Cutting a Tree

Yesterday I went out with three other wilderness rangers, Lynn, Steve, and Beth, to clear some trees from the first two miles of the Pine Ridge Trail, which heads east out of Pfeiffer–Big Sur State Park into the heart of the Ventana Wilderness. I knew we dealt with three trees, because we had to get out our big guns—or rather, saws: 6-foot Al and 5-foot Boss—and stop and strategize. But apparently we cleared the trail of seven trees in all while I wasn't paying attention. I'm glad somebody (Lynn) was. 

Here are some pictures I took of the largest tree we wrestled out of the trail, a redwood burnt in the 2016 Soberanes Fire. I wasn't documenting our work per se, but the photos give an idea of what we do. It's fun!

The obstacle: 3 feet in diameter

First task: get rid of extraneous branches

Steve carving away bark on the lower
(second) cut: bark is hard on the saw

Lynn and Steve and Al tackling the first cut, up the hill

The second cut was a bear: difficult to get comfortably
positioned, especially on the near side. But finally,
we were through, the cut piece dropped—and the saw
got pinned. But no worries: hammering on a wedge
in the cut should free it—and boy, did it!
The log started rolling, down the hill, onto the trail,
and right on over the edge. Lynn, who was
standing down the trail, had to run out of its way
(she was a ways down, so there was no danger—
but none of us were expecting the log to move as
quickly and decisively as it did). It was something to see—
and hear. Job well done!

And now just time for cleanup.
What a satisfying log clearing operation!