Last summer this magnificent white fir tree next to our house died. One day we looked up and noticed it was all brown. Not only that, the Pileated woodpeckers were really working it over. Day after day they chipped at the bark looking for the grubs that caused the tree to die.

   

When the big wind was whipping the tree tops, we were more than a little concerned about this tree. Another dying fir by the shop lost it's top, but fortunately didn't cause any harm. Our son Mike volunteered to fell the tree as soon as he could. After work, he arrived to do the job.

The plan was to fell the 145 foot tree down the hill between the lumber and logs where the top would come to rest almost at the NID canal.

Mike and Mel discuss how they're going to do it. Mike's already made the undercut aiming where he wants the tree to fall. He finishes cutting and knocking out the chunks in the picture below.

Mike bucks it into logs and Mel removes the surviving limbs. Notice the bark removed by the woodpeckers. We thought it was loose, but not so. Those little guys really worked for their dinner.