monday and Tuesday I had them back to take 13 more large trees. Sure glad I did that because the damages on Friday would surely have been worse.

After we got the trees off the electric line, I noted two threatening trees next to my truck and prepared to move the truck and cut the trees. Two minutes later both had broken with one hitting and cracking the fiberglass topper. Bummer. We worked all day cutting and bucking downed trees. More to do today. One fell across the river so I'll don waders and take it out one piece at a time.

Tomorrow, the tree cutting crew is coming back to take more big ones around the driveway. $2200 so far. Ouch. But cheaper than having trees fall on cars, houses and power lines.

Over the past month I've been struggling against 4+ feet of snow, snowplow breakdowns, a frozen septic system, and now the blow downs. I'll spare you news of the other mini disasters. Mountain living at it finest. The only positive is that I've worked so hard in the past month that I've lost 18 lbs. If it doesn't kill me it will make me stronger.

Hummer


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Ouch_zpsnpzvmkbv.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Ouch_zpsnpzvmkbv.jpg.html)


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Blowdown-x5_zpstikjmkbh.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Blowdown-x5_zpstikjmkbh.jpg.html)


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Blowdown-at-Dans_zpshct99i2u.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Blowdown-at-Dans_zpshct99i2u.jpg.html)


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Felling-a-75-spruce_zpsibqvugdl.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Felling-a-75-spruce_zpsibqvugdl.jpg.html)


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Bucking-spruce-2-7-17_zpsfyyarauf.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Bucking-spruce-2-7-17_zpsfyyarauf.jpg.html)


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Trevor-topping-trees_zpsw3yx8cqe.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Trevor-topping-trees_zpsw3yx8cqe.jpg.html)


http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g292/COHummer/Peaceful%20Valley/Blowdown-over-creek_zpsflz8eh03.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/COHummer/media/Peaceful%20Valley/Blowdown-over-creek_zpsflz8eh03.jpg.html)

[roberth]

Wow! I knew the wind was wicked up there but Wow!

[Irving]

Looks like a lot of fun.

[theGinsue]

Having large trees surroundng your home, particularly in a mtn setting is gorgeous but carries the real threat of damage by blow downs and fire risk. Sorry to hear about your topper as those things are expensive but glad to hear damages weren't worse.

Be safe up there buddy. I need you there as a potential bug out location some day.

[Bailey Guns]

Well, now you have lots of firewood for a year or two down the road. Positive side and all that....

[Ah Pook]

There were gusts up to 95mph that night. Lots of trees down.

[Mtneer]

Yep, another wild day. We dodged the wildfire bullet...it was just over a mile from us. In summer conditions, this one would have gone big and bad.

Assuming they aren't lowlanders, your tree guys probably know this but be careful about thinning. For your elevation, it's best to leave clumps rather than open space like down at ponderosa level. Lodgepole/spruce are shallow rooted and prone to blow down so they do better in dense stands. Individual evergreen trees up there don't do well in wind and they are relatively short-lived so big trees are even more suspect. Only mention this because I've seen some stupid "mitigation" stuff done at Ned level based on Boulder forests.

[Hummer]

Today we removed the fir tree that had fallen over the river. Wore hip waders and chain saw chaps. Hauled the slash to chip this week and carried the rounds, some of which probably weigh 60-70 lbs. each.


Wow! I knew the wind was wicked up there but Wow!

High winds are common in the mountains in winter, worse in this vortex chute off the Continental Divide.



Looks like a lot of fun.

Actually, it was, except for part where the tree that smacked and cracked the Leer topper. Danger and hard work can be exciting.



Having large trees surroundng your home, particularly in a mtn setting is gorgeous but carries the real threat of damage by blow downs and fire risk. Sorry to hear about your topper as those things are expensive but glad to hear damages weren't worse.

Be safe up there buddy. I need you there as a potential bug out location some day.

Our prepper madness is not as complete here as in Palisade but I'll be working on that this summer. If the SHTF, you're welcome to bring stores, women and man power.


Well, now you have lots of firewood for a year or two down the road. Positive side and all that....

I figure 4-5 years worth of firewood once it all gets split. So far.


There were gusts up to 95mph that night. Lots of trees down.

Yes, it was a serious windstorm. Probably had all of 95 mph here, and I read that gusts of 144 mph were recorded above Brainard Lake not far from here. Walked around the property and found another dozen trees broken.


Yep, another wild day. We dodged the wildfire bullet...it was just over a mile from us. In summer conditions, this one would have gone big and bad.

Assuming they aren't lowlanders, your tree guys probably know this but be careful about thinning. For your elevation, it's best to leave clumps rather than open space like down at ponderosa level. Lodgepole/spruce are shallow rooted and prone to blow down so they do better in dense stands. Individual evergreen trees up there don't do well in wind and they are relatively short-lived so big trees are even more suspect. Only mention this because I've seen some stupid "mitigation" stuff done at Ned level based on Boulder forests.

You're right, there's strength in numbers regarding trees resistance to wind fall. Take some out and there's greater wind pressure on both shallow roots and the tops that act as sails. Here, taking out the threats overhanging cars and power lines just had to be done. Part of the effect is more blow downs.

[Ah Pook]

The CU research station has clocked wind over 200mph. That was about 150mph at 8200'.

[Hummer]

The CU research station has clocked wind over 200mph. That was about 150mph at 8200'.

Lordy! We're at 8525' down in the river valley. It felt death defying just being out there. I heard trees cracking in the yard but curiously didn't hear any trees fall even though I was outside and nearby when they fell. But, they fell on deep snow, not bare ground. My neighbor did hear and awake from the tree fall over the power line to his house.

[roberth]

So, these trees that are breaking and getting uprooted. Are they more susceptible to high wind damage because there are too many trees too close together vying for the same ground?

[TheGrey]

Wow! That's a lot of trees down. That's a lot of work and a hell of a ding to the bank account. :(

[Ah Pook]

So, these trees that are breaking and getting uprooted. Are they more susceptible to high wind damage because there are too many trees too close together vying for the same ground?
Either or... No, fewer trees to "break the wind" will lead to more losses. I have lost close to a dozen mature trees on my property. All were up-rooted. Most during micro bursts.

[roberth]

Either or... No, fewer trees to "break the wind" will lead to more losses. I have lost close to a dozen mature trees on my property. All were up-rooted. Most during micro bursts.

But wouldn't less trees result in deeper roots and stronger, more wind resistant trees?

My train of thought comes from hiking in mountain forests where trees are growing very closely together and dead trees are held up by existing trees which are bent over from the dead weight.

I'm no forestry person, just observations and questions. I understand micro-bursts are very powerful so maybe there aren't many trees that can withstand a micro-burst.

[Irving]

I don't think so roberth. If the trees have limited root range, then they'll slow respective above ground growth. Those trees have shallow roots anyway, probably because they grow over rocks.

[roberth]

I don't think so roberth. If the trees have limited root range, then they'll slow respective above ground growth. Those trees have shallow roots anyway, probably because they grow over rocks.

That makes sense, I didn't think of the rocks.