Last updated 7/25/08, tms
**New** Volunteer Hour Recording
2008 Trail Master Course (TMC) Dates

- Dupont State Forest, North Carolina, July 16-19. Contact: Jerry R. Brown, 828-883-2843, jerrybrownconstruction@hotmail.com
- Peace Point Equestrian Center, West Virginia, August 7-10. Contact: Amanda Stewart, 304-282-2177, amandabstewart@gmail.com
WV TRAIL MASTER CLASS CANCELLED
- Withlacoochee State Forest, Florida, December 11-14. Contact: Truman Prevatt, tprevatt@mindspring.com
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For Information regarding Trail Master Courses, contact coordinator Terry Silver, turquoisehorses@aol.com, phone: 901-268-1127
Photos from prior courses
Photos from the 2006 California Trail Masters Course
For background on the Trail Master Course - see
Course Description
Day 1: Trail design and layout. Riter stressed the importance of knowing the area first, both on foot and by studying topographic maps, which he called "the trail designer's best friend." A good trail requires little maintenance because it is designed right. Flowing water, which accelerates the process of erosion, is the enemy of a trail. Proper design can avoid situations whereby the trail becomes a river during rainstorms. In the afternoon, participants learned how to use clinometers to assess the slopes around them in a scientific fashion.
Day 2: Trail construction. Attendees learned how to pick the proper tool for the job, when to use power tools, and how to cut trails into a slope. Riter also talked about how to build bridges and boardwalks, and when to incorporate switchbacks into a trail and how to do it right. He also went over safety procedures for tool use, and taught the best way to swing a shovel and not throw out your back. Very important!
Day 3: Trail maintenance. Although a well-designed trail is easy to maintain, most trails that trail workers will be dealing with have been laid out in a less than ideal way. If you canot reroute them, you will have to fix and maintain them, battling wind, water, and gravity.
Day 4: Crew Leader and Graduation. The final day is where all that you have learned to pulled together in an outdoor session. The attendees each role play "Crew Leader", using the language, tools, safety issues and team work with your class on the trail. At the end, certificates for those that completed the course will be issued, by Mike Riter of Trail Design Specialists.
Trail Master Course Graduates
If you need assistance with planning, repairing, or maintaining trails in your area, contact
one of the course graduates below. If you have difficulty contacting a Trail Master graduate for your area, contact Terry Silver at 901-268-1127 or turquoisehorses@aol.com
Arizona
- Marilyn McCoy, ruther8445@aol.com
- Mark Williams, 520-455-4606
Arkansas
- Lydia Cassilly, cassilly@eritter.net
- Bill Guettemann, bill.huettermann@falconjet.com
California
- Anita Fiondella, reck@goldrush.com
- Holly Foiles, thfoiles@earthlink.net
- Judy Hall, michiganbluff@foothill.net
- Steve Hallmark, SteveHallmark@zetabb.com
- Jeff Harter, harterfam5@msn.com
- Michelle Montgomery, mlacem@sbclobal.net
- Morris Older, morrisolder@earthlink.et
- Robert Ribley, rribley@wildblue.net
Colorado
- Linda Browneller, 719-488-0319
- Judi Page, 303-663-7816
Georgia
- Sarah Engsberg, sarah.engsberg@mindspring.com
- Jim Holland, lanconn@tds.net
- Joe Schoech, jschoech@bellsouth.net
Illinois
- Lucy Bagot, lucy@acesetsthepace.com
- Susan Milam, milam@agtelco.com
- Genie Stewart-Spears, geniess@accessus.net
Indiana
- Michael Caudill, enduroride@aol.com
- Christine Eickleberry, eickle@localnet.com
- Jerry Fruth, jerryfruth@us-etc.org
- Edie Keesee, keeseefarms@aol.com
- Ken Keesee, keeseefarms@aol.com
Kentucky
- Mike Chadwell, chadwell@ycnx.com
- Greg Jones, Giltmead@Hughes.net
Maryland
- Pat Oliva, patolivatigger@aol.com
- John Proudman, miles-to-go@prodigy.net
Massachussetts
- Bob Burgess, RBurgess@tufts-nemc.org
New Jersey
- Ainsley Smith, rollsmith@netsync.net
- Sandy Terp, sterp@earthlink.net
New Mexico
- Bob Bulcock, debbie.bulcock@wvmb.com
- Dave Finley, dfinley@zianet.com
- Carrie Miracle-Jordan, miraclec@worldnet.att.net
- Lisa Oberteuffer, voltanets.com
- Roger Taylor, roger_sue@prodigy.net
- Jeff Trinkle, jasper@signalpeak.net
New York
- Laura Hayes, mark@madbbs.com
North Carolina
- Stagg Newman, endurance@pisgahvu.com
- Nancy Sluys, minglewood@surry.net
Ohio
- Kellie A Moore, lu2enduranceride@yahoo.com
- Patricia Reisch, patricia.reisch@exactsoftware.com
Oregon
- Charlene Farrell, csharkef@aol.com
- Dennis Grow
- Paul Latiolais, latiolp@cascadeaccess.com
- Carol Crawford Myers, oregonreins@yahoo.com
Tennessee
- James Barnett, 931-857-3317
- Patty Bass, p_bass@bellsouth.net
- Jackie Caudill, jacaudill@hotmail.com
- Angie Fura, trailsend@hughes.net
- David Fura, trailsend@hughes.net
- Dick Gould, destryky@hotmail.com
- Susan Kasemeyer, NdurN@aol.com
- Debra LaComette, n2theblu@earthlink.net
- Terry Silver, turquoisehorses@aol.com
Texas
- Debbie Allen, nobs_4u@yahoo.com
- Doug Blashill, d.blashill@worldnet.att.net
- Heather Blashill, d.blashill@worldnet.att.net
- Mike Campbell, dcampbell1@hott.rr.com
- Terry De Armond, jed@xit.net
- Brenda DeWitt, brenda.dewitt@hughes.net
- Amanda Fant, sfant@possumwalkfarm.com
- Sylvia Fant, sfant@possumwalkfarm.com
- Kristen Fisher, kskf@earthlink.net
- Glen Herring, ghammer1441@sbcglobal.net
- Mary Herring, ghammer1441@sbcglobal.net
- Sue Jones, srigneyjones@earthlink.net
- Jennifer Nice, jnice@ridemediagroup.com
- Kenneth Parrish, bop@valornet.com
- Linda Parrish, lindapparab@valornet.com
- Mechelle Taylor, neyzhar@msn.com
- John Ticer, nlticer@yahoo.com
- Suzy Ticer, nlticer@yahoo.com
- Lorie Van Ongevalle, voarabians@aol.com
- Donna Wakefield, dvmoonbird@myway.com
Virginia
- John Crandell, crandell3@yahoo.com
- Gina Hagis, whiterose@wiredog.com
- Tom Sites, goearth@shentel.net
Washington
- Jim Beidle, jbeidle@comcast.net
- Aarene Storms, aarenex@comcast.net
- Gail Williams, gwillaims@nwinfo.net
West Virginia
- Amanda Stewart, amanda.stewart@glenville.edu
Wisconsin
- Dawn Haas, jehaas@centurytel.net
- Eileen Kirsch, ekirsch@usgs.gov
- Ramona Radtke, ridediva@sbcglobal.net
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