From The Supply Post Archives: Loggers Help Old Friend

Jul 22, 2021 - 4 years ago

Retired associate Harold Giles got a little help from some friends in removing a huge, potentially dangerous spruce from his property.

From The Supply Post Archives - Loggers Help Old Friend — Giant log plugged creek behind retiree’s home until Crown employees arranged to have it removed.

The 53-metre (125-foot) lone tree stood by a creek on land where Harold keeps his cattle. The Bella Coola Valley is subject to extreme wind conditions and he was afraid that the tree, which was partly rotted, posted a threat to neighbourhood children.

“Back in November we had some of the most bitter cold weather I can ever remember, and I’ve been here for many years,” Harold says. “I thought it would be a good time to get the tree down safely when the ground got hard. Some of the limbs were almost half-a-metre stuck in the mud if we’d cut in warmer weather.”

Harold had a friend fell the tree, but it rolled over into the creek. After working as office manager at Bella Coola from 1954 to 1969, Harold knows many CF employees and asked if the company could lend a hand.

The following day, foreman Melvin Gurr sent over contract faller Ian Svisdahl and D8 operator Don Duncan to cut and haul the problem tree, which was about two metres (6.5’) in diameter at the butt. The next day the cat was back and loaded the log onto the truck.

“The way they helped me out pleased me no end,” says Harold.

Courtesy of CF News; Originally published in Supply Post, March 1986.