After the Storm: What to Do When Snow or Wind Damages Your Trees
Published March 9, 2026
A heavy March snow in Basalt or a wind event in Edwards can leave your yard littered with broken branches, bent limbs, or trees leaning at odd angles. Your first instinct might be to grab a saw and start cleaning up. Before you do, a few simple steps will keep you safe and help your trees recover without extra harm.
Stay Safe First
Do not stand under damaged trees or hung up branches. So called widow makers (branches caught in the canopy that can drop without warning) are common after storms. Stay clear of anything that looks cracked, bent, or ready to fall. If limbs are touching power lines, do not go near them. Call your utility company and let them handle it.
Keep family and pets away from the damage zone until a professional has assessed the situation. In the Roaring Fork and Vail Valleys we see a lot of wet, heavy snow; trees that looked fine the day before can fail under the load. When in doubt, treat the area as hazardous until an expert has looked at it.
What You Can Do Right Away
- Document the damage with photos from several angles. These help when you call for a consultation or tree trimming quote.
- Clear small, loose twigs and debris from walkways and driveways so no one trips.
- If a branch has already fallen and is clearly on the ground with no tension, you can drag it to the side. Do not cut limbs that are still partly attached or under tension.
When to Call a Professional
You should get a certified arborist on site when:
- Branches are hung up in the tree or resting on the house, fence, or other structures.
- A tree is leaning more than before, or the ground around the base has lifted or cracked.
- Large limbs are split or broken but still attached.
- You see damage to the main trunk or multiple major limbs.
- You are not comfortable using a chainsaw or working at height.
In communities like Aspen, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, and Vail, our team at Earth-Wise Horticultural performs storm damage cleanup and tree trimming year round. We also provide consultations and hazard evaluations so you know which trees are still safe and which need support or removal.
Why Not Do It Yourself?
Storm damaged wood is under stress. Cutting the wrong place can cause the branch or trunk to kick back or drop suddenly. People get hurt when they assume a limb is safe to cut because it is on the ground. Until it is fully released, it can still move. Professionals use the right tools and techniques to lower pieces safely and avoid damage to the rest of the tree or your property.
Helping Your Trees Recover
After the immediate danger is handled, the goal is to give injured trees the best chance to seal over and stay healthy. A clean cut at the right place (just outside the branch collar, without leaving a stub) helps the tree close the wound. Ragged tears from storm breakage often need to be cleaned up by an arborist so decay does not get into the trunk.
If a tree has lost a lot of foliage or major limbs, it will be under stress for the next year or two. Extra water during dry spells in Eagle, Snowmass, or Avon can help. So can avoiding any unnecessary pruning until the tree has had time to respond. Your arborist can suggest a follow up plan, including cabling and bracing if a tree is still valuable but has a weak spot.
Preventing Future Storm Damage
You cannot control the weather, but you can reduce the chance of big failures. Regular tree trimming removes deadwood and reduces the weight and sail area of the crown so wind and snow do not grab as much. For trees with multiple stems or weak forks, cabling and bracing can add support before the next storm. A hazard evaluation will identify which trees on your property are most at risk so you can prioritize care.
Summary: Your Storm Damage Checklist
- Stay away from hung branches and damaged trees until they are assessed.
- Do not touch anything near power lines.
- Take photos and clear only small, loose debris from paths.
- Call a professional for anything large, hung up, or over structures.
- Plan follow up care (watering, pruning, cabling) with your arborist.
Storms are part of life in the high country. Having a clear plan and a team you trust makes cleanup faster and keeps your landscape and your family safe. If you have storm damage in the Roaring Fork or Vail Valley, request a quote and we can schedule an assessment.
Storm Damage? We Can Help
Earth-Wise Horticultural has served Pitkin, Garfield, and Eagle Counties since 1994. Our crew handles storm cleanup, tree trimming, and hazard evaluations so you can get back to enjoying your property safely.