Crane tree removal in Golden Valley, NV

Golden Valley is small, about 470 housing units by the Census Bureau's estimate, nearly all of them owner-occupied detached houses. About half were built before 1980.

At a glance

• About 470 housing units, about 86% detached houses
• About half of homes built before 1980; median 1980
• About 65% of buildings in the direct wildfire exposure class
• One planned crane visit for all the large trees on a lot

Why plan the whole lot at once?

A crane job has a fixed part and a variable part. Getting the machine, the chip truck and the crew to the site and set up is the fixed part. Each extra tree within the boom's reach adds only lifting and chipping time. If two or three trees on your lot are candidates, or a neighbor has one near the property line, having them assessed together lets the arborist place the crane to reach as many as possible from one spot.

This is a point about planning, not a price offer. Every estimate is written for the job and its trees.

Which trees should be on the list?

Start with the ones that could hit something: a tree over the house, the garage or the power drop. Then look at condition. A tree that has died, lost its top or split at a fork goes on the list ahead of a healthy one.

Fire exposure is the third filter. The USDA Forest Service puts about 65% of Golden Valley's buildings in the direct exposure class, next to wildland vegetation, and rates the community's risk to homes higher than 96.7% of US communities. The 2020 Poeville Road Fire, mapped at 2,973 acres, was centered about 3.4 miles away. Dead trees near the house are worth removing for that reason alone.

How does the crane handle a tree near the house?

It carries the weight. Once the crane is leveled on its outriggers, the climber fixes the line to a section of the tree and cuts below it. The operator holds the piece, lifts it clear and sets it down in the drop zone, away from the house. The ground crew reduces it there.

What happens to the logs?

Brush goes through the chipper. Logs are loaded with our Bobcat T870 track loader and hauled off, or left where you want them if you plan to use the wood. About 8% of Golden Valley households heat mainly with wood according to the same Census survey, so it is a fair question to ask. If you want the stump gone as well, see stump grinding in Golden Valley.

What is the weather like for crane work?

Dry most of the year. A rain gauge in the valley (Reno 5.3 N) averages about 10.1 inches of precipitation annually. Winter brings snow, and snow or wind can delay a lift. The crew decides on the day.