Hey NoBads,

Have you ever wanted to cut down your tree for Christmas but were too overwhelmed with how to do it?

We’ll make it easy and break it down into 3 easy steps:

1. How to figure out where to actually cut down a tree. You can’t just go anywhere without the people (and the law) getting angry.
2. Tools you need to cut the tree, pack it and load it. We don’t want you repeating the Griswold Family Christmas tree fiasco.
3. How to prepare everything else so you are guaranteed to get out the door and chop that tree.

Where to find if you can purchase a permit to cut down a Christmas tree:

1. BLM website – Bureau of Land Management land is open for cutting down trees, as long as you have the permit! The maps are color coded to show you where BLM land is vs. other prohibited areas. This link takes you to the western United States.
2. Recreation.gov – (what we use) This site points you to specific National Forests where the land is designated for Christmas Trees
3. Know anyone who owns (or their family owns) private land with trees, reach out to them. See if they will let you cut one down. This is a great option if you don’t want to deal with permits, your state/area doesn’t offer permits for Christmas Trees.

Tools you need to cut down the tree:

1. A saw. A chainsaw it a little overkill unless you want a mega tree and have the right approval to buzz one down. Just make sure it has enough fuel (or you at least pack some just in case). A reciprocating saw (sawzall) is also a little overkill and you have to make sure the batteries are charged. Again, you can totally use these but we will spill about what we actually use (that do not require gas or battery) and are easy to pack.
   Otherwise, here are a couple options that are easily packable and able to cut down a perfectly good-sized tree for your home:
   • Classic Hand saw
   • Mini Hand Saw – what we used this year!
   • Nordic Pocket Saw – this was a stocking stuffer gift a few years ago and has come in handy! It’s ease of use and packability make it easy to take anywhere.
     
     Just remember to keep the packaging and protective shields, you’ll want to secure up your saw. If you choose of the handheld ones listed, these pack easily into a backpack so you can trek around without having to hold it in your hand.
     
2. A Rope. When you find a tree in a lot, they have these fancy machines that wrap and tie up the tree just right for hauling away on your car. The mountains do not offer such luxury. Make sure you have a pretty solid understanding of how you plan to load up and tied down your tree for the drive home. Then gather the necessary supplies.
   • Last year we had some thing rope to tie around the tree to help it fit nicer in the bed of our truck.
   • This year we had our pups with us, so there was no room in the truck bed. So we brought heavier duty rope, and more of it, so we could strap the tree to the roof. Our tree was a lot wider than expected, so we used more rope trying to wrap it up, which meant we hand less than expected to tie it down, but we made it work and travelled home safely!
     
3. A Sled. We’ve brought one, but haven’t had to use it. The peace of mind of having one has still been worth it. We just have a simple sled, like this one, and even though we didn’t need it to haul a tree down a mountain, the kiddos were still able to sled
4. Snowshoes & Snowboots. Depending on when and where you go, if you are in an area that snows, you’ll want snowshoes. We hand to pull ours out last year to make it up to where trees were in the several feet of snow. This year, we went early enough in the season, there was less than a foot of snow, so our snowboots were just find.
   • We love our Yukon Charlie adult shoes and kids snowshoes – there are lots of good options out there!
5. A Shovel. Strongly recommend, not for digging out a tree (although this is an option), but for safety. If you get stuck in mud or snow, you’ll need a shovel to help you get out. This is a great item to always keep in your car – Emergency shovel.

Prepare everything else so it happens!

1. Prepare the night before. We like to head out in the morning, so the more we prepare at night, the quicker we leave once everyone is awake
   • Print out permit and put on dashboard of car (if applicable)
   • Research the area you are traveling to, look at maps, and have a good understanding of where you are allowed to cut the tree down
     • We screenshot the map because we travel to where cell service isn’t available
     • We also screenshot our permit AND images of the type of tree we are approved to cut down for reference
   • Load up the car with all the supplies (listed above)
   • Make sure you also have a first aid kit
   • Pack the snack bag and fill up the water bottles
   • Lay out the hot coco essentials for easy prep in the morning
   • Layout the clothes to put on for the car ride
   • Pack up the rest of the winter outerwear to put on upon arrival in the mountains
     • We use a collapsible crate to thrown in the gloves, hats, etc.
     • Winter hack: Always pack two pairs of gloves for everyone
   • Bonus Hack: Put your kiddos to bed in their thermals so they’re already one step ahead in the morning

And soon you’ll be on your way to cut down your Christmas tree! It won’t go smoothly, there will be fighting and annoying siblings. But that’s ok, because it will be worth it.

Don’t cancel plans, make more. Add Christmas Tree cutting to your outdoor activity list this winter.

Tell us how it went!

Love,