What Kind of Training Would You Like from American Hiking?

from the American Hiking Society

The National Trails Training Partnership (NTTP) is conducting research on training needs and satisfaction. The goal is to improve the quality and availability of trail-related skills. American Trails is conducting the online survey and will be compiling and interpreting the data with NTTP member groups and agencies.

Anyone involved in trails as an employee, volunteer, or supporter may take the survey. They would like to know your experience and ideas, such as:
• What types of training and delivery methods do you feel are effective?
• What important skills do you think are lacking in your agency or organization?
• What good examples of training are you acquainted with?

The "National Trails Training User Satisfaction Survey" was requested by the Federal Interagency Council on Trails (a partnership of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Highway Administration). The intent of the survey is to "determine the level of service and customer satisfaction of national training related to trails. The information obtained from the survey would be used to evaluate current trail training programs, partnerships, and training delivery and processes; to ask for input on trail training needed, quality, providers, and availability; and to initiate training improvements."

The deadline to take the survey is November 30, 2011.

Take the survey

Note- I did take the survey, and in order to complete it with integrity you will need time to look over the NTTP web site. Keep this in mind.

See American Trails

In Depth Training Offered in Pennsylvania

from the NCTA

NCTA volunteers are invited to Wilderness First Aid and Chainsaw Certification trainings at no charge, thanks to the National Park Service and Moraine State Park. Those who complete the Chainsaw Certification course will be provided with a complete set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for chainsaw work.

Wilderness First Aid 2-Day Training
August 15th-16th
"Old Moraine Restaurant" at Davis Hollow
Moraine State Park

Chainsaw Certification 2-Day Training
August 29th-30th
Davis Hollow Cabin--and project locations TBD [Davis Hollow Cabin and tenting area available to participants for overnight stay]
Moraine State Park

Contact Andrew Bashaw
NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator OH/PA
PO Box 5, Shawnee, OH 43782
740-394-2008

Sawyer Certification- Minnesota

from Ed Solstad, Border Route Trail Association Mechanized Trips Coordinator

Hello all of you Border Route Trail enthusiasts

Plan now to obtain/renew your US Forest Service crosscut and/or chainsaw certification at either Saturday or Sunday, April 18 or 19. (You need only attend one day.) As in prior years, the sessions we'll be held at the Bunker Hills Campground Visitor Center located in Bunker Hills Regional Park, CSAH 14/Main Street (Formerly Highway 242) and Foley Boulevard, Coon Rapids, MN . We'll be inside from 8-noon and outside "hands-on" in the afternoon.

The Forest Service wants to be sure to have enough instructors and materials brought down from up north so PLEASE RSVP (yes, that's redundant) via email with your name, address, phone #, crosscut and/or chain saw, plus Saturday 4/18 or Sunday 4/19 to John Elliott Note: If you want certification for both crosscut and chain saws, you’ll need to attend both days.

We’re planning on hosting a chain saw and brush cutter familiarization and practice session on Saturday, April 4^th . Contact Ed Solstad at esolstad@pressenter.com for details.

John Elliott will be coordinating the 2009 BRTA saw training and certification programs.

The Spring Maintenance Trip Calendar will be available in February with both weekend trips and week long trips scheduled for both the the BWCAW and Pigeon River Sections.

The western portion of the Border Route is concurrent with the North Country Trail. NCTA sawyers qualify for a patch to display. Contact NCTA Headquarters for more information.

See the The “USFS *Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Training Course - *Student’s Guidebook” (a pdf)
See Border Route Trail

Winter Leadership Training Opportunity in NY

from Larry Blumberg

Under the auspices of the Binghamton, NY-area Baden Powell Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a couple members of the Triple Cities Hiking Club and I will be teaming up with others to present a "winter outdoor training" course in early January, 2009 for scout leaders and others who lead winter trips.

This will be our fourth year of presenting this course...some examples of the topics we cover include winter-related first aid cases; clothing and boots; setting up tents in snow; cooking / menu planning; other backpacking gear specific to winter; hiking with skis, snowshoes, and crampons; and, building snow shelters.

The course consists of an indoor class session followed by a weekend outdoor overnight, it is permissable to attend just the indoor session if you wish (but to attend the weekend outdoor overnight, you MUST first attend the indoor class session)

a) Indoor Session - Saturday, Jan 10, 2009
Boy Scout office downstairs conference room, 2150 NY Rte 12, Chenango Forks, NY 8:30 am to 4 pm...cost of participating in the indoor session only, is $15 - includes course handouts and lunch

b) Outdoor Session - Friday evening, Jan 16 to Sunday morning, Jan 18, 2009
Highland Forest, Fabius, NY (SE of Syracuse, NY) - sleep in a woodstove-heated cabin or your own tent, your choice...cost of both the indoor and outdoor sessions is a total of $40, includes camping fees and some meals, participants will provide others.

It is assumed that participants will already have some level of three-season hiking and camping experience; the purpose of this training is to expand into and learn more about four-season outdoor activities, and to also begin to prepare participants to lead others on winter trips.

If interested in learning more about this training course, please e-mail Larry Blumberg. To sign-up for the course, simply call the scout office during business hours at 607-648-7888 or toll free at 1-877-674-8876 and indicate you would like to sign up for the "winter outdoor training course" taking place in January. Your credit card payment will be taken over the phone!