Pacific Crest Trail Association
Trail Skills College Course Curriculum
Trail Competencies
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Trail Construction
- • Corridor Clearing/Site Preparation
- • Hand-Built Trail Construction
- • Water Management/Drainage Features
- • Water Crossing Structures
- • Retaining Walls
- • Tread Hardening and Surfacing
- • Decommissioning Trails
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Trail Maintenance
- • Tread Maintenance - Hand tools
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Project Planning and Design
- • Field Design: Trail Alignment Identification and Marking
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Summary
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum.
Overview
Because wildfires, wind storms, floods, gravity, and vegetation growth are constant threats to the PCT, the annual maintenance and reconstruction of the trail is a never-ending and monumental undertaking. Such work, historically carried out by government trail crews, is increasingly done by hundreds of volunteers organized by the PCTA. These volunteers perform hard, physical labor so that others may safely enjoy the beauty and challenge along the trail.
To help our volunteers succeed in their trail work, PCTA collaborated with many partners to develop a Trail Skills College curriculum. It is designed for workshops to train volunteers both new and old. The curriculum is available for free for all who wish to use it, whether you are a partner working along the PCT, or working on trails around the world.
Trail Types Covered
General. All trail types are relevant.
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PCTA Trail Skills College Curriculum
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