Spokane · Large conifer

Spar-Pole Rigging: Removing a Large Tree With No Drop Zone

Rigged spar pole used to remove a large tree in a tight Spokane backyard — The stem set up as a rigging spar

Climber rigging a pine in a confined Spokane backyard — Progressive limb removal before blocking down the stem

The hazard: Large stem with structures on three sides and no room for a conventional fell in any direction.
What was at risk: House, detached garage, and a neighboring fence line.
Access constraints: Backyard with no equipment access — no crane, no bucket, no path for a chipper truck to reach the stem.
How we did it: Set the remaining stem up as a rigging spar: climber removes limbs progressively, then the trunk comes down in blocks lowered through a rigging point above the cut and slowed with friction at the base. Ground crew controls every piece to a small landing zone.
Result: Tree removed in blocks with no structure contact and no lawn rutting from machinery.

What this means if you have the same problem

"We can't get equipment back there" does not mean the tree has to stay. It means the removal is a climbing and rigging job, priced by hours and risk instead of machine time.