Stump grinding in Kingsbury, NV

At about 7,126 feet, Kingsbury is the highest community we serve. Lots climb away from the road, driveways are steep, and a stump is as likely to be above a retaining wall as beside a lawn.

At a glance

• About 7,126 feet, the highest community in our service area
• Slope and footing checked by the arborist before a machine goes in
• Daggett Pass station: about 21.8 inches of precipitation a year
• Stumps can be added to a removal estimate or handled on their own

Can a stump grinder work on a steep Kingsbury lot?

It depends on the stump. The machine has to reach it and then stay put while it works. The arborist looks at the grade between the road and the stump, the ground the grinder would rest on, and what lies downhill if soil or chips move. Some stumps are reached from above, some from the side, and a few are better cut as low as possible and left.

You can help by describing the lot when you call the office: how many steps, how wide the path, whether the stump is above or below the house.

When is the ground workable at this elevation?

The Daggett Pass weather station, less than a mile from the Kingsbury town point at 7,334 feet, averages about 21.8 inches of precipitation a year and a mean temperature of about 43 degrees (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). That is the coldest Nevada station in our climate table. A stump under snow cannot be ground, and thawing ground on a slope is soft.

For that reason, think of stump grinding here as a bare-ground job. If a tree is being removed late in the season, ask whether the stump should be ground the same visit or cut low and listed for later. All estimates are tailored to each client and their needs.

What was the tree, and does it matter?

It matters for regrowth. The tall conifers that dominate Kingsbury do not sprout from the stump. If the tree was an aspen, expect shoots from the roots after cutting, and plan on grinding sooner rather than later. If bark beetles killed the tree, the stump is not the concern, the neighboring trees are: see removing dead pines after bark beetles.

Where do the chips go on a wooded lot?

The USDA Forest Service puts 53% of Kingsbury's buildings in the direct wildfire exposure zone. A fresh pile of conifer grindings next to a house or under a deck is the opposite of what a defensible lot needs. Nevada's Living With Fire guide keeps wood mulch out of the first 5 feet around a building and limits it to separated patches out to 30 feet.

On most Kingsbury jobs that means hauling the grindings, or spreading them thin on the far part of the lot. Say which you want and the estimate will include it.

About 68% of the houses here predate 1980

Older mountain houses come with older utilities. Before grinding, an 811 request has the utilities mark their buried lines. Propane lines, and any wiring to sheds, hot tubs or driveway heat, are private and are yours to point out.