Tree pruning in the PNW

[w7dms]

Started my yearly job of pruning

 

[Furu]

WTF

 

[dougtrr2]

I know the safety police will be all over this one. I personally wouldn't cut off a ladder (no place to run), but, if you were going to do it that set up would make it a lot easier to move from tree to tree.

If you had occasion to have to move a ladder from place to place a lot, that would be something to think about.

Doug in SW IA

 

[big bubba]

why pruning so high up, visual? i recently cut overhanging branches on a long driveway with an extendable power pole pruner while i was in fel bucket with a dependable tractor operator. not recommended by safety police, but i feel safer than negotiating a chain saw while on ladder, asking for trouble imho.

 

[old and tired]

Started my yearly job of pruning...

I like your way of thinking!!!

 

[BlueKnife]

why pruning so high up, visual? i recently cut overhanging branches on a long driveway with an extendable power pole pruner while i was in fel bucket with a dependable tractor operator. not recommended by safety police, but i feel safer than negotiating a chain saw while on ladder, asking for trouble imho.

Reduction of ladder fuels, probably. For those who aren't from forest fire country, that means lower branches, typically below 10-15' that a fire can use as a "ladder" to get into the canopy. The OP should definitely get a pole pruner. He could reach the same height as he is with that suicide setup, while avoiding a lot of the risk.