Pacific Crest Trail Association
Since 1977, the PCTA has protected, maintained, and advocated for the Pacific Crest Trail.
Since 1977, the PCTA has protected, maintained, and advocated for the Pacific Crest Trail.
Improve your skills
Staff
PCTA Trail Skills College Curriculum
Water and gravity constantly threaten our trails and thus we must learn how best to deflect them. This course begins with basics of hillside hydrology and how trails work when they shed water properly...
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
For students with moderate to extensive trail building experience who want to lead trail crews and work parties. Not a construction techniques class; this is about effective leadership. Students will ...
Learn the steps for estimating time and materials, and setting up a work project. Learn about trail triage: how to prioritize and what techniques to use when total trail reconstruction to ideal specs ...
We rely on hand tools to lop branches, dig drain dips, remove slough and berm, construct waterbars and check steps, and much more. As a result, hand tools receive a great deal of wear and tear. Learn ...
An online PCTA training covering the fundamentals of trail maintenance.
PCTA Trail Skills College Curriculum
Be much more sign savvy! Understand trail sign specifications and learn how to install signs correctly. Learn to record sign inventory records in conjunction with agency partners. Students must be sea...
This course goes beyond a triage approach covered in Course 203 Waterbars and Checks because reconstruction indicates a more thorough restoration of damaged tread to ideal specifications. Review hills...
The PCT and its feeder trails cross water courses of every conceivable size and type. Because bridges are time consuming and expensive, whenever possible it is better to build simpler structures that ...
Learn how to put a campsite and section of trail to bed so that it returns to nature without erosion. Some call this “trail magic,” or “Zen and the Art of Wilderness Gardening” because, if properly do...
Learn fundamentals of rock construction including an emphasis on effective and safe use of rock bars, the critical tool for all rock work. We’ll tackle basic rock placement techniques for rock walls t...
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