Monster-sized Halloween tree

In my Forest Service job, working with loggers salvaging timber in a burned forest, we ran across a giant tree that was threatening a road. It not only had a rotting "catface" (a logging term for a fire scar) but, it also had a very large dead top on it. The tree just had to come out.

As the timber fallers were preparing to fell the tree, I walked up on them and pictured their saws laid out on the ground. The 60" bar is not something you see everyday.

In felling a tree, the "face-cut" is put into the tree in the direction you want it to fall. Lining this face-cut up correctly is a key to controlling where this behemoth is going to hit. This is VERY important, as you don't want to destroy other trees in the area and you also don't want the tree you're felling to break into big chunks.

Since a 60"bar on his chainsaw still isn't big enough on a 96" dbh (diameter at breast height) tree, they had to make a double face cut. This process took more than 30 minutes and he obviously had it lined up very well. I've seen many a timber faller in my career and these guys are the best I've ever seen. It's amazing that Nick is so young but so good at what he does. Mike actually has more experience and they both do great accurate work.

After 30 minutes to put in the face cut, they gathered up their nerve and decided to put in the backcut. I had set up my personal digital camera and put it into movie mode to capture this BIG event. I didn't know just how long it would take for Nick to get the tree on the ground. About 2 minutes after pushing the button to start the filming, the tree started popping and falling over. I wasn't really fast enough to capture any good still shots during its fall but, the video was filming it all. The danger of snapping and flying limbs was considerable and any smart woodsman will put some distance between themself and a falling tree, especially one of this massive size.

That is Nick's crazy bulldog puppy on top of the stump. The bottom of the tree was a full 9 feet across. the tree ended up exactly where I wanted them to put it and only one tree was damaged beyond recovery. You can also see the catface that caused me to have them cut the tree. There is approximately 6 log truck loads in this one tree.

I'll be taking a picture of the biggest truckload, if I get the chance. It'll be about as big as the other picture posted here.