At the moment of measurement I had it as straight as I could determine, it would help to have a level on the pole for awkward off-center top situations. My hand was directly below the twig. In the photo Bob posted of me in the top you can see the pole leaning but I don't believe that was the moment of measuring, I had to maneuver a bit to get myself in the best position to hold the pole straight.
I secured the tape at 16 ft. from the top but is was still offset to the right from the main trunk. I descended about 30 feet from there, was hanging out away from the tree beneath the lean, then lowered the tape reel on a throwline to the ground. It had a good straight path. I couldn't see well enough to know but I imagine Bob and John had to transpose back to the base of the trunk to get the measurement. I trust they did a good job of that. -Andrew Will Blozan wrote: > Andrew, > > What was the angle of the pole? Did you come up straight from below? Was the > tape drop to midslope? Maybe the error is in the basal point? > > Will F. Blozan > President, Eastern Native Tree Society > President, Appalachian Arborists, Inc. > > "No sympathy for apathy" > -----Original Message----- > From: Andrew Joslin [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2009 10:13 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [ENTS] Andrew Joslin and Henry David Thoreau > > Will, I completely agree with your analysis, I believe there's some > error on my side of things. The crown structure is pretty much the same > as in your photo. I went out on the upper right branch/leader as you > described and reached up with a 9 foot pole (9 ft. with a mark at 8 feet > above where I hold the pole) to get the high twig. I did the same as you > did, marked 8 ft. from the top then transposed across to mark 8' at a > point on the branch offset to the left of the imaginary plumb line below > the top twig. Last night I remeasured my pole to verify my marker is > exactly 8 ft., it is. Anyhow something ain't quite right, I will try > again when I get the chance. > -Andrew > > Will Blozan wrote: > >> Bob, >> >> Awesome day indeed! I am puzzled by the tape drop- something is not >> right. Did you add in BH? (156.1+4.5= 160.6) Did Andrew observe crown >> damage? I would bank on John Eichholtz's measurements any day (and >> yours ;). I can't accept that a tape drop was two feet off of some of >> ENTS greatest and most accurate measurers. No way. >> >> My climb in 2007 of the Grandfather tree substantiated that the high >> point of the Thoreau Pine was WAY off center on the down stream and >> slightly upslope side of the crown. I recall the intense sphincter >> adventures with getting high enough and cantilevered out to even reach >> it with the short extension pole I had during the climb. I transposed >> the top across the crown to a suitable anchor point for a drop as >> straight and close to the trunk as possible. It took some work for >> sure. Would have been a lot easier with a clinometer and pole combination. >> >> In the photo below (taken from the Grandfather Pine in 2007) the high >> point is clearly seen to the upper right of the crown. I recall it >> being virtually invisible from the ground from typical measurement >> vantage points. Perhaps it has broken but it sounds like it needs to >> be reclimbed. Thoreau is worthy! >> >> Will F. Blozan >> >> President, Eastern Native Tree Society >> >> President, Appalachian Arborists, Inc. >> >> //"No sympathy for apathy"// >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] >> *Sent:* Friday, December 04, 2009 8:40 PM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* [ENTS] Andrew Joslin and Henry David Thoreau >> >> ENTS, >> >> Well today was a big day for the Massachusetts group of dedicated >> Ents. At my request, Andrew Joslin and two companion climbers took on >> the daunting task of climbing the Henry David Thoreau pine in Monroe >> State Forest for the purpose of doing a tape drop measurement. The day >> was perfect for the climb. >> >> We met at the Charlemont Inn at 8:30AM and had breakfast. To our >> delight, John Eichholz was able to make it. So, after breakfast, we >> headed for Dunbar Brook. While John and team readied for the climb, >> John and I scooted around measuring other trees. We also measured the >> Thoreau pine from as many locations as possible. Our ground-based >> measurements ranged from 157.1 to 158.4 feet. John and I thought the >> most probably height for the tree to be 158 feet. >> >> To cut to the chase, Andrew's tape drop came to 156.1 feet. John and I >> were surprised, but that is the best measurement we have, so the big >> tree is no longer in the 160 Club. However, John established a new >> mid-slope baseline for girth using the Will Blozan method. Thoreau's >> girth is an even 13.0 feet. So, the Thoreau pine moves into another >> girth class. Lose some, win some. >> >> John went farther out the ridge while Andrew and team were getting >> themselves positioned in the top of the pine. John measured a sugar >> maple to 124.7 feet, a new height record for the Dunbar Brook maples. >> The Rucker Index stands at 123.7 today. Its all time high is 124.1. I >> found a tall ash upslope from Thoreau and the Grandfather pine. Its >> dimensions are girth = 7.2 feet, height = 128.9 feet. Not bad. I >> remeasured the Grandfather pine and got 144.7 feet. That is a >> believable number, given Will Blozan's climb a couple of years ago. I >> think he got around 143.5 feet or so. >> >> Well, enough chatter. The following images tell a little of the story. >> >> ThoreausBase.jpg: This image show's Thoreau's base. That is what a >> 13-foot circumference looks like for a straight white pine. >> >> LookingIntoThoreausCrown.jpg: I tried to capture the appearance of how >> this tree soars. >> >> TopOFThoreau.jpg: This image shows Andrew's pole at the tippy top of >> the great tree. >> >> ClimberInThoreau.jpg: This image shows a climber ascending. >> >> AshMapleAndRock.jpg: This image is included to give an idea of the >> surrounding terrain and forest. Great place. >> >> and your team, all ENTS thanks you and your team, and most of all the >> great Henry David Thoreau pine thanks you. We can promote this climb >> as a genuine effort to put truth into the tree numbers. >> >> Bob >> >> -- >> Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org >> Send email to [email protected] >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en >> To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] >> -- >> Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org >> Send email to [email protected] >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en >> To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] >> > > -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected]
