Climbing - Tree Style

I like trees, really I do. My lot line had 7 of them. For such a small area that's a lot. I tried to maintain them (kinda), but they've outgrown their welcome and are killing everything in my neighbor's and my yards. So I got an urge to re-landscape and do something else on the lot(line). So I convinced a friend to help take them down, so sad. I had seen a company do my neighbor's huge pine and that involved a man lift, how were we (read David) going to take them down? Oh, just climb them. Really? Yes, I found out Friday.

David arrived with much of his climbing gear. Ascenders, harness, ropes, climbing shoes (ok, spurs), Belay devices, slings. biners, saws (ok, I can't think of a climbing use of saws - maybe trail maintenance?), and more.

He started climbing up the tree with his spurs and a sling around the tree. He cleared the limbs on his way up (pic left) and took out the trunk on his way down (pick right about ready to top the one tree). Simple. I moved the branches around on the ground, got David some water, some food, and whatever else he wanted.

So we got three and a half down. We had to stop there since we lost daylight and I had no where else to put the stuff he was dropping to the ground. I guess, to be cntd... but before it's on to cleanup (pic left showing the growing green pile covering the entire backyard).

David in a pose that would make Sarah Palin proud!