Guerneville lives under the redwoods. Homes and cabins sit on steep, shaded lots along the Russian River, with Armstrong Redwoods just up the road, and the trees here are bigger and closer to the house than in most of the county. That's part of the charm and part of the work. When a redwood, fir or bay comes down near a cabin, the stump is usually huge, often on a slope, and sometimes only a few feet from a deck or foundation. The river adds its own trouble. Floods like the one in 2019 leave mud, debris and waterlogged ground around old stumps, and the damp, shady climate keeps lots wet well into spring.
We grind stumps in Guerneville and the river towns around it, from cabins tucked into the hills to homes along the flats near the water. Most of it is stump grinding, done carefully on tight, sloped lots. Redwood roots that are lifting a deck post, a walkway or a cabin path are a job for surface root grinding. Reach out for a free estimate.
Redwood stumps on steep, shaded lots
Redwood stumps here can be several feet across, with flared bases and a ring of sprouts around them if they've sat a while. The wood itself is soft, but the size and the slope make the job. We plan the way in first, since many lots are reached by stairs or narrow lanes, and a smaller grinder is often the only machine that fits. Shade and moisture keep the ground soft, so we protect paths and decks with boards and work from firm footing. The cut goes below the soil line to take out the tissue that sprouts and leave the area tidy enough to replant with ferns or a groundcover. Bay laurel stumps are common here too, and like redwoods they love to resprout, so they get the same deeper grind. We also cover the drive back out toward Sebastopol and the rest of west county.
Flood ground, decks and what gets built next
Along the river flats, stumps sit in ground that has been underwater more than once. Flood silt can bury the base of a stump, and old roots near the river stay soft and wet. We dig the silt back before grinding so the wheel cuts wood, not mud. Flood-soaked stumps also hold grit in every crack, which dulls the teeth, so we knock off what we can first. Many river homes are raised, with decks, stairs and posts close to old trees, so we work slowly around them. If you're rebuilding or adding a new foundation, post or pad where a stump sits, stump removal clears the root mass so it doesn't rot and settle under the new work. After a flood, give the ground a few dry weeks before you book, so the machine doesn't leave ruts in the yard.
Common Questions
Sometimes. The smallest grinders are narrow enough to move along a path and up short runs of steps with ramps, and some stumps can be reached from a neighbor's driveway or the road above, with permission. Long, steep stairways are a different story. Send us a few photos of the route in, and we can usually say from those whether a machine will make it.
Redwood ground is shady, damp and a little acidic, so plants that grow wild under redwoods do best. Sword fern, redwood sorrel and huckleberry all settle in well. Grass usually struggles in that much shade. If you want another tree, plant it a short distance from the old stump and away from the house, and fill the hole with fresh soil before you plant.