1000 year old Giant Sequoia redwood log offered for sale to Pacific Coast Lumber

[@jeffmiller3112]

Thank you for a very interesting video. I love to listen to the "old timers". They are such a wealth of knowledge!

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I agree, and the stories are priceless. Jonathan is one of those last of the old timer guys.

[@jamesshanks2614]

Back in 89 I was hired to drive a set of pups ( 26.6" long ) with this families belongings out to Northern California where there were moving onto family property into an existing house that I discovered was over 147 years old. His wife loved and hated it for it was a work in progress and took them just over 18 months to finish. They are surrounded by California Sequoia trees. They don't and won't cut any of them down for they are simply too majestic to look at. I had never seen one up close and personal and let me tell you pictures and videos and film don't do them justice. Absolutely phenomenal that Mother Nature could grow anything this big. I'm from New Hampshire and when I brought home film of these majestic monsters the loggers I know were calling me a liar when I drew out in the dirt parking lot of a diner how big a Sequoia is. I drew out a stump of 21 foot. The first question I got was how the devil did they move them after cutting it down. Simple I replied, a donkey engine specifically a steam donkey. When I showed them some dvd's I bought they were stunned by what they saw. I left the pups there after spotting them and bob tailed back to New Hampshire in a standard single screw day cab, it was a long bumpy ride home until I stopped at a Freight warehouse that had pups getting loaded and got $4000 to haul it back to Concord, New Hampshire. It was a lot smoother ride from there. Enjoyed the video and learned a lot. Thank you Cheers!

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you so much my friend. I absolutely love stories like yours. All true, the sequoia's are special. As have been all the "old" trees of this country. I wish that I could see the old Cedars of Lebannon......ahhhh, but I have see some giant trees in my time. Went through the old cedar mill up in Canada McMillan Bloedell, the old GP big log mill when it was running....dang, I have seen some amazing tree things. I am so lucky. Thank you again, you are an inspiring person, keep doing that would you please.

[@Viktor20689]

I’m from Canada 🇨🇦, and have traveled all over the USA 🇺🇸. My favourite landscape in the USA 🇺🇸 is the red wood forest, and the Arches in Utah.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I love that stuff, thank you for the comment!

[@danielking3235]

Legend has it the log is still laying there today.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Smiling here, thank you Daniel

[@jasonantigua6825]

I love hearing stories from the old timers,never miss a chance to do so.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Same here Jason, thank you for the post.

[@jasonantigua6825]

pacificcoasthiking You’re welcome.

[@MrRasZee]

@@jasonantigua6825 when they die they are all going to tree hell...murderers

[@michaeldougfir9807]

I have worked in forestry and followed everything they said. But the titles need to be up on the screen three times longer. Good video. It was like a time machine trip. Thanks.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Michael Dougfir, I love your name. And I thank you for the good comments. Again thank you.

[@chado3000]

Hit the three little dots in the upper left and adjust the playback speed. It gives you time to read it, and longer to look at the pictures. You're welcome. 🤗

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Michael, I hear you. Other people have said the same, sorry, I am still learning.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@chado3000 Thanks Chado, well said.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

I just hit pause. But the contrast was difficult. I had to guess at some of the text. Definitely worth pausing to read. Good info.

[@donnieporter7890]

Special place with magnificent trees i hope someday i can take my daughter there to show her the world's most beautiful trees thank u for the video

[@pacificcoasthiking]

It is nothing short of breathtaking Donnie. And interestingly enough, Porter(ville) is where to go! :) That area is awesome.

[@donnieporter7890]

@@pacificcoasthiking thank u very much i live n kansas could you tell me the best time of year to go and you say porterville is the place wow

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@donnieporter7890 Porterville is kind of one of the gateways to the sequoia national forest. Lots and lots of incredible huge ginormous trees around that area. Camp Nelson is right next to several of the biggest trees in the world! Quite the deal!

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@donnieporter7890 :) Donnie is what all my siblings call me. Nice to see that name.

[@donnieporter7890]

@@pacificcoasthiking thank u for all the information i have a 7yr old little girl i would love to take her ther

[@chrisp8422]

Biggest one I ever cut was 22feet. Damn shame. Bombing unicorns for their antlers

[@childerscontractcutting1378]

I was contacted by the owner of these trees (interesting gentleman). We have logging and sawmill business in the shaver lake area. We visited the site prior to the tree being topped, and decided it wasnt worth climbing the tree and moving equipment that far from home. It looks like we made a good judgement.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Absolutely did.

[@stevehall4586]

We got4ft walnuts in mich hard2find but we do son dont blame ya wudnt of got equip out either lol

[@stevehall4586]

Looks like needed sawed pretty deep2 find good board ft not worth messn with

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@stevehall4586 exactly, thank you Steve

[@martineastburn3679]

Repeat for me - retired from Si Valley and lived in San Lorenzo Valley and knew this fine Pacific Coast Company.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Martin, Thank you very much. I appreciate the post.

[@AndyL940]

Real experience, fantastic to listen to ...thank you

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Andy, much appreciated.

[@calvinh.8882]

Tell the owner of the log that he would be better off cutting it into little pieces and placing each piece in its own little glass jar, and selling them to people as souvenirs, so they can own a piece of a giant sequoia... lol.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

lol, thank you Calvin.

[@ecojoe2214]

Spot on! A few ounce chunk for 7 dollars in a jar with a pinecone. Good thinkin.

[@Gcal1956]

People like this should be making laws regarding logging and Forest care. Not politicians who never spent a night alone in the woods much less days on end working the land like these men.

[@gordonpeden7432]

Thanks for sharing this, very interesting and informative.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Gordon, much appreciated.

[@gordonpeden7432]

I'm from Australia and a mining background, Hard rock, Coal, as well as tunnelling and shaft sinking. I love finding out how the other side lives, How the guys and girls in the sunshine or "Topsides" make a living. I didn't know or even think about trees suffering damage when they are felled, let alone the way they are rated etc. even the various lengths. Loved the old guy in the tin hat (I'm about the same vintage BTW) his knowledge and experience were insightful and enlightening. Thanks again. Another day and I learned something.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@gordonpeden7432 Well said, and old guys are great! Opal man! ?

[@jimcox4728]

I know about coastal and Sequoia redwoods. It's just wrong to cut down a tree 2,000 yrs old.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thanks Jim, I think it is wrong to cut them all down, which they have not done at all. Like the Cedar of Lebanon. And others.

[@alan30189]

Uhh, it was dead a long time. They waited too long and the log is no longer worth much.

[@6atlantis]

I have a small/mid size redwood burl coffee table from the early to mid 70’s in my basement. I’ve held on to it for years as it was sentimental to the family. I know it’s origins and it has an oil lacquer not that plastic stuff. What’s my best route to finding out how much it’s worth and where best to sell it?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I presume it’s somewhere around 3 to 4 1/2 foot diameter-ish About 2 1/2 foot tall maybe flattened Look at what they sell in Mimi London’s catalog Also Etsy and a couple others and you’ll get a feel for value and then of course to sell it you would want to kind of refinish it almost or at least put some good attention to it thank you for your comment I hope that helped you

[@nunyabussiness7855]

Last i heard it was illegal to cut them down, when did this change??

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Private property, hazard and approved attrition trees. These are examples of non illegal tree removals. There are blowdowns that are cleared from someones house, that sort of thing. Amazing to see the forest, it is so healthy and has so many sequoia trees!

[@jolox.]

Less than 2% of old growth is left. Can't you just leave the rest alone? You've taken 95+% of it. Why can't we leave some of it for the people who want it? Why do you need to take it all when many people want to preserve at least some of it?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I think you are talking about something other than the sequoia. This one was dead about a hundred years ago, falling to pieces as you could see in the video. I guess there should be less people in the world, right? Do you have children? Grandchildren?

[@liamoboyle2065]

Wish I could read quickly enough for this site I might be old but I am very interested in the whole of the felling of tree in Ireland we have twigs compared to your trees

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Liam, there is a good Irish Lad in the giant walnut removal video! Thank you, and sorry for the fast scrolling if that was an issue. Push the space bar to stop any video and read or look closer. Thanks again.

[@mikelliteras397]

Click on the 3 dots in the upper right and slow the video down

[@mikelliteras397]

Click on the 3 dots in the upper right and slow the video down

[@ScottWheelsRestorations]

Hello and thanks for the great video I would love to talk with Mr Jon Wagy he was very informative about the scaling and bucking you could learn a lot from him thanks again

[@HolzMichel]

dependent upon the product you're trying to get out of the log there is quite a bit of usable lumber in that chunk on the ground. unfortunately most mills and millers in the states are geared to process sound, green timber and dried stuff. there was a craze for a few years before most of the mills in the west shut down, to salvage what they could out of dead standing timber and then use the rest for generating energy. the market for that particular stick of wood is extremely small and specialized... i certainly hope it finds a buyer. if i were still stateside i would snatch the whole thing up on the spot. that's a once in a lifetime opportunity to snatch up some giant sequoia. coastal redwood is still abundant and available but giant sequoia has been under federal protection since the late 80's so it very rarely becomes available. to top it all off there are no more mills left that can handle wood that big.

[@Treeheight]

I think you are right... there is lots of good wood in it... they seem to have missed it..

[@firstlast7719]

Could use the slices to make amazing table tops with epoxy.

[@zorroonmilkavitch1840]

Isn't there a difference between a cracked log and a checked log?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I suppose so, a cracked log would be from the activity, and a checked log would be from weather?

[@kennethfreeman8042]

Thanks for the video and thanks for taking us along I love being able to walk among those butifile trees, and yes I have been there.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Kenneth! Thank you sir. Same.

[@reneebrown5598]

I'm a firm believer in forrest thinning but I think they should leave the giant sequioa trees alone. Remove the smaller trees or if it's diseased but the giants have been there 100s of years. There are plenty of good wood trees to be taken without removing a piece of history.

[@Sundayhandwound]

Renee Brown I 100% agree, but this tree was already dead.

[@mikehegdahl5393]

Its dead and as you can see from the video by leaving it to rot it is worthless and decaying. If this had been removed and milled and made into something beautiful it could have been given new life and lasting beauty for 100s more years. Now it is just trash!

[@justinmusselman1257]

if you cut the small trees down then when the big ones die all you have is tiny trees that provide no use

[@reneebrown5598]

@@justinmusselman1257 if you cut the larger diseased or dying trees down it will allow the smaller ones to grow

[@dmontrael]

hi how may i acquire one like @ 2:18 ?

[@dmontrael]

15 feet

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@dmontrael Thank you for the note. These are very few and far apart. You can try far west forest products. Also you can try to get ahold of Jonathan Wagy, who is an awesome old timer, he has connections. That particular tree was full of problems, but had specialty application potential.

[@hpw59]

What was the owner asking for the logs? I didn't hear any mention of it...other than if they were laying in a ditch on the side of the road he would give $500 for them

[@pacificcoasthiking]

The owner was contacting people and trying to interest them in it. The owner couldn't put a price on it because he wasn't "in" the business. Only the people who know what the mills are paying can establish a real price. And like many people are saying, sequoia as a commercial log is no long legal. Anything else is "come tell me what you might pay me for it, please."

[@gloriayoungkin6488]

Informative, ty

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Welcome Gloria, thank you for commenting.

[@007Variable]

how much did the log cost?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

The cost to the sawmill guy was the cost of the take out, the transportation, and a beautiful bench worth over $1,000.00 plus $5k to the land owner.

[@dustyflair]

what was the asking price for that firewood?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I think they guy was wanting to get $5,000.00 for it. If it were pristine it would be worth that, maybe more, to a buyer.

[@dustyflair]

@@pacificcoasthiking when the old guy said IF THEY WERE AT THE ROAD, they would be worth $500 together I knew it was over...

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@dustyflair LOL, yes Rick. It makes me smile. In my business so many people thought that because they had a walnut tree, for instance, that they would be making bank. Almost never the case. It has to work all the way up the line to where the consumer takes their wallet out to pay the guy taking the most chance.

[@MrLikeke]

I used to get hardwood from PCL when they first came to SLO. Some very good deals. I also made friends with some of the guys who were joining for some big post and beam project. I think Don was PM on that. A gentleman.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Secret Squirrel, you are too kind. Much appreciated :)

[@personanongrata6713]

In perfect shape what would have offered?, and what would you have done with it?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

great question! Thank you. If it was in good shape, it would have been worth somewhere around 3-5,000.00 per thousand board ft. Jonathan put a board foot number on it. As an 8' log, somewhere around three thousand dollars.

[@personanongrata6713]

Dang! Would you build some sort of furniture?

[@mrcastro8740]

Redwood is super soft wood it wouldn’t be a good idea to use this type of lumber for furniture making typically you need real hard wood because of its hardness.

[@personanongrata6713]

That makes sense, back in the old days when they cut these down it must've been for houses? I bet you could build a ton of regular size houses with one of those.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@mrcastro8740 Thanks for the post Mr. Castro. Redwood is for sure a softer wood than others. However, there are definitely quite a few furniture items that can be made and will last. Additionally there are finishes to "help" harden a surface. I have seen nice floors from vertical grain redwood, without a lot of high heel damage. Thank you again.

[@EL300B]

How did they fall that from 75 ft up and not wind up with a pile of kindling?

[@Treeheight]

the top end hit the ground first, breaking into pieces, leaving the good sectionnear the cut end....

[@pacificcoasthiking]

From the mouth of someone who knows! Good question of course. It kind of was mostly a bunch of kindling, I couldn't tell how much was shake split or how much was seasoning checks. Thank you for the post.

[@stephanielovatt2787]

Interesting! So..just because a tree is big, and old, doesn't mean it has any sort of value. Is that right?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Roughly speaking, yes That log was beautiful, but the cost of removal could not quite make the condition of the wood worth recovering for most uses.

[@mjj8788]

Do a video on all that forest jargon you were using.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Good idea Mj

[@aporiac1960]

Yup! Their subtitles need subtitles, lol

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@aporiac1960 I love it, thank you.

[@aporiac1960]

@@pacificcoasthiking I will say the 50% I understand seems to make sense :-)

[@KplusU]

Do they still have it?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I imagine they do.

[@KplusU]

@@pacificcoasthiking you could use that for blanks and make the money.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@KplusU Hi Kenneth. Kind of. One of the main issues with that is radial checking. The checks are unpredictable, and substantial. That would require quite a speculation. The owner wanted a fortune for it as well. Additionally it is in the Giant Sequoia forest, which means a substantial cost of getting it to where it will be utilized. Yes, there were parts and pieces that certainly would yield $. But the cost would be hard to guess against the yield. I have done that and lost.

[@KplusU]

@@pacificcoasthiking I see. Thank you for eyes and knowledge.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@KplusU You are very welcome my friend. I am happy to help anyone in the industry if I can. I have been at this for a while. :)

[@sugargooslin6473]

Imagine what the first settler thought when they saw thoughs trees

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Sugar, I am one hundred percent in agreement. Just amazing amazing and amazing. And those were sequoia. There were giant trees all through the central California area well up through Canada. Not all gone, but nothing like it was. There are some old logging video's on KZbin that are awesome! Thanks again amigo.

[@jimmybachand837]

Stop cutting these trees down for fucks sake!

[@anthonyponafala7973]

key point...cut your tree a foot longer than standard board lengths

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Yes, that is the key. Leave length to trim off.

[@georgewilliamssr5230]

I started off in the mid 80s cutting scale. All this was standard practice, at least on crews I work on. These days it all seems to be by weight. Some of the side rods don't care about the dog legs unless they go out of the scaling cilinder really far. Or it makes loading a truck difficult. They tell me that these days with the new saws at the Mill. It will cut through a curve. I guess that is why when I buy a board at Home Depot. By the time I use it at home. I could frame the bow of a boat with it. Not much good for keeping things squared on center.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

That is funny George. Ski boards eh? Not a whole lot of older growth wood being harvested, or sold. When I was younger, the only people pushing the limit on grading were people like Estacada and we called that material "fighting wood". Also called it log cabin siding if it was 2x6, etc. Great post my friend. Thank you for that.

[@iguanapete3809]

So what did the owner say when you told him?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

We just told him we weren't interested in it. He had his own mind about values.

[@johnmac7883]

2 boards vertical then measure the distance between them???

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Not sure what you mean John Mac, thank you for the post.

[@johnmac7883]

@@pacificcoasthiking it looked like you guys were trying to attain a measurement of the diameter of the log. So 2 boards held vertically touching the log would be like a big caliper.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I got it now John Mac, yes absolutely. In log scale in this type of a "salvage log" it can be a best guess and round numbers type of thing. Often in city logs it can be each, as a unit of measure, as in 1/ea is $10,000.00. You can sell this stuff by the pound if you want. Thanks again, this stuff is fun.

[@theRhinsRanger]

Almost sad to see such mighty trees chopped down, everyone has a summer and everyone has a fall.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Ranger, agreed. I think it is ok to save as many as possible. While trees do grow pretty fast. And we can get most of what we desire from trees under 200 years old. Actually a 100 year old redwood yields all kinds of wood, including clear all heart vertical grain, top of the line wood. And 1-200 years will come and go. It takes a few more years to make a 1000+ year old tree and that seems to be kind of sacred somehow, or at least something worth preserving. They are awesome to look at, stand near. Kind of like the grand canyon, lots of history in it.

[@arborist460]

Wow! I would pay to see a 20'er comin down!...sir you are my hero

[@jimremus9547]

WOW what a schooling. I would still like to get some chunks for woodworking

[@pacificcoasthiking]

That is what it should be used for. Great comment. Just not a great investment for trying to make money. Extremely cool log in some ways. The history that thing saw in it's life.

[@Treeheight]

Jim... there is some good wood in it... if you want to carve life size bears, answer is mostly no... but if you want to make shelving, table tops, mantles etc, it has enough in it... The man in red hat seems to have limited uses for it from a mind with limited ideas... let me know if you want some of the wood.

[@jimremus9547]

@@Treeheight I would be interested in some chunks at around 2 to 3 ' long to make my own bowl blanks or my own boards.

[@Treeheight]

You may want to ask the owner of this video for contact infowith tree owner

[@ontherun8249]

Nice video

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you!

[@brax0789]

How many miles on that tree

[@piercer4882]

I wonder how much the owner of it was trying to sell it for?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Good question Colin. I can only say that the cost of getting that big old thing out of there would have been high high high. Probably cost about 3-5k, then pay for the log, then pay for the milling to get what??? I will check for you to see if it is still available if you want.

[@piercer4882]

@@pacificcoasthiking thanks for the reply, I wouldn't bother asking though, I was curious how much something like that sells for.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@piercer4882 Hey Colin, I hear you. If I am not mistaken the owner of the sequoia log wanted about 5k for it, so the total landed somewhere would have been 10k central California somewhere.

[@bigliftm]

can some of these oldtimers explain the term scaling and other therms mentioned ? ( iam dutch so i dont get it all ) thanks. greeting from the netherlands

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Hello bigliftm, thank you for the post. In the US there are several entities that had to come up with a way for the sellers and buyers to look at a log to get a number to pay to the seller. And then of course plan on the yield. The scalers on the west coast connifer industry use Scribner, and there are several others, and also other ways to determine board feet per log, and then what to expect to get paid, and what to pay. The same goes for eastern hardwoods, although there are more extreme variables in hardwood logs.

[@bigliftm]

@@pacificcoasthiking thanks . Must be an expensive kind of wood . i would say leave these unique giants standing. there so impressive. ( if its a dead tree thats ok )

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@bigliftm They are definitely unique, unbelievably beautiful, it is nice to see so many of them protected.

[@michaelsteffen4887]

Great Video,Thx!

[@fredal2264]

Need to open that area up to logging clear cut.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Fred, do I detect a little bit of sarcasm? I am not a fan of old logging practices.

[@Bobby3038]

You might want to use a different color for your on-screen text. White gets washed out making it hard to read.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you Todd Smith

[@poly_hexamethyl]

Awesome video, thanks for posting. Just curious...how much would a log like that cost if it weren't so flawed and could be cut into lumber?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

It might be worth as much as $5,000.00 to the sawmill guy, and he might be able to get around $40 eventually. This is if that log did not have any defects in it. And all speculation of course.

[@baz_james]

KZbin recommendation back at it again 😂

[@rondogon48]

REPORT IT FOR SCAM

[@ronmartin3755]

I thought it was illegal to cut one of these trees down? There aren't very many of them and I think it's a shame this one was cut!

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Ron, thank you for your post and comment. Two things. There are lots of them. You are not alone to want to save them. They grow like weeds up there, there just arent a whole lot of 2,000 year old ones. Partly because they die and fall over, etc. But it is only illegal to commercially harvest them, as in they are protected. You would not think it was a shame if one fell onto your house and family.

[@beaukneaus]

10:48 "The university of Oregon, did a study"...... I'm gonna interrupt you right there partner! I don't think I can make it through another one of these! I gotta take a shit and uh, well, I gotta take a shit. Good talkin atcha!!!

[@brwpe7733]

Takes awhile to know what that guy in the red hard hat knows. Seems like a good guy. It's a pity that log wasn't able to be used but instead of thinking with the heart that's where you better be able to think with your head, or lose your butt. He was also correct about timber cutters. It's hard to believe how uniformed, how unprofessional some of them are.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Brwp E, thank you for that comment. Jonathan is a wonderful OG who deserves respect and honor for his real work and experience in one of the most dangerous industries. He has mine.

[@Treeheight]

Guy in red hat has a limited idea of uses for wood... if it isn't what he likes, it is no good...

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@Treeheight Thank you for the comment, but not quite true. Jonathan is an old timer and has had many snipe hunts in his life. Trust me when I say that if you were the potential buyer of this log, you would have had to leave it there as well. Or you could have collected it for about 5k and had it sit in your yard as a momento.

[@shastriadvertisers3820]

Thinks

[@redwood1957]

Any relation to Pacific Lumber Company. I have one of their old posters from 1945.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Hello Redwood! You are talking about PALCO, which used to be one of the last sustainable yield redwood companies. They had old growth redwood planned harvest that would continue in perpetuity, old growth redwood. Then someone bought it, went crazy trying to squeeze as much profit from it that they could, and it went bankrupt in the 2008 ish. Sad story there. You have a real relic.

[@redwood1957]

@@pacificcoasthiking Wikipedia says Mendocina Redwood CO purchased at court sale, who is now partnered with Humbolt Redwood co.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

I was heartbroken when Maxxam did the hostile takeover of PALCO. It was a leveraged buyout, and Maxxam had to log like a madman to make the financials. Generations of sustainability down the tubes.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@DanielinLaTuna Absolutely true Daniel. That was a terrible loss to us all. PALCO was a good company doing the best work in logging and sustainability around. I wonder if McMillan Bloedel is doing the same level of work in Canada.

[@DanielinLaTuna]

pacificcoasthiking; the only “sin”, from a corporate raider’s point of view, that PALCO made was having too much cash on hand. It made them a tempting target for that rich Texan who only knew one way to grow a business - hostile takeover.

[@Hardspace1979]

Whole lotta fire wood sitting there

[@pacificcoasthiking]

pretty much

[@bill84345]

Once a tree dies it should have been cut, when should have this tree been cut for maxium bebefit, 100 years ago?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Yes, I believe you are very close on that one. Good comment.

[@chado3000]

Could make your money back pretty quick by making boxes and souvenirs with it unless it's illegal to use.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

It isn't illegal, and you are correct on that type of market to go for. Unfortunately it would be cost prohibitive to try to get that log out of where it was for that purpose. Not a bad thought though.

[@mcmc8496]

@@pacificcoasthiking That would be the best option for the owner since he is apparently expecting to retire on these. Should get a large chainsaw mill and cut slabs off as needed and corner the market on birdhouses....

[@BrianSheppard]

Will you stop interrupting the old timer for goodness sake?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Sure Brian, no problem. Thanks for the post.

[@Gcal1956]

It looks like they are the CSI REDWOOD EDITION. they look like they are investigating a crime scene.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Hello Gcal1956, thank you for the post. I have to say that when you purchase a couple of logs and find deal breaker defects in them, then end up losing money, you will understand examining these things. And yeah, it is a bit like that. lol, thank you for the post.

[@christopherhubbard9677]

I'm no eco warrior I love a good log when I see one, but I feel bad for this old tree topped for Fence posts and kindling :( guess that's the way it goes sometimes

[@paulcrottie4394]

So your an eco destroyer

[@rickhalverson2014]

The tree was alive but they die. Something some people could never understand. Plant many more. We always need more trees. This old thing was ready for firewood.

[@MrRasZee]

half of these fools have no respect for the tree when its alive...how could they respect it when its dead...all they see is money signs

[@annab3182]

These big beautiful trees are dangerous when their dead for years. They will come down in pieces and depending how close they are in a grove they will take out living giants.

[@dawhat84]

so basically they (logger) shattered it when it hit the ground? or tree just old like us and shattered (like me) while standing, and it had to come down because something that lives for 80 years moved under something 2,000 y/o that just happened to die while they are under it? that's funny. I could listen to that old log slayer wisdom for hours. it would be like dropping a locomotive on the roof. Thank you for sharing...

[@pacificcoasthiking]

You are a good person Da What. Thank you for the comment.

[@Diggit7979]

This species of Sequoia are more brittle than the coast version. The early loggers realized this fairly early.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@Diggit7979 Yes Diggit, they still were able to get unbelievable, clear, vertical grain, old growth appearance material out of it back in the day. There was a bit smaller commercial stand in Sequoia than Coastal.

[@pathfindergeorgia1117]

I email you a picture with my boy next to it, the other is directly behind the first.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thank you.

[@1999mikedunn]

Or mill it. And glue the cracks together. "This is old growth, tight grain wood. Forester. HSC BS Forestry 1976. CDF

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Hi Mike. Eric Oldar is a good friend of mine. Helped each other out quite a bit. This is definitely old wood but unfortunately not all wood equals good commerce. As you know, there is a lot of this type of resource. I bought a lot of "Buckskins" from around ft Bragg a long time ago, and I know there is no shortage of anything except a commercial redwood industry. Actually I know there are lots of 2nd and 3rd growth mills doing just fine. Anyway, thank you for your post.

[@Treeheight]

Mike...you have a better idea of use for the log than the others... I note their complaints of the cracks.. but dropping a 60 foot long trunk cut from 65 feet or so from the ground and dropping it didn't help... plus I see the log fell on a boulder... are the fellows (Wagy , and others) surprised it cracked? Considering the tree has been standing dead for many years and has some splits, it held quite well after the impact... if someone wanted to use the log to carve life size bears, I would say no, but for other uses such as table tops, mantles etc, there is enough good wood there.. Wagy doesn't seem to have any ideals for uses... like most people, if it ain't perfect, throw it away... everything .

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@Treeheight Treeheight, while those are good thoughts, believe me when I say if you have a mill you don't "cherry pick" potential money making. Typically you have done all the possibilities that truly make you money in income vs "collecting possibilities" in cost. Private industry has to perform and you don't usually get a whole lot of income when you are guessing at what might sell or what you might be able to sell. If the sawmill guy has a lot of money he can do more in the way of possible income vs someone who has to make it pay.

[@bsouza1675]

I didn’t know a Sequoia was a redwood tree 🌲 I believe there are lot of folks with portable saw mills that could help avoid completely wasting usable lumber.

[@HolzMichel]

it's not really a redwood. many decades ago it was considered one, but genetic studies differentiated it from the coastal redwood. the change in the latin names give that up: "sequoiadendron giganteum" for giant sequoia and "sequoia sempervirens" for the coastal redwood. in a milled state the two species look, feel and smell similar, however the bark, foliage and fruit differ considerably from each other. the coastal redwood has needles and cones similar to western hemlock whereas giant sequoia has scales rather than needles, and the cones are a little larger than a chicken egg and also shaped somewhat differently.

[@handsfree1000]

It takes a long time for these trees to grow that size. Doesn’t take long to cut it down. 🙁

[@pacificcoasthiking]

True Peter. Time will pass and there will be more of them. And there are an unbelievable amount of them left up there, which is awesome.

[@johnbrattan9341]

@@pacificcoasthiking "unbelievable amount of them left up there," you say. Compared to what? The gluttonous timber industry have left mankind with less that 5% old growth of both giganteum and senpervirons. They would have harvested all of them if given half a chance.

[@johnbrattan9341]

@Samuel Nuno We're talking OLD GROWTH here Samuel. And the OLD GROWTH has survived for up to 500 or more years. I am a forester, with degree. pacificcoasthiking and you know absolutely nothing about forest environs. Nothing. If you and pacificcoasthiking want to learn something...then just let me know. Ignorance, like pacificcoasthiking is strickly a Republican notion of thinking, where facts don't matter. Unfortunately, through both of your ignorances, you have no idea.

[@johnbrattan9341]

@Samuel Nuno Oh, for gawd sakes NO. You've been sold on the Republican/consumerism bandwagon. And the forestry industry is smack in the middle of politicism. It always has been. Since cutting of large swaths of trees began. Refresh your memory with this dipshit comment by pacificcoast, of which a more nefarious blindsighted bullshit piece of fucking detritus has ever been uttered. 'pacificcoast said this "there are an UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT LEFT UP THERE." What the fuck does that mean? COMPARED TO WHAT? You, as a Republican, disregard fact. You simply don't care. Nevertheless, and I'll repeat myself, in California where both Genus Sequoia have thrived way before Christ was born, there are less than 2% old growth remaining. This IS a fact. This dipshit pacificcoast is talking out of his ass. You want sources and references...I'll give that to you. But I swear pacificcoast will never respond to fact. I know these things. pacificcoast is warped by Republican dogma...which by nature has no truth in fact. That is a maxim.

[@drobb4207]

@@johnbrattan9341 Sorry to inform you Mr Brattan, you have a loose screw. Yes, I have a degree also, but mine is in Psychology ;^)

[@veggitarianredneck]

Years ago I lived in springville near waggys mill. I purchased a truck full of lumber from him years ago for 25 dollars. My dad and I logged the dead and down redwood trees in that very area, camp Nelson. Hard to purchase any usable amount these days. Bunny huggers would rather they just sit there on the ground.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Hello Handyman! Good deal, then you knew Dennis Brown, lol, and others up there. I have bought a few loads from both guys. Jonathan has always been a generous and straight guy. He is still doing ok or was. I haven't talked with him since that trip.

[@veggitarianredneck]

Yep knew all the browns, my dad worked with Dennis a little. I heard Phil had recently just passed may he RIP. Not sure what half pint or Mark have been up to lately. I miss working up in the woods.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@veggitarianredneck Great memories aren't they. Dennis was continually in trouble, I could not get an order from him that was straight up and correct. I have never seen anyone climb and limb a tree faster than Dennis. Once I was supplying giant christmas tree's to lake arrowhead for the holidays, and we went up past camp nelson to harvest a few standing firs from the guy who started Gang Nail Truss company, I can't remember his name now, but I had a crane, in the snow, on a slope, and at one point "skiied" down a road with my boom out back.....unreal moment there.

[@veggitarianredneck]

Now you've peeked my curiosity. I must know your name. My father is Karl Martin, if you knew him you prolly know me.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@veggitarianredneck LOL, funny small world isn't it. My name is Don Seawater, from Pacific Access Lumber and then after that, Pacific Coast Lumber in San Luis Obispo Pacific Coast Lumber was a small urban sawmill operation, and I ran into Jonathan during many conferences on urban forestry. He was always there with sage advice to the young whippersnappers. lol I do not remember your father, but I can tell I would have liked to know him. It is a pleasure meeting you as well.

[@shanek6582]

Split it up into fence posts, what a waste they left it rotting so long.

[@joeboscarino2380]

It was a dead standing tree that was cut down , it is not worth the effort to retrieve it .

[@horseblinderson4747]

It was also a crap fell job too.

[@EL300B]

Michael Rhoads-Youv'e never fell a tree ,have you?

[@nickpeterson8080]

Very cool

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Thanks Nick!

[@BigBadRoaddog]

Sequoia or coastal redwood? Sequoia's are protected and live in the sierras.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

sequoia redwood. This one.

[@RobbieSongwriter]

"Giant sequoias were once logged, but the practice stopped over a century ago because the tree's wood is brittle." So other than shakes/shingles, what use is there for this tree even if it had been felled in a more professional manor? Much ado about nothing??

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Yes, much ado about absolutely nothing. It would not have made even good shakes and shingles. Another guy noted that one of the reasons they stopped logging sequoia was the wood was so brittle. But the appearance part of it still was incredibly valuable. Old growth, 100+ growth rings per inch, clear, lots of good wood came from the sequoias. The stand of them was and is relatively small. I sold quite a bit of it in my day. There were private guys who sold trees and logs about 30+ years ago.

[@smug8567]

I know your brand of family fun. Tomorrow you'll probably kill the desk clerk, hold up a McDonalds, and drive us 1,000 miles out of the way to see the world's largest pile of mud!

[@pacificcoasthiking]

That is funny! Thank you, you got me on that!

[@smug8567]

@@pacificcoasthiking always good for a laugh

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@smug8567 The world needs to laugh more, so thank you Smug!

[@pathfindergeorgia1117]

If you want two trees I have them in my back yard you can have

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Where are you located? What kind of trees are they? Thank you Pathfinder for your nice post. I think Georgia might be a bit far :). Trees are awesome!

[@jamesmcdermott5048]

Sunshine, sawdust, and Bumble Bees!!!

[@scottfoster2487]

All the owner has is firewood.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Absolutely, in my opinion. I know there are crazy things people can make out of that log, but not one thing would return the amount of money it would take to get it out or even mill it in place to whatever they got. So you could not be more right in my mind.

[@dennyskerb4992]

Firewood

[@btx8888]

That tree is more important then your lives ....

[@pacificcoasthiking]

But not yours, right Bruno? Not sure what to say to communicate with someone who says what you just said BRUNO. Thank you for your post.

[@joshmullinnex5113]

When I picture heaven. Its cutting 20 plus footers! 😊

[@liamoboyle2065]

The point of this video was???

[@firesurfer]

To make sure you properly measure and fell trees the best way possible. What you saw was a lesson in mistakes. (Several of them)

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Liam, thank you for the comment. The point is that not all old growth logs and efforts to try to use them have merit. Some really should be left for wild life trees. Fire Surfer is right as well. I think they had to get that giant down, it was falling apart and threatening the house near it. Even though the tree was there maybe two thousand years before the house, that is the way it is.

[@orosenberg]

I think the comment was unwarranted, this is an amazing video

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@orosenberg Thank you Oren, much appreciated.

[@horseblinderson4747]

It would be a bodger's heaven, but yeah you're not getting any marketable boards out of that.

[@thyslop1737]

Is this the same guy who cut dowm a massive, beautiful old walnut tree in someone's yard?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

This is the guy who people call when they want to see a great tree Not go to waste. He risks his money and time on the line to try to parlay it into beautiful wood that will continue as wood and not firewood.

[@brianruff1133]

I have a pal who is a retired Crown Z faller up here in Orygun and he dresses just like that, the old work outfit.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I love that stuff Brian. The real thing is awesome. Jonathan Wagy is one of them.

[@brianruff1133]

@@pacificcoasthiking I could tell! Thanks for the videos, take care.

[@liamoboyle2065]

pacificcoasthiking km,

[@LChem1]

Garbage! I lived in the Santa Cruz mts for 30 years. There are 3' diameter logs Littering the ground. I had a 7' dia stump, 8 ft high on my place. No one seems to use Woodmiser mills, etc, to make lumber. Now, in the sierra mts, all the pines are dying. "We" bought a mill and saw it up. 45 cents a bdft, not $4 like redwood. Anyhow, this video is odd, redwood litters the forest floor

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Yes redwood litters the forest floor. The giant buckskins are all over the place up by fort bragg, etc. It is the getting them out or milling them in place that presents an economic challenge. What is it worth? How fast will it sell? Etc. Thank you Purr.

[@LChem1]

Yes, moving is a load. Had property near Boulder Creek, a guy wanted some trees, road association rules prevent road use so they bring in Copters....so we Know redwood has a little more value than the Ponderosa we were milling....pine beetles....brings 45cents bdft, wholesale. but there is $$ in redwood. Thus the copters. Thus $4+ a bdft😱 🌲

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@LChem1 Hi again Purr Cat. Yes on the pine. I chose to make the local and Sierra pine into other products. Mostly non standard in order to get more per bf for them. For instance I was cutting 5/4 because it wasn't available anywhere else. I also made sure to have 12/4 in commons to do the same. If you look at the video where I am sitting in front of the lucas mill, that video has lots of other products that I focused on, again to get more value per bf! Thank you again for your post. I appreciate it and enjoy it.

[@LChem1]

We had a home in Paradise. 😱. Had a redwood tree 20 yrs old. Over 30" dia. Rings one inch!!😱. It speared the roof! Bad tree. Fixed that. $$. Then the fridge broke, flooded the house!!!😱😱. Big $$$. Then Paradise burned! 😱😱😱. But not us. 😺😺. So we sold Paradise.... And put in a parking lot. 😹. Just kidding, Joni joke. Sold it and all is good. Never, in 30 yrs in the Santa Cruz mtns did I see such a tree. A very fast growing tree.

[@jamesculp3622]

Back when this tree was a sapling, people didn't believe it was possible to over log, pollute the ocean or contaminate the entire globe. This area of the planet is maybe one of the most peaceful and beautiful places in the world.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Agreed James, thank you for the comment. This tree might well be over 1500 years old. Maybe more.

[@donmcw5678]

A 5' diameter Sequoia does not really qualify a giant. Furthermore , this giant is called a snag in the Thuja Placata world of red wood where I live in BC Canada. This standing wood and has not been a living tree for quite a number of years. They are very dangerous to fall.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Hi Don, thank you for your reply. This tree was well over 5' diameter at dbh. You can see the three of us standing in front of it. It was more like 10' diameter at breast height. I understand what you are saying about the Western Red Cedar trees up north where you are. As you probably know, there are giants in the redwoods, as well as cedars. I was in the lumber industry when they were still harvesting those giants, and can tell you that I milled over 20,000 board foot a day in the hot tub business down here, all vertical grain old growth cedar and redwood. I got a chance to go up and visit Landucci lumber, (got to know Bob Landucci, great guy), McMillan Bloedell, Sandve Lumber (now Haida),as well as others up on the peninsula. Great memories. Thank you for your post.

[@donmcw5678]

@@pacificcoasthiking I was curious about the size because the video showed a standing snag that looked as though that was the giant referred to and the one being scaled on the ground was about 5 to 6' in diameter. If you are referring to the standing timber that you gentlemen were photographed standing at the base then yes the tree is about 10 ft plus in diameter. No problem. Work safe. No I do not know the loggers you mentioned. I am 73 and the older experienced loggers that worked for M&B, Rayonier and Canadian Forest Products on Northern Vancouver Island are sharpening their saws in heaven and a few of them quite likely in hell. Cheers. Work safe.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@donmcw5678 Don, it is a complete honor that you posted this. Plus you made me smile with your comment about the loggers. So thank you twice for that. I am 65 soon to be 66, and a pleasure to speak with you. Thanks again my friend.

[@donmcw5678]

The honour is half mine; half yours. Never go it alone. Always have a backup plan, an escape route and stay out of the bight. I wrote a song in 1972 called Bull Bucker Bill. I have the lyrics but lost the recording in a flood a few years ago. Cheers. @@pacificcoasthiking

[@tomlymbery4461]

That aluminum hard hat hasn't been approved for 20 years - unsafe even then.

[@jimrodgers9227]

I bought one of the first slabs and it was full of bugs. I was pissed.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Jim, what are you talking about. You bought one of the first slabs of what? PCL did not purchase that sequoia log. Plus bugs done like old growth high tannin wood....hmmm? Are you talking about the walnut slabs? You couldn't be talking about the walnut slabs because there was just a tiny bit of cambium on that walnut, and that is the only part of a walnut that a bug would be in. So your comment is a puzzle. Sounds like you are a bit confused about something.

[@jimrodgers9227]

@@pacificcoasthiking I know what I know.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@jimrodgers9227 Jim, I am not doubting you know what you know. Was it the walnut log or the redwood log that PCL did not purchase? I am just trying to figure out what you bought and what you found in it. Walnut cambium can and will get powder post beetles, and I have seen walnut stored on the ground for many years get termites, which I have only seen once in my career. Bugs are nightmares in wood. Almost always powder post beetles. All can be treated. Thanks again for your post Jim.

[@dpav7994]

Live edge furniture is always full of flaws and bug holes and checks and cracks... and it sells for top dollar.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

This is true. Although the flaws are quite a bit less in most cases, than this log, which if slabbed would fall into many pieces from the radial fractures that come from drying in difficult conditions, virtually forever..(ok, about four hundred years or so). So while you are correct that great pieces of wonderful furniture can be had out of very high "character" wood, the acquisition of this log is prohibitive compared to the amount of character wood available everywhere around us. Just wasn't close to a good economic deal. But yeah, you are probably right about how cool a piece this might produce after a tremendous amount of work put into it. Thank you.

[@dpav7994]

@@pacificcoasthiking Fair enough, yeah price would have to be right, I guess it all depends on what they're trying to sell it for, and if they're pricing it like a near perfect specimen, then there's nothing you can do.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@dpav7994 lol, I think what you were saying was correct though. That it was cool, which it was. Thank you for your post.

[@jhart7304]

Yep. Plus the mill does less work and higher yield. This world is insane.

[@bubblegum8774]

The devil himself witnessed

[@pacificcoasthiking]

What? What does that mean Bubblegum?

[@Fiberglasser03]

Whats the plastic for?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I guess the plastic was the owners idea of trying to protect the thousand year old tree from the weather? Who knows. The owner had done that. It was definitely fence posts and kindling.

[@MrGrey-dx5sb]

I think to try and save bark on some I don't know

[@denniscrowell3355]

By the look of the log I'm guessing the plastic was to hold it together.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@denniscrowell3355 Well said Dennis. That was about the way it was.

[@HubertofLiege]

Fence posts and kindling. Why was it topped and bucked? And I still wear an aluminum hat Tom lymbury

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Right on the money for what it will yield. You are seeing an old fart who has been in the business forever, and is in his sunset of his life. He loves the industry. An old forester and an old faller. Old sawmill guy. That is enough for me. The tree owner (who obviously didn't know much about trees and logs and sawlogs) had the big eyes. Had someone top it because it was "worth a fortune". Can't get anyone to take it I bet. You are right on.

[@davidpowell5504]

I would think the Sequoia could be milled up for decorative interior siding/wall paneling.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

David, you would be right except the yield would not make it feasible. When sequoia gets that old "on the hoof", it develops an incredible about of checking and splits that you just cannot cut around. As it dries in this size, and over the course of several hundred years it doesn't rot, but definitely decays and becomes more fit for fence posts, and that is just about it. Coastal old growth redwood is tougher and stays together a lot better. There are many "buckskins" harvested from the forest floor along the coast of California, that even after a hundred years or more will do what you are thinking about and more. Thank you for your post.

[@willow091]

And then ... like Lassen College did to its clear heart redwood interior wallboard...paint it.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

So, what.l happened to this log? Owner finally realize it's essentially worthless?

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I think you are right. Or he/she is still trying to rope in some star struck sawmill guy.

[@RRRIBEYE]

@@pacificcoasthiking I suppose he could've cut it down into cordwood! lol

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@RRRIBEYE I don't know how sequoia burns? lol

[@andrewblack7852]

Actually a dead log rotting in the forest is critical to the nutrient cycle . I’m not against using lumber but these polar extreme viewpoints are not valid. Neither extreme has validity. You can’t just use nature, you can’t just not disturb nature. There are only two ways to go, either with nature or in ignorance of nature. You can go with nature and use or not use, you can go against nature and use it or not.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

Andrew, thank you for your post. I agree with you about bio balance. I think you are correct. Lots of examples of ancient people devastating their bio universe. The forests of cedar of lebanon for instance. Thank you for your post. Much appreciated. We shouldn't blindly go about our interests I imagine. So many people take a position and beat the other guys up with it. Thank you for the way you are saying yours.

[@brwpe7733]

Question, you don't happen to know Don Knauff or Knauf do you? High climber

[@pacificcoasthiking]

I don't, Brwp, what area is he from? I know some people around Porterville, name of Brown, who is a big tree high climber.

[@brwpe7733]

pacificcoasthiking I'm not sure, I met him on hiway 1 in Northern California while stopped at a view of the ocean with my wife. He and his wife were there and he stated he had help build the stone wall where we were parked. He then mentioned he had been a high climber in the area. Caught my attention as I have done everything with trees except pull the stick on a mill. Became certified with ISA over twenty years ago my dad had me tailing (offbaring) the saw very young. I absolutely love Northern California and am jealous of you guys. Northwest NC has too much humidity.

[@brwpe7733]

Just googled Camp Nelson. I see it's a long distance from where I would have met Mr Knauff. I have been in your area, still jealous.

[@pacificcoasthiking]

@@brwpe7733 Thank you amigo. I do wish I had more of the big hardwoods that NC might have. Do they have Tennesee red cedar where you are? Any of the cedars? All good, and thanks again.

[@brwpe7733]

Not much Red Cedar here, I do have one one some property I have. The really big hardwoods are pretty much gone. If you're ever in the area go west of Cherokee about fifty miles to Joyce Kilmer Forrest. There's some virgin Poplar, Eastern White Pine and others. It's not like the General Sherman but it's worth seeing.

[@pathfindergeorgia1117]

Forest grove Oregon. If you have an email address I will send you a few pictures

[@pacificcoasthiking]

[e-mail]-Don Seawater, thank you Pathfinder. Never know where these will go. Always interesting