billcoe Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Bring your monster Poison Oak here: here is one from last night. The smaller of the 2 you see here is a Poison Oak vine heading up a Douglas Fir tree. Scott Peterson, Jim Opdycke the poison oak master and I (with nitrile gloves which didn't prevent getting it) last night doing some civic service at Rocky Butte as it rained during the day and the normal spots were wet. Jim is ripping some young vines out with his bare hands while I hold the big mamma. He has never gotten it, and I've seen him pull it out barehanded an amazingly high amount of times. This trick, however, was truncated by the hornets nest we disturbed as one of the vines growing perpendicular eventually started to pull the vegetation by the underground hornets nest. Score was Hornets 1 (got Jim on the chin and drew blood), us 0. I will fix the bastards up soon though. The interesting part about this one, is that it is a short hop away from a set of chains at the most popular part of a climbing crag located within the city limits (Rocky Butte). This was unseen by many thousands of climbers for many many years as the leaves were so high up it was not visible. I topped out the other day soloing and noticed a leaf by my foot. Then I started seeing a bunch of them. Red and on the ground. The Oak and only the oak is turning red and falling off the vines now. Further investigation revealed that this was like the mother alien, propagating lots of little bushes that people had been spraying for years. But it kept coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Holy shit....you got Jim to go to Rocky Butte? You should have seen the bush Kevin Rauch, Jim and I took down at the zone. Must have been 40 tall, stuck out from the wall 20 feet....looked like a huge tree. The stock was the size of a grown mans thigh....its still at the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billcoe Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 Holy shit....you got Jim to go to Rocky Butte? You should have seen the bush Kevin Rauch, Jim and I took down at the zone. Must have been 40 tall, stuck out from the wall 20 feet....looked like a huge tree. The stock was the size of a grown mans thigh....its still at the base. Yes, LOL you see I have pull with important people:-) Nah, you know that Jim's always up for a civic project to make your life better. There were 6 nearby tree/vines treated in a similar manner. No other hornets. Actually, I did see the one at the Ozone. In fact, the next year after you guys had sawed it off, pulled it down and hauled it off with a log truck or however: it regrew into a nice little bush with about 30 stalks and I went out and sprayed it. If you go out there and re-look at it though, you will be disappointed at it's a significantly smaller size than you believe it to be. No honey, I swear it's 6 inches...huh?! NO, I ain't getting no damn tape measure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbone Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Actually, I did see the one at the Ozone. In fact, the next year after you guys had sawed it off, pulled it down and hauled it off with a log truck or however: it regrew into a nice little bush with about 30 stalks and I went out and sprayed it. If you go out there and re-look at it though, you will be disappointed at it's a significantly smaller size than you believe it to be. Actually....as you are walking under "High plains drifter" at the zone look down the hill....the remainer of the "huge" tree is still sitting there. We just pushed it down the hill using long sticks....as not to touch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevetimetravlr Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 whenever you got to break out the chain saw for poison oak, look out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCamKenny Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 It makes me itch just looking at the picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letsroll Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 nice work guys!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 I had no idea poison ivy got this big. Does the non-climbing kind get as large? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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