Emergency tree service in Zephyr Cove, NV

Zephyr Cove is strung along US 50 between the lake and the hill, and its housing is among the oldest on the Nevada shore. Old cabins and old trees stand close together here, and that closeness is why a storm call from Zephyr Cove is usually a tree on a structure.

At a glance

• About 73% of Zephyr Cove homes were built before 1980 and about a third before 1960
• US 50 runs through the community, the same highway as our yard
• Lakeshore lots: TRPA permit size is 6 inches between the house and the lake
• The crane lifts sections over the cabin instead of across it

Why are Zephyr Cove storm calls so often about roofs?

About 73% of the homes in Zephyr Cove were built before 1980, and about a third before 1960 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024; a small community, so the figures are approximate). Those cabins were set down among trees that were tall already. Additions, decks and garages have since filled the gaps. When a top breaks out or a root plate lets go, there is rarely open ground for it to fall on.

A cabin roof from that period was not built with a pine trunk in mind. Stay out of the rooms under the tree and do not assume the ceiling will hold because it is holding now.

Which way did it fall?

The first thing the office will ask is what the tree is on. In Zephyr Cove there are three common answers and each is a different job.

• On the house or garage. Usually a crane lift, section by section, so the trunk is never dragged across the roof.
• Across the driveway or a shared lane. Clearing roads and driveways is part of our emergency service. Say whether neighbors are blocked in.
• Toward US 50 or onto a line. Call 911 for the highway and NV Energy for the line. They deal with their own property first.

How much weather does Zephyr Cove get?

There is no long-term snowfall record on this stretch of shore. The nearest NOAA station, Daggett Pass, is about 3.5 miles away and about 1,100 feet higher, and it averages 21.8 inches of precipitation a year (1991-2020 normals). Across the lake, Tahoe City averages 179.0 inches of snowfall. Zephyr Cove gets real winters, and wet snow on conifers is a common cause of broken tops. Heavy wet snow and broken limbs covers the morning after.

What about the TRPA permit?

A dead tree that could fall on a house needs no Tahoe Regional Planning Agency permit. A live tree over 14 inches in diameter at breast height does, and on a lakeshore lot the size drops to 6 inches for trees between the house and the lake. If a live tree is damaged but standing, take photos and ask TRPA or the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District before it is removed. The agency decides.

What we bring

The fleet is our own: a crane, a 75-foot Altec boom truck, a chipper and chip truck, and a track loader for moving wood. An ISA Certified Arborist is on staff, and a certified arborist assesses the job before work starts. The estimate is free.