Keep your distance
We advise you to stay clear of hanging branches, split trunks, leaning trees, and anything under tension. We ask you not to attempt removal yourself. We recommend keeping people and vehicles away from the area.
Planned Tree Work
When to remove or trim a tree.
We coordinate trimming, removal, and clearance for Park City properties around the site and work involved.
Trimming and removal season
Plan for the right window.
We usually plan trimming and removal from late fall through winter at altitude. We note firm ground and a bare tree crown during that window. We use these conditions to see the work and access the tree more easily.
Before winter
Notice it early.
We look for pitch tubes, boring dust, and crowns fading from the top down on pines and spruce. We note sunken orange or dark trunk patches on aspens, along with brown or bronzed needles on the south and west sides of evergreens in late winter. We also watch for blackened, curled branch tips, fresh splits, and hanging limbs from a safe distance.
We look for dead limbs over structures and driveways.
We note leaning trunks with fresh soil heaving at the base.
We watch for cracked or narrow branch unions.
We notice dead conifers within falling distance of the house.
Clearance work
Make room for what is next.
We use removal and limbing to clear the way for remodels, additions, new driveways, and opening up a view. We describe the requested clearance in relation to the property work. We coordinate access and scope with the tree crew.
For trimming, we define the scope around limb work and clearance. For removal, we coordinate the tree crew, cleanup, and haul away. We keep 435 as the point of contact as the work is coordinated.
Defensible space
Plan around the property.
We describe defensible space as clearing and spacing vegetation near structures to support wildfire mitigation. We consider the property, surrounding vegetation, and current local rules as part of planning the work. We direct property owners to check with Summit County and their HOA for the specific requirements that apply before making a plan.
After a storm
Safety comes first.
We treat wind, snow, and ice as factors that turn a familiar tree into a property hazard. We start from a distance with a clear view of the scene, then coordinate the next step through 435.
Call the utility
Assume a downed or damaged power line is live. Do not touch the tree, branch, fence, vehicle, or ground near it. Call the utility provider, not a tree service, for anything touching a power line.
Document safely
We recommend photographing the damage from a safe location before anything is moved so you have a record for insurance. We ask you to contact 435 with the property details and what you see.
We take the call, assess access and scope, coordinate the tree crew, and handle cleanup and haul away through 435. We provide one point of contact for the property. We help clarify whether the concern is storm cleanup, a tree near a structure, or a larger hazard question. We do not ask you to approach an unstable tree to collect information.
We coordinate tree work with an insured tree crew.