While some entrepreneurial endeavors come and go, others refuse to go out of style. For the last 42 years, High Timber Firewood and Logging have mitigated properties for wildfires, logged, and delivered wood to Boulder, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties.
Owners and founders Phil and Jane Pitzer work all year round, whether it’s plowing snow after a winter storm or removing trees damaged by pine beetles. The pair have a repertoire of hefty tools at their disposal: Heavy-duty chainsaws, trucks, log skidder, and Multitek firewood processor.
In terms of firewood, the company processes hundreds of cords every year of varieties such as local pine to oak supplied by a partner company in Missouri. Firewood services also include options for same-day delivery, 40-pound bags of kindling, and free samples upon request. The company’s delivery radius stretches across the Colorado Front Range from Longmont to Broomfield, and from Estes Park to Evergreen.
“You gotta go where the work is,” Phil Pitzer said. “We go long ways to deliver wood.”
Logging jobs performed by the crew can range anywhere from light wildfire mitigation to large-scale road clearings, but there is much more to this industry than meets the eye. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that logging is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country with the highest rate of fatal work injuries in 2021. When describing a logger’s work environment, the Bureau writes, “... fallers experience one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities of all occupations….” Jane Pitzer recalled an accident with another local company: A logger was crushed by a tree and broke his pelvis, leaving him to fight for his life in the hospital.
“You hear horror stories all the time,” Jane Pitzer said. “You need to know what you’re doing.”
After decades in this industry, the High Timber Firewood and Logging crew have fortunately only suffered minor injuries on the job, such as smashed fingers. The Pitzers take the safety of their employees very seriously and don’t just send off their crew to tackle logging jobs alone.
“[Jane and I are] always on the job, and that’s what makes the difference,” said Phil Pitzer. “We’re on the job to make sure it stays safe.”
High Timber Firewood and Logging have been hard at work since their inception, but Mr. Pitzer’s experience in this line of work began long before. Phil Pitzer began his career outdoors when he was 19 years old doing trail maintenance in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Later, Pitzer found himself fighting fires in Missoula, Montana, jumping out of helicopters to fight the flames.
Jane Pitzer, on the other hand, had no previous experience with logging. The pair met when she worked at a Nederland gas station. The two hit it off and established their company in 1981. The environment has certainly changed since the 80s, and the need for wildfire mitigation has grown with the influx of annual wildfires.
Colorado’s wildfire frequency has changed dramatically in the last few decades. According to data from the Colorado State Forest Service, the average number of annual wildfires in the state from 1980 to 1981 was less than 1,300. Twenty years later, the 2000 to 2009 average skyrocketed to about 2,500.
“There used to be a ‘wildfire season,’” recalled Phil Pitzer, “now it’s year-round.”
This brings in a significant amount of business for High Timber as many properties in the Front Range are in need of wildfire mitigation to secure home insurance. Specific companies are quite strict on mitigation timelines and will sometimes refuse to insure properties that don’t heed the standard. High Timber Firewood and Logging take an in-depth approach to this issue, going beyond cutting overgrown branches. High Timber’s crew ensures that the property’s gutters are completely cleaned out, propane tanks sit at least 60 feet away in the event of an explosion, and that they leave behind no mess.
“We’re really big about cleaning up,” explained Phil Pitzer, “raking everything, make it look good. We never take a deposit. We always do that work first and when you’re satisfied we get our payment.”
The Pitzers are excited for the end of the muddy season and get business rolling during the summer.
To contact High Timber Firewood and Logging you can find them on their website at www.hightimberfirewood. co, email at htflpitzer@aol.com, and phone number at 303-258-7942. High Timber Firewood and Logging are located in Nederland, Colorado.
