Lake Keowee is the Upstate's clear, deep jewel — an 18,500-acre reservoir in the Pickens County foothills, ringed by steep, wooded shoreline and some of the most sought-after property in the region. Removing a tree on that kind of slope, right above the water, takes real equipment and rigging — exactly what Seasoned Tree Care brings.
Keowee's shoreline is steeper and more wooded than most Upstate lakes, with homes — including the Cliffs and other gated communities — tucked onto slopes that fall straight to the water. That combination of grade, soft lakeside banks, and tight, landscaped lots makes felling a tree the conventional way both dangerous and damaging. We set the Palfinger crane where the grade allows and lift each section straight up and away from the home and the water under full control, rather than dropping wood down the bank. We cover the Keowee shoreline around Six Mile, Pickens and the surrounding foothills, with turf mats to protect the slope and complete haul-off — and we never put wood in the lake.
Pick your town for local detail on the trees, terrain, and work we do there.
Keowee's steep, wooded shoreline and high-value homes make lakefront removals here the most technical in the Upstate.
Keowee is different from the Upstate's other lakes: the shoreline drops fast, the lots are steep and heavily wooded, and the homes on them — from Six Mile to the gated communities like the Cliffs — sit tucked into slopes that fall straight to the water. A tall pine or hardwood on that kind of grade can't be felled conventionally; there's simply nowhere safe for it to go. The ground itself adds risk: soft lakeside soil on a slope loosens root plates after wet spells, which is why leaning trees above a home or dock deserve a prompt professional look rather than a wait-and-see.
Our approach is built for exactly this terrain. We set the Palfinger crane on the firmest ground the lot allows — often the driveway or street side — and lift each section straight up and over the house, away from the water, under full control. The spider lift reaches trees the crane can't. Turf mats protect the landscaped slopes these properties are known for, brush is chipped on-site, and every pound of wood leaves with the grapple truck. Nothing goes down the bank, and nothing goes in the lake. We work the Keowee shoreline around Six Mile, Pickens, and the surrounding foothill communities.
On a sloped Keowee lot, gravity is the enemy: anything cut loose wants to go downhill, toward the house or the water. Roping wood down a steep, landscaped bank risks both. Our Palfinger crane removes gravity from the equation — each section is picked straight up off the slope and swung to a controlled staging area on firm ground. It's faster, it's safer, and it's the difference between a clean removal and a repair bill on some of the most valuable shoreline in South Carolina.
Tell us about your shoreline tree and we'll get you a fast, honest estimate — we bring the crane, keep wood out of the water, and leave the bank clean. For storm emergencies, call (864) 762-1253 any time.
Lakefront lots need the crane more than anywhere — here's the work we handle along the shoreline.
The questions we hear most from lakefront property owners.
Yes — steep, wooded lots are exactly what the crane is for. When a tree stands on a grade too sloped to work from below, we set the Palfinger crane on the firmest spot the lot allows and lift each section straight up and away from the home and the water, rather than dropping wood down the bank. We assess the slope, access, and shoreline during a free estimate.
Yes. We're fully insured with $2 million in liability coverage plus workers' comp and provide certificates of insurance, which is what gated and HOA communities expect. We coordinate with the gate and any community guidelines and keep the work area contained and clean. Call (864) 762-1253 to set up an estimate.
We lift wood up and away with the crane rather than dropping it down the bank, lay turf mats to keep equipment from rutting or eroding the slope, and chip and haul everything off. Nothing ends up in the lake. On the soft, steep Keowee banks, that controlled approach is the safe way to work.
Lake Keowee is a Duke Energy reservoir, and activity along its shoreline — including tree and vegetation removal near the water — falls under Duke Energy's shoreline management guidelines. What you can cut on your upland lot differs from what's allowed at the water's edge. We're glad to help you understand where the line falls before any work starts, so your project stays clean with the lake's rules.
Local advice from our crew.
Free, no-obligation estimates for Lake Keowee shoreline property. We bring the crane, keep wood out of the water, and leave the bank clean.
Licensed & $2M insured · Workers' comp covered · 24/7 emergency response