Trail work season is almost upon us and we want to help you prepare. As always, our first priority is everyone’s safety. Bikepacking and trail work have inherent risks, but less risky with proper planning and preparation. Much of this becomes second nature with experience, but as I was reminded this past weekend, there are courses available that can help us prepare for the unexpected. (list below) We don’t just do this for our own peace of mind, but to be more responsible in the backcountry, and to be there for our fellow trail community and trail workers when the time comes.
My partner and I took a wilderness first aid course that was offered by Clackamas Community College. Of course, this was a prerequisite to me getting my sawyer recertification. Many of these programs were put on hold during the pandemic, but we seem to be getting back to attending events. The first aid class attendees were an interesting mix of hikers, mountain bikers, and forest workers.
Our instructors impressed us with a conversation about psychological preparedness. They spoke about the importance of being open and honest about your mental state. In the past, many of us would “soldier on” in a group situation. When asked how we’re doing we’d reply. “I’m fine” regardless of how we actually were doing. But these days, we’ve realized that approach is not beneficial to ourselves or the group we’re working with. So, we’re encouraging each other to be more specific and acknowledge our mental health, to be honest about what’s going on in our lives. One instructor who works as a SAR paramedic told us a story of how he responded to an emergency situation as a lead medic on Mt. Hood despite not being in a good place in his life. He had too much going on and was not ready to help. Halfway up the mountain, he broke down and told his partner he couldn’t continue. He then had to figure out how to get himself down the mountain safely, and he was now not available to help his partner. He had created an incident within an incident.
We were given a chart called the Responder Stress Continuum. It displays a range of feelings from readiness to critically injured. Green is ready and well-rested. Red is critical and not ready to go. It would also be honest to realize that most of us are never just one color of the spectrum. But this gives us a tool to communicate where we are at in our state of readiness and I think this could be applied to heading out for a challenging bike ride in the backcountry as well as showing up for trail work. As always, checking in with group members and having an agreed-upon plan if something goes wrong is ideal. We can even nominate a group member who is “in the green zone” to be in charge of emergencies. Communication with the outside world is key as well. Charged cell phones and/or a device like a Garmin InReach can make the difference when needing to call for help and/or an evacuation.
The class was thorough, but straightforward. We spent time practicing CPR. First, we did a preliminary check for breathing and pulse, followed by calling for help as soon as possible and sending someone for the AED, and then beginning steady chest compressions. After CPR, we got into bleeding control, covering the spectrum of small incisions all the way up to hard-to-control bleeding. We practiced using an Israeli bandage and applying a tourniquet. Sawyers should have those handy in the field, not buried at the bottom of a backpack. In an emergency situation involving an artery, you would need to be able to apply one in less than twenty seconds. We then moved on to making improvised splints with common items such as a trekking pole, umbrella, or an ice axe. SAM splints are great items to have in your pack. They’re light and portable and are easy to form into body shapes. We practiced forming them on the uninjured side of the body and flipping it to the injured side, and wrapping with gauze or coban. I prefer coban because it sticks to itself, but use what you have. We then practiced immobilizing the limb for evacuation. We then make sure the body is compact and can be stable for walking out, or being able to fit in a stretcher. Triangular bandages are great for tie down, or a windbreaker can be improvised.
training opportunities
Oregon Timber Trail has always held Education as one of its four tenets. Half the fun of bikepacking and doing trail work is learning new skills and becoming more comfortable in the backcountry. Those wanting to take a class on trail work or become a certified sawyer should sign up for an April or May event. Those wanting to run chainsaws at work parties must be USFS certified and hold a valid card. We’ve asked our friends in the trail community to share some upcoming events. The idea with many of these is that you get training from the group you intend to volunteer with. For example, PCTA saw training classes are free for PCTA volunteers. The same goes for Cascade Volunteers. Backcountry First Aid certifications are a prerequisite for sawyer training classes.
Oregon Trails Coalition Backcountry First Aid and CPR for Trail Crews
April 9th, Zigzag North Compound, Mt. Hood (Hosted by Trailkeepers of Oregon)
April 15th, LOGE, Bend (Hosted by Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA))
April 16th, LOGE, Bend (Hosted by Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA))
May 6, Fish Lake Remount Depot (Hosted by Cascade Volunteers)
“Have 5 or more staff or volunteers that need Basic First Aid/CPR training for trail crew work? Contact steph.noll@oregontrailscoalition.org to schedule a training near you. Discounted registration rates may be available through our partnerships with USFS and BLM.”
Trailkeepers of Oregon
TKO has stepped up with events in a big way. They offer everything from Tread School to Crosscut saw to Chainsaw certification. If you want to learn more about trail work or get your sawyer certification, head over to their events page.
Upcoming TKO events in April and May
Crosscut Saw Certification class April 10 and 11 (Free) Want to cut in wilderness or during a burn ban? this is the way)
Crosscut Saw Training Course April 30 - May 1 (Volunteer $160.76 Professional $399.46)
Saw School - Chainsaw Training Course May 2 - 3 (Volunteer $160.76 Professional $399.46) Ticket price is optional for volunteers
Cascade Volunteers
CV is offering a chainsaw class May 21-22 at Fish Lake depot. There are still about 6 spots open, and there will be a First Aid/CPR class on site Friday the 20th. To sign up for the saw class, you need to have or make an account with CV through BetterImpact: Go to the bottom of this page and click on Volunteer, then follow the instructions to make an account https://cascadevols.org/volunteer/ You will be sent a Volunteer Agreement to sign and be able to search the calendar for the saw class, see the detailed description and sign themselves up. All saw students must have valid first aid/CPR cards to participate. The link to the First Aid class will appear when you sign up for the saw class.
For volunteer groups that want to train their trainers
The Cascade Volunteers Saw Program is a nationally recognized and approved sawyer training and certification program. Our program is implemented by Forest Service volunteers who are certified as C Sawyers or C Sawyer Evaluators who in turn can train, evaluate, and certify our own organization’s volunteers, other cooperating organizations, and/or Forest Service employees.
Umpqua National Forest
The Umpqua National Forest is hosting a two-day crosscut and power saw training on April 30 and May 1. Classes will take place from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. at a Forest Service campground near Glide, Oregon. April 30 will be a classroom day, while Sunday will also include hands-on practice in the field. The class is free and will be taught by Forest Service agency personnel.
There will also be a field proficiency portion of the class that will be offered later this spring and summer. Volunteers will participate in field-based work parties. An agency evaluator will participate in the work party to evaluate sawyers.
This class is intended for uncertified or new sawyers who wish to actively participate as sawyer volunteers on the Umpqua National Forest. The minimum age for crosscut use is 16. The minimum age for power saw use is 18.
Register or ask questions by contacting Wayne Chevalier at wayne.chevalier@usda.gov or by calling 541-825-3102. Specific instructions on what type of equipment is provided or necessary and location specific details for camping on site will be sent after registering.
USFS Forest Service will host a free CPR/First Aid course on April 23rd. The training will take place from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. at a Forest Service campground near Glide, Oregon. Only students registered for the saw class can sign up for the CPR/First Aid Training, and spaces will be prioritized for volunteers with intent to use power saws, Contact Elena Lininger at Source One Serenity elena@sourceoneserenity.org to register and learn more about the CPR/First Aid training.
PCTA
PCTA is offering a saw certification and training at Wind River April 4-5
“Participants can earn crosscut and chain saw certifications or re-certifications. This saw training and operation is possible thanks to safety and operation agreements with the U.S. Forest Service. This event is open to PCTA volunteers and members only.” Become a PCTA Volunteer