Solo Disappearance - Now RECOVERED

[Jason C]

The Solo has been found. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's in probably the worst possible spot. A tree limb - about 40 feet up and 25-30 feet out, hanging over the river. I went out with a few friends today and surveyed the situation, and it's pretty bleak. Even if we could shake it out of the tree, it's a better than not chance based on the position that it would fall right into the river. And the limb its on goes way out, at almost a right angle at times, but it's narrow, maybe 4-5 inches thick, and hanging out over the river bank making a fairly long drop.

The positioning actually explains a fair amount - this limb is somewhat isolated, but between it and the view from the bridge is another limb blocking the view. It wasn't until we were able to get to the trunk of the tree itself and look from that angle out and towards the river that the Solo was viewable.

Of course it just started storming - first rain since the incident.



It's sort of hard to tell from this photo, but most of the tree seen to the left of the arrow point below is actually not the tree in question but a larger tree further down the river. The arrow points roughly to where the Solo is behind.

 

[nacjr]

The Solo has been found. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's in probably the worst possible spot. A tree limb - about 40 feet up and 25-30 feet out, hanging over the river. I went out with a few friends today and surveyed the situation, and it's pretty bleak. Even if we could shake it out of the tree, it's a better than not chance based on the position that it would fall right into the river. And the limb its on goes way out, at almost a right angle at times, but it's narrow, maybe 4-5 inches thick, and hanging out over the river bank making a fairly long drop.

The positioning actually explains a fair amount - this limb is somewhat isolated, but between it and the view from the bridge is another limb blocking the view. It wasn't until we were able to get to the trunk of the tree itself and look from that angle out and towards the river that the Solo was viewable.

Of course it just started storming - first rain since the incident.

I just had a feeling it was still up a tree. All you need now is a expert tree trimmer. Around here they can climb up to the most remote branches.
Good luck, I hope you get it.

 

[Proficnc]

All the best with the recovery

 

[Sarah B]

The photos aren't displaying, but I would have to try SOMETHING. You can't reach it with a ladder?

 

[rrmccabe]

Jason links are to evernote.

 

[Sarah B]

Rich, I'm glad you're sticking around. Things wouldn't be the same without you.

 

[rrmccabe]

The phantom people are great ! I like this crowd better

 

[Sarah B]

Right on. The little blue-faced dude over there creeps me out. I dunno why.

 

[Jason C]

Will try and fix the images. The 1MB limits keep causing me upload issues.

 

[rrmccabe]

Hey I know a web guy in your town. Want this number Jason. Right there in Indianola. Bet he can fix it

 

[Sarah B]

Ha ha. I swear, I would be out on that limb ...

 

[Dunginhawk]

I can code for web pages if needed haha.
Jason... you should hire me for $1259 to attempt to P3P to solo rescue mission... i saw it happen before

 

[rrmccabe]

I have rope and chainsaws. I would be all over that.

 

[Jason C]

I have rope and chainsaws. I would be all over that.

Come on down Rich!

 

[rrmccabe]

Jason, what I meant was I have rope and chainsaws and @sarahb would be all over that. She does my climbing

 

[Raybro]

My little Syma got caught up in a mesquite tree one day, in the very top about 40" high. I was sweating it trying to figure out how I was going to get it down. I climbed up the trunk, then up a main branch.
I was probably 1/3 of the way up. I got another 3 or 4 feet higher on a smaller branch....the smaller one have thorns.
I had a piece of PVC pipe attached to and extendable paint roller stick, altogether about 12 feet. I was just able to touch the limb it was hung on so I bumped it a few times and down she went. I can't remember the last time I had climbed a tree before that.

 

[Jason C]

Jason, what I meant was I have rope and chainsaws and @sarahb would be all over that. She does my climbing

LOL. I have a friend who is really into climbing too. He thought he'd be all over it until he was out there today with me and saw how it looks in person. Not so much over it now.

I have another friend whose brother used to do tree trimming. They are looking at potentially helping with throwing a chain around it, cutting the limb partly using a tree saw with a 25 foot range, and pulling it to where we can get the drone. We will see!

 

[Raybro]

The Solo has been found. That's the good news. The bad news is that it's in probably the worst possible spot. A tree limb - about 40 feet up and 25-30 feet out, hanging over the river. I went out with a few friends today and surveyed the situation, and it's pretty bleak. Even if we could shake it out of the tree, it's a better than not chance based on the position that it would fall right into the river. And the limb its on goes way out, at almost a right angle at times, but it's narrow, maybe 4-5 inches thick, and hanging out over the river bank making a fairly long drop.

The positioning actually explains a fair amount - this limb is somewhat isolated, but between it and the view from the bridge is another limb blocking the view. It wasn't until we were able to get to the trunk of the tree itself and look from that angle out and towards the river that the Solo was viewable.

Of course it just started storming - first rain since the incident.

It's sort of hard to tell from this photo, but most of the tree seen to the left of the arrow point below is actually not the tree in question but a larger tree further down the river. The arrow points roughly to where the Solo is behind.

How big is the limb it is hung up in? Do you have access to a boat and a good sharpshooter? You could be in the water in a boat, have someone on the bank take a few shots at the limb until it falls or breaks off. From the pictures it looked like rural area.

 

[Jason C]

How big is the limb it is hung up in? Do you have access to a boat and a good sharpshooter? You could be in the water in a boat, have someone on the bank take a few shots at the limb until it falls or breaks off. From the pictures it looked like rural area.

That limb is thicker than it looks. 2-3" near the drone, 5-6" halfway down the picture.

BTW, fixed the photos on my post.

 

[Raybro]

A few hits in the right spot with a .22..............