Best felling cuts for felling uphill??

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Stephen Blair said:

I don’t know the safe answer in those situations accept the site should be felled down hill and skylined out maybe.

Yes.

 

While elsewhere we discuss using two anchor points for climbing for safety reasons this other section of the industry is working in an obviously risky manner, it doesn't seem equitable.

[Spruce Pirate]

2 hours ago, Stephen Blair said:

Totally agree on the situation on the video, I think whatever you do on those jobs it’s cut n run, slide and hopefully not get caught out.

  I don’t know the safe answer in those situations accept the site should be felled down hill and skylined out maybe.

If there's enough to make it worthwhile that's fine, and probably what would happen.  Most of the time we fell downhill whenever possible, but sometimes you get a steep wee snap that simply won't reach the bottom of the hill and the only option is to fell uphill.  Unless the volume of timber is there to justify bringing a skyline or a winch in the easiest thing is to fell uphill - and take care.  Provided you know what you're doing the risks are manageable in my opinion, but you definitely need to be paying attention and it's not a job for someone straight off a chainsaw training course.  Skylining, or other means of winching are also not without risk so it is a balancing act between putting a few trees uphill with the risk there, or setting up a winch with its associated risks.  For relatively small amounts I'd just tip them up the hill and run every time.

[drinksloe]

Aye spruce pilot is right

Not a big banking so a skyline would never be vaible commercially and to be honest not many anchor points for a skyline at botom

 

And a river close below so felling downhill is not an option.

 

U could fell along the contour but then u have safety issues if a tree above u starts to roll, bad enough felling but esp so when u start winching them up.

Even felling from the bottom 1st and winching from top 1st would have risks.

 

I'm mibbee making it sound more dangerous than it is but definitely a job u need ur head on a swivel and get right out the way as soon as back cut starts opening.

Hence the questions u have far more time to get clear as tree falling then when u have to go back to cut hinge.

Definitely not for inexperienced cocky cutters.

 

[jmac]

The safest way to do the trees in the video would be to fell across the hill 1 tree at a time and winch them out with a digger bucket winch, not the volume there for a skyline. Imo it looks worse than it is, I've been doing this for years with no probs ( touch wood ) ?, if you have your escape route planned and go to the safe side like I did in the video it's safe as houses.

[MattyF]

Felling up hill but to the left or right will give you better escape routes and at least some degree of knowing where the butt will kick up .. well more than just straight up hill!