Crane tree removal in Incline Village, NV

Incline Village stands at about 6,437 feet among tall native conifers, with houses and condominiums built in between. Removing one tree without harming the roof or the neighboring trees is exactly what a crane is for.

At a glance

• TRPA permit for live trees over 14 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet
• North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District handles defensible space tree permits
• About 61% of buildings in the direct wildfire exposure class
• About 48 minutes from our yard without traffic

What has to happen before the crane is booked?

Before the crane is booked, measure the trunk and check whether a TRPA permit or a fire district marking applies. Once the permit or marking is in hand, call us for the estimate and a date.

1. Measure the trunk 4.5 feet above the ground. Divide the distance around by 3.14 to get the diameter.
2. If the tree is alive and over 14 inches, a TRPA permit is needed. On a lakeshore lot the limit is 6 inches for trees between the house and the lake.
3. For fire-safety removals, the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District evaluates the property and issues defensible space tree permits.
4. A dead tree that could fall on a house needs no TRPA permit.
5. With the permit or marking in hand, call us for the estimate and a date.

The agency decides what may be removed. We can tell you what to ask, and the checker on this page does the diameter math. Our guide to the 14-inch rule has the details.

Why is a crane so useful in Incline?

Two reasons. The first is height: forest conifers carry their weight far above the roof, and every piece that is roped down has a long way to travel past windows, decks and railings. The second is the trees you are keeping. In a forested neighborhood the tree being removed stands among others, and dropping or swinging pieces through them breaks limbs and scars bark.

A crane lifts each section vertically out of the stand. The remaining trees are left as they were.

Houses, condos and second homes

The Census Bureau counts about 7,800 housing units in Incline Village but only about 4,000 households, so a large share of homes are not lived in year-round. About 58% of units are detached houses and the rest are mostly attached or multi-unit buildings. If you are an absent owner, the arborist can meet a caretaker or manager. For a shared building, ask the association who applies for permits and approves the work.

Can the crane reach on a steep lot?

That is decided on site. Our team chooses the set-up location by weighing elevation, overhead obstacles and distance to the structures, and outriggers level the machine. On a steep driveway or a narrow road the choice of spot can be the hardest part of the job. Where no workable spot exists, a climber takes the tree down in smaller pieces.

When is the season for crane work at the lake?

Snow sets the calendar. There is no long-term snowfall record on the Nevada side near Incline, but Tahoe City, across the lake, averages about 179 inches a year. Deep snow narrows roads and covers set-up spots, so planned removals are easier to arrange in the snow-free months. For a tree that falls in a storm, call the emergency line at any hour.