Three Day Rigging for Trail Work Workshop

The Rigging for Trail Work Workshop is for anyone interested in the use of Griphoists and rigging systems for trail work, regardless of prior experience. Over the course of three days, this workshop will cover rigging fundamentals, safe setup, and operation of Griphoist ground and high line systems for situations involving pulling, lowering, lifting, and moving heavy loads on and off of the ground.

Rigging in trail work entails using hoists, wire ropes, and mechanical advantage systems for moving heavy loads. High line operations utilize hoists, wire ropes, elevated spar locations, belays, hauling, and mechanical advantage systems with a variety of slings, blocks, shackles, belay, and anchoring equipment. Over three days, participants in this workshop will learn how to safely design, setup, and operate ground and aerial rigging systems, and will get hands-on experience. This will include learning about the different pieces of equipment, their working load limits (WLL), tree climbing and anchor building, how to identify and quantify forces, and safe operational practices.

Please bring lunch, water, snacks, and clothing appropriate for being outdoors, as well as this required personal protective equipment (PPE), which will be worn at all times unless otherwise noted:

• 
  Hard Hat (provided at workshop if needed)
• Eye Protection (provided at workshop if needed)
• Full Leather Boots
• Long Work Pants
• Long Sleeve Shirt (for specific jobs)
• Leather Gloves (when handling wire rope)
• Latex-coated Gloves (optional, better grip when wet)

Matt Coughlan is the owner of Recon Trail Design, LLC, offering recreational trail planning, design, construction, and education based in Western Maine & Mount Washington Valley. He got started in trailwork as an AmeriCorps intern at Kingdom Trails in Vermont in 2005, and learned rigging for trailwork while working for the Maine Appalachian Trail Club.

Camp Dodge Trails Center is located at 1 Camp Dodge Rd., Gorham, NH 03581 (to the north of the Mt. Washington Auto Road, on the east side of NH Route 16 across from the Great Gulf trailhead). Lodging is available at Camp Dodge in co-ed shared bunkhouses. The bathhouse is a short walk from the bunkhouses. There are no linens or towels provided. Breakfast, trail lunches, and dinner are served in the Camp Dodge kitchen.

This training opportunity is supported by a grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission. Funding for this opportunity was made possible in part with a Rural Business Development Grant from USDA Rural Development.

AMC Trip Policy

Cost*

Adult: $135 member / $135 non-member*Fee includes course instruction. Lodging and meals may be added at additional cost.

Location

Camp Dodge Trails Center

1 Camp Dodge Road
Gorham, New Hampshire 03581

Trail Core Competencies

Relevant Trail Types

General. All trail types are relevant.