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Sawing out one of the big trees

Nov 23, 2024

Eric and Paul

A big wind storm hit Washington on Nov 19 and 22, bringing hurricane-force winds to areas on the west side of the state. Issaquah, where I live, was without power for about a week because so many trees had been blown over bringing power lines down.

I figured this same storm had likely brought down a bunch of trees on Cascade River Road. I have a handful of Bulger peaks up this road that I’d like to climb this winter for my Winter Bulgers project. Cascade River Road is not officially maintained in the winter, though. So the only way to ensure I can access the peaks is if I clear the road out myself.

Locations of the roads

Paul is an expert lumberjack and veteran of clearing out Cascade River Road, and he agreed to join. We met up at the first blowdown Saturday morning and started clearing. I brought a 25″ Stihl 391 saw and a 10″ electric Black and Decker and Paul brought a 18″ Stihl. We also had axes, cables, pulleys, and wedges.

Indeed, a few very large trees had just blown down. We would generally axe off the limbs, then make a few cuts with the saws. Then Paul would wrap the cable around a section and redirect it through a pulley around a tree. He’d hook the other end of the cable to the front of his truck and back up. This way he could drag the section off the road.

Paul sawing out a tree

The biggest tree was 3-4ft in diameter and required me coming in from both sides with the big Stihl.

After about 5 hours of work we got the road cleared to the Eldorado gate. I don’t need any peaks past the gate, so we stopped there. We had extra time so we went over to Suiattle River Road, which accesses a few more Bulger peaks I’d like to get this winter. Someone had already cleared most of the fresh blowdowns, but we got to clear a few in the last miles of the road.

So as of November 23 Cascade River Road is clear and passable to regular cars to the Eldorado gate, and Suiattle is clear and passable to the end.