June 21: Golden, Colorado (just west of Denver).

We are in Clear Creek City Park N39° 45.197' W105° 13.193' in Golden, Colorado. The campground is located on the south side of 10th street at the end of the road. Clear Creek City Campground is one of the nicest (location wise) campgrounds you can stay in (our opinion). located on Clear Creek 3-blocks from downtown Golden. They have paved interior roads with small backin sites (mature trees are so wonderful); 50-amps, water and sewer, $28.91 per-night 303-278-1437. There is a 2-week max stay before you have to leave the park and they do not take reservations.

One day we took a trip west on I-70 from our campground in Golden, Colorado. Once we passed over the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass through Eisenhower tunnel we got to the bottom of the grade and turned south headed through Frisco on our way to Breckenridge.

Giant Timber harvester

Between Frisco and Breckenridge, Colorado we stopped to watch this giant timber harvester at work.

It was grabbing trees much like a garbage truck grabs a trash can. Once the tree is tightly in the grasp of those steel arms a large chainsaw swings out at the bottom and deftly severs the tree in a matter of seconds.

Giant Timber harvester

This is the business end of that huge piece of machinery. The saw that severs the tree is in that thing that looks like a mouth.

Giant Tree Harvester

Once severed the tree is hoisted and turned horizontal where those large rollers start moving the tree. As the rollers move the tree those arms are snapping off the limbs. The "arms" that grip the tree have sharp edges that function as knives when the rollers move the log over them. On occasion the operator has to make more than one pass with the log to clean off all the limb debris. Then the operator may or may not saw the log into several pieces.

I suppose if the tree is too long to fit on a logging truck he will cut off a 10' to 12' length.

Giant Timber harvester

In this view you can see how the log is now horizontal. It is in this position that the limbs are removed from the trunk. It is also in this position that the trunk is cut to length.

That is a BIG tree that the operator is limbing. And this machine is handling it like it is a mere 2X4.

Giant Tree Harvester

I am totally amazed at the power and versatility of this machine. It is grabbing and manhandling large trees with ease. Look at the size of that tree the machine is turning horizontal so it can delimb it.

Is delimb a word?

Whatever, that big machine is swinging that large tree around like it was nothing more than a ball bat.

Giant Tree Harvester

In this operation the machine is ripping limbs off the trunk. Next the operator will cut the trunk to length. And it is all done in a matter of seconds.

Here are some other Travel Adventures in this area that may interest you:

Golden, Colorado -- Kayaking Clear Creek in Golden, Colorado -- Golden Farmer's Market --

Hang Gliding on Lookout Mountain -- Buffalo Bill's Grave on Lookout Mountain -- Nature Center on Lookout Mountain

Evergreen, Colorado and Bear Creek scenic drive -- Dinosaur Ridge near Morrison, Colorado

Central City & Black Hawk, Colorado -- Mountain Goats of Mount Evans -- Clear Creek Canyon Scenic Drive

The Oh-My-God Road from Central City to Idaho Springs -- Boulder Canyon Scenic Drive -- Golden, Colorado

Evergreen, Colorado -- Kayaking fun in Clear Creek Golden, Colorado -- Mount Evans Scenic Drive -- Lookout Mountain

Summit Lake on Mount Evans ** Loveland Pass on I-70 ** Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 ** Colorado Ski Areas

Oversize Loads on US-6 ** I-70 West of Denver ** Clear Creek Water Sports Golden, Colorado