climbing in snow

jeff_r

jeff_r

Location
BC.
we are spoiled rotten in Victoria BC and rarely get significant accumulations of snow - recent snowfall has caused lots of limb failures. Is it prudent to wait until snowload lessens before entering trees to remove hazardous branches, or do I have to go up and get them now?
 
If the snow loads are already breaking limbs, climbing and lowering activities could cause more damage than good.
We lose a week or two a year of tree work, mostly because climbing in snowy trees is unpleasant. We make up for lost income climbing by snow plowing. Then in just a day or two, most of the snow falls or melts out of the trees.
The bulk of our trees are deciduous, and I suspect you might be working on mostly evergreens. How that plays into snow work, I don't know.
Stay warm!
 
fortunately or unfortunately, I work for a municipality, so the tree work is left for me most of the time. It is snowing again today and I'm over it. I thought maybe there were some regs. regarding work conditions, but I guess its all relative and personal. Limbwalking on icy limbs took a few seconds to get used to. . .
 
I have had a few calls from some of my customers saying they have had limb failures, I let them know as soon as the snow and ice clears up, I will come do what I can to clean up the wounds and breaks. Until then, I sit in my office and enjoy a few stress free days surfing the net and catching up on my reading. for our locale, a few snow days a year are not a big deal. if you have a bucket truck, then fly at it, watch for loaded branches to spring back though.
 
I climbed in snow for the first time today but none of the limbs were loaded very heavily with snow. I actually liked it better than climbing in the rain because although the limbs were still slick as they are when it rains, I stayed much drier than I would in the rain.
 
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Until then, I sit in my office and enjoy a few stress free days surfing the net and catching up on my reading. for our locale, a few snow days a year are not a big deal.

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hey jimmyq,
we're on our 3rd snow day in a row, and i'm gettin stir crazy. painting the basement floor seems like a really good idea this morning :). i'm less worried about slippin in trees than slippin on icy inclines in my old one ton. can't go anywhere around here w/o a hill, and the risk of wrapping my rig around a little car or a phone pole isn't worth the income i'm missing. stay warm y'all!
k.
 
Kathy, I hear you! I always take the first few snow and ice days and do not drive. a little bump in to anything with the truck or the wifes car and its $thousands$ to fix! We arent that far apart, our terrain is pretty much the same thing, hills, tight curves, not conducive to icy or snowy roads.

maybe you could set up a footlock practice rope if your place is high enough! make sure you kick a$$ in hawaii next year! GO PNW CHAPTER! :) sorry Mark, I know this is your board and all...... :)
 
At least you folks are getting a taste of what the good people of Ontario put up with 4 months of the year. A couple of fixes for snow load, 1)tie in to larger dia./rig smaller pieces,or 2)go really big with the first cut and knock all the snow off your tree, but always 3) GO HARD to stay warm. P.S. A 12Ga. with #7 shot will always take care of snow load and freezing rain build up.
 
81 and bright sunshine and blue sky. Not bab for Dec 1st.
grin.gif

Be safe scotty
 
I hope this year is not like last year alot of rain and snow mix its thats the way it is today and it sucks nothing you can do about it but stay home
 
I agree. I would much rather climb in the snow instead of the rain.

I'm climbing and removing a dead white pine tomorrow, and it is a toss up whether it will be raining or snowing, even though it was 60 degrees today here in N.H.

Gotta Luv New England!
 
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