This year the christmas tree in the nation's capitol comes from the Stanislaus National Forest, very nearby.  This video shows the cut and loading.  Best of all, one of my buddies donated one of the two cranes to do  the job, the black one, and the expertise to do the job right.  Good work, Dan!

He said the temperature was about 14 degrees during this, and you can tell it by how bundled up all the onlookers are.  Since they cut the tree about 30 feet up, the tree survives, although it won't be quite as good looking as it was before.  It will be more fun to watch the lighting ceremony this year because of the local connection.