2024 Trail Master Certification Course Recap
2024 Trail Master Certification Course Recap
June 9th - 12th, 2024, Wildcat Mountain State Park in Ontario, Wisconsin
This course will cover the latest advances in trail design, construction and maintenance with a focus on long term sustainability and ease of maintenance. The last day will be field application on the concepts we covered on the previous days interspersed with leadership techniques for working with volunteers. A detailed booklet specific to each segment will be provided. The course consists of three interactive classroom sessions covering the topics listed below.
Trail Design and Layout
We will cover advances on how to properly design and layout a trail. We will discuss how to avoid erosion, user conflicts, and impact problems through design. This session will give you a good working knowledge of what causes trails to erode through water/soil relationships. An outdoor session will consist of a series of flagging and layout drills designed to utilize the concepts covered in the classroom.
8:30 am Start classroom session *next 3 days begin at 8:00
10:30 am Break
10:45 am Continue session
11:45 am Test
12:00 pm Lunch; provided by host
12:30 pm Outdoor session
3:30 pm Final comments/ wrap up
Trail Construction
We will cover proper corridor clearing for all types of use and proper construction of a durable tread surface. Various types of tread construction, cribbing and raised tread sections, switchbacks and a section on bridges and boardwalks are also included. An outdoor session will consist of construction techniques covered in the classroom. A demonstration of tread construction machinery may be included.
8:00 am Start classroom session
10:30 am Break
10:45 am Continue session
11:45 am Test
12:00 pm Lunch; provided by host
12:30 pm Outdoor session
3:30 pm Final comments/ wrap up
Trail Maintenance
We will cover maintenance issues on trails. We will discuss how to make long-term repairs and lower environmental impacts. Trail hardening techniques along with rehabilitation of disused trails will also be covered. The outdoor session will consist of maintenance techniques covered in the classroom.
8:00 am Start classroom session
10:30 am Break
10:45 am Continue session
11:45 am Test
12:00 pm Lunch; provided by host
12:30 pm Outdoor session
3:30 pm Final comments/ wrap up
Crew Leader
This portion of the program will be held entirely outdoors and will give each student the opportunity to lead a crew. The day will be broken into three sessions. At the end of the third session certificates for those that completed the course will be issued.
8:00 am Session One (trail head)
10:45 am Session Two (on trail)
12:00 pm Lunch
12:30 pm Session Two and Three
3:30 pm Final comments/ wrap up/ hand out certificates.
What To Bring
A willingness to learn new concepts in trail design
Pen and paper
Good work boots or shoes
Work gloves
Since we will be outside for part of every day, please dress accordingly.
