Bit off more than I could chew on a big oak removal in Austin

Tbh, I took down a 70 foot live oak in a tight backyard and my rope got jammed halfway through, so I had to climb up and re-rig everything with a pulley I had in the truck. Took me an extra 3 hours but the stump came out clean and the client threw me a cold one. Anyone else ever had a line twist turn into a full rescue mission?

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1 Comment

skyler_kim2d ago

Figure out what went wrong before you touch another rope. The real problem isnt the jam, its that your rigging plan didnt account for the tree fighting back the whole way down. Live oaks are heavy and stubborn, and one snag turns into a whole new setup. Most guys woulda just yanked harder and wrecked the rope or the tree. You did the smart thing by climbing and resetting, even if it cost you hours. But next time, run two lines from the start or use a speedline so you dont end up in that spot again. Cold beer is nice, but learning the lesson is worth more.