Help with a National Champion

[ghostice]

I don't think we need to pull the gap together. I'm still not sure that split is a separation of trunks but rather a peel out from when the other piece broke off. But all good advice!

Would you cable then brace or brace then cable if doing both?

We usually pull the tops together across the cracked union/ trunk, drill and install the rods and tighten up, then slack the top till its not too tight and cable with Rigguy and EHS cable.

 

[evo]

After letting it cook for a few days, here's what I'm thinking. Would love criticism, feedback, alternatives, etc...

using ISA's protocols:
"Probable" likelihood of failure as it is.
Its gonna take out 3 phase and hit some detached garages ("high" likelihood of impact).
With 2 sets of 3 phase power, the relatively widespread outage that could cause probably makes it "significant" impact (I don't think I'd call it "minor").
This puts it at a "high" risk tree.

Arguing with myself, I could put it at a "possible" likelihood of failure. I 'think' that crack is from the portion that split out, not the 2 trunks starting to separate. That makes it a "moderate" risk. It's been a lot like this for a long time, so that doesn't scare me too much to call it that. But it may be "probable"...

Mitigation options. I don't know that "retrenchment" is the right pruning here. It's vitality is good. The goal is to reduce the load on the west-most trunk. I think removing a couple of branches entirely and installing cables would reduce the probably of failure to "Improbable" - making it a low risk tree.

Pic - cut at green (well, branch collar cuts, not leaving big stubs). 3 cables; A-B C-D and E-F. Don't love that C-D is a little low, but looks like the strongest wood.
View attachment 94151

Hub and spoke cabling system? Coupled with a standard sensitive drop crotch reduction/thinning?