Pacific Northwest 5, March 10, 2024

March 10 2024

After performing some of his regular job duties as the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Transportation Maintenance Coordinator, Jake Jensen found himself in the middle of a six-hour rescue mission after storms engulfed Western

By Lori Tobias CEG CORRESPONDENT

On a Saturday afternoon in the middle of January, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Transportation Maintenance Coordinator Jake Jensen was on his way back to the Veneta maintenance station after assisting co-workers with downed trees on a nearby rural highway.

A severe winter storm was expected to paralyze much of western Oregon, but the forecast for the lower Willamette

Valley, where Jensen worked, suggested the area would escape the worst of it. The forecasts, it turned out, were wrong. At approximately 2 p.m., Jensen encountered a line of traffic at a standstill. So began a more than 6-hour rescue mission that left Jensen wet, cold and exhausted, his truck damaged, but everyone safe.

The storm had begun pelting the Portland metro area and areas north of Eugene on a Friday night. Saturday, the temperatures around Eugene dropped, the winds picked up and soon the already saturated ground began to freeze.

“The temperatures dropped into the double digits,” recalled ODOT PIO Mindy McCartt. “We had been getting pelted with such precipitation that everything was saturated and wet. It froze and never completely thawed, and then rained and refroze .... ODOT gets out with the de-icer and salt, but with those frozen layers, nothing is going to break through that. Add in the wind and the cold and you are going to get what we like to call exploding trees — saturated trees that freeze from the inside. If you have not been in a wooded see RESCUE page 6

Oregon.

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Oregon Logging Conference 2024 Sees

Record Number of Industry Attendees

Under warm and sunny skies, the 86th Annual Oregon Logging Conference (OLC) attracted record numbers of industry professionals, families, friends and members of the public.

The entire Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds in Eugene was packed to the brim with more than 10 acres of millions of dollars of equipment in the outside area and more than 150,000 sq. ft. of indoor exhibits, educational seminars and events and social activities.

“I was very pleased with the turnout, the

weather and the speakers,” 86th Annual OLC President Steve Henson said. “The OLC team did a great job putting on a firstclass conference,” he added.

The dates are set for the 87th Annual Oregon Logging Conference. It will take place from Feb. 20 to 22, 2025, at the Lane Event Center and Fairgrounds in Eugene, Ore.  CEG

(All photographs in this article are Copyright 2024 Construction Equipment Guide. All Rights Reserved.)

see LOGGING page 6

Scott Cunningham (L), general manager, and Don Roberts, sales manager, both of Columbia Western Machinery. CWM takes care of compaction and construction needs with Hitachi and Sakai equipment, along with KATO.

The teams from Ponsse and PacWest Machinery are here to take care of your logging needs.

(L-R): Jim Martin, field technician; Ryan Millhollin, regional business manager; Ivannia Davis, marketing manager; James Seggeling, former tree care specialist; Colleen Miller, sales/national account manager; and Stephen Davidson, regional business manager, showcasing the SENNEBOGEN 735, which is ideally suited for pick and carry operations, purpose-built to move wood with minimal maneuvering effort along direct travel paths.

Volvo was well represented at the expo showing off multiple pieces of forestry equipment.

There was a large crowd on hand for the 86th Annual Oregon Logging Conference.

The Oregon Logging Conference welcomes guests to the 86th edition of the expo.

The team from Wilson Equipment stands in front of the DEVELON DX300LL-5 log loader. (L-R): Steve Wilson, owner/CEO of Wilson Equipment; Lance Bates, truck driver; Mike Daves, service writer; Breck Paschalm, marketing; Jason Thomas, DEVELON field rep; Deven Kephar, sales manager; Russ Wilson; president of SG Wilson Trucks; Randy Wilson; president of Wilson Equipment; Rick Fowler, COO; Shawn Fenstermaker, service manager; Larry McMurren, rental rep; Garrett Hayslett, field rep; Brandon Weaver, field rep; and Nathan Leao, field rep.

Maintenance Coordinator, Passengers Lend Helping Hand

RESCUE from page 1

area during storms, it almost sounds like the 4th of July.”

It was at the Knowles Hill Creek on Highway 126 that Jensen, a 17-year ODOT employee, saw eastbound traffic blocked at the west end of the tunnel. Highway 126 connects the urban center of Eugene to the Oregon Coast. It’s rural, winding and rugged and absolutely critical to commuters traveling in either direction. It’s also a link for the rural OR Route 36, which runs from Junction City to Mapleton before connecting with 126 about 15 miles east of the coast.

“It’s a major vital road linking the coast to the Willamette Valley,” McCartt said. “It is a big priority to keep that clear and our crews know it.”

Joined by passengers from stranded vehicles in the freezing rain and darkness, Jensen cleared dozens of fallen trees from Knowles Creek Tunnel to Veneta, working tirelessly to cut a path just wide enough to drive through.

“He’s got three power saws, a whole lot of gas and some extra chains,” McCartt said. Any other time, the tools might have allowed Jensen to make quick work of the task, but with temperatures hovering around 18 degrees, it was anything but.

“The frozen trees dulled the chains,” Jensen said. “I had to rotate my saws, placing them inside the cab of my truck to

keep them from freezing up. I went through six sets of bar chains. At one point, I made the decision to turn off my high beams because I could see how many more trees were in our path. I needed to focus on one tree at a time.”

Jensen later reported that he couldn’t remember a time during those 6.5 hours when he didn’t hear more trees falling.

“His hope was that they were falling away behind them, away from people and not in the direction they were trying to go,” McCartt said.

But Jenssen learned that was wishful thinking after a tree

fell on his truck.

“At the time the tree hit his truck, he continued clearing,” McCartt said. “He had no idea the extent of damage to his truck, but with the needles covering it, he assumed the worst.” But when Jensen cut the tree from the truck, he discovered the truck was fairly unscathed, the Variable Messaging Sign (VMS) and truck rack taking the brunt of the fall. “He did say he was so grateful his truck took the worst,” McCartt said. “If it would have hit a passenger who knows what kind of injuries they could have sustained.”

Despite the downed power lines and cell towers, Jensen did eventually manage to make radio contact with headquarters to explain his predicament.

“The other crews were out already, but they were able to come from what they were doing and cut their way toward the coast and meet him in the middle,” McCartt said. “These maintenance crew members really pride themselves on getting it done ... and sometimes with only pure grit. They knew how dangerous it was, especially after the tree fell on the truck. Jensen, exemplified determination, quick action, and a get-it-done attitude, transforming a dangerous situation into a remarkable display of community and resilience. We commend Jensen and all involved crews for their dedication to public safety.”  CEG

(All photos courtesy of Oregon Department of Transportation.)

Professionals Pack Lane Events Center and Fairgrounds

Joined by passengers from stranded vehicles in the freezing rain and darkness, Jake Jensen cleared dozens of fallen trees from Knowles Creek Tunnel to Veneta, working tirelessly to cut a path just wide enough to drive through.

One of the many well-attended certification programs offered to attendees at the conference.

Harley Brattain (L), general manager, and Karen Brattain, sales and operations, both of Equipment NW, pictured with the SANY SY60C excavator, which is perfectly suited for excavation, land clearing and demolition. The company is a local SANY dealer ready to discuss the growing lineup of construction equipment.

Pat Crawford, vice president of products, Diamond Z, poses with the DZH7000. The high-capacity, lowmaintenance DZH7000 Series is essential for any large-scale wood waste and land-clearing grinding operation.

(L-R): Jordan Fontaine, marketing assistant; Blake Colella, sales; and Dan Bianchini, sales.

Levi Chamberlain (L) and JD Dirksen, of FMI Equipment, with the Fecon FTX1502 mulching tractor. The company has eight locations throughout Washington, Oregon and California.

Komatsu had its machinery lined up on the lot for attendees to get a good look.

Jed Stout, territory sales manager, and Mary Daily, marketing coordinator, both of J. Stout Auctions.

LOGGING from page 4

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Seattle, WA 8207 South 216th St Kent, WA 98032 206.762.5933

Mount Vernon, WA 4128 Cedardale Rd Mount Vernon, WA 98274 360.588.3083

PacWest Machinery participated in the recent Oregon Logging Conference held Feb. 22 to 24 at the Lane County Events Center in Eugene, Ore. A Pacific Northwest-based dealer representing Volvo and other heavy equipment lines, PacWest offers equipment and services for loggers, timber processors, biomass contractors and fixed mill operators in the region. PacWest serves these industries from six branches, each with complete repair facilities substantial parts inventories, and an extensive mobile service fleet.

PacWest is the exclusive dealer in the Northwest for Ponsse, Volvo and Bandit equipment, and each of those brands were on display at the recent conference. PacWest’s participation followed its purchase in September 2023 of the existing Ponsse business in the Pacific Northwest. This new partnership included the hiring of Ponsse’s experienced staff, the purchase of an existing repair facility, and

the commitment by PacWest to support the Pacific Northwest logging industry. Adding to the Ponsse cut-to-length forestry machines, PacWest’s equipment lineup of Volvo forestry carriers includes purpose-built log loaders, processors and road builders. In addition, PacWest is the Pacific Northwest dealer for the industrial line of Bandit whole-tree chippers.

“Ponsse has been incredibly supportive as we’ve transitioned to be the sales and service point for their products here in the Northwest,” said Andy Wold, CEO of PacWest. “By also offering the Volvo forestry carriers and Bandit’s leading whole-tree chippers to our lineup, we now have a number of ways to add value to customers in the Northwest timber harvesting and processing businesses. In addition, we’d like to commend the Oregon Logging Conference for hosting an excellent event”.

For more information, visit www.PacWestMachinery.com. 

Pasco, WA 1249 North California Ave Pasco, WA 99301 509.547.5933

Spokane, WA 3515 N. Sullivan Rd Spokane Valley, WA 99216 509.534.5933

Portland, OR 19255 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR 97230 503.252.5933

Eugene, OR 1550 Irving Rd Eugene, OR 97402 541.302.3762

PacWest Machinery Makes Inaugural Showing at 86th OLC

PacWest Machinery photo

Representatives from PacWest Machinery, Ponsse, Bandit and Herzog Winch pose in front of a Ponsse Scorpion Giant harvester and a Volvo EC300 log loader. (L-R) Andy Wold, Garrin Raleigh, Samuel Vidgren, Jouni Viitikka, Micah Laban, Chris Neumann, Steve Baker, Jan Kauhanen, Ken Lloyd, Corey Wittig, Scott Kellogg and Rafal Scharla.

OREGON

Portland

(503) 254-5100

Eugene

(541) 342-7700

Bend/Prineville

(541) 447-5293

WASHINGTON

Seattle/Tacoma

(253) 722-5560

Spokane

Mt. Vernon

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