This tree fell because there was several days of really wet/rainy weather followed by, no kidding, a twister that rolled through the area --- 5 other trees in the area were also knocking over or sheered off at the top.

-- what l'm getting at -- this tree is still very much alive unlike a tree that fell because it was sick.
long and short of it --- it should last for at least 2 years or so before it starts to die.
who knows, it might live longer because a bunch of the root ball is still in the soil.

progress report --

1. cut out a "L" shape where two 7' x 2" x 6" (one on each side) can be attached and use as a ladder base.

2. attached the ladder top with the same type of 2" x 6" -- they're about 17" wide.

3. red/yellow section is next --- that is there to slow down the ride a little before hitting the TEETER colored in pink.

How does it slow the rider?

*** decreased the slope
&
*** if you space the ladder top sorta wide, that helps slow down the ride too, sorta like a reverse speed bump.
*** having the ladder top boards too close to each other, rider speed will increase too quickly and they'll have to tap the brakes --- generally speaking, tapping the brakes on a skinny isn't something you be forced to do.

4. the TEETER section will be balanced exit area lighter than the entry area --- that was it will fall back down after the rider rolls past it.

5. drawing it NOT to scale and just an estimate of how it will be built.

 damn, too much freetime and not enough free ridin'